Method for Inductive Heat Treatment, and Process-Engineering Arrangement for Execution of the Method

Abstract

A method for an inductive heat treatment of a workpiece includes determining at least one material attribute of the workpiece, and performing the inductive heat treatment controlled in dependence on the determined at least one material attribute of the workpiece.

Claims

1. A method for an inductive heat treatment of a workpiece, comprising: determining at least one material attribute of the workpiece; and performing the inductive heat treatment controlled in dependence on the determined at least one material attribute.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a process engineering arrangement performs at least one of (i) the determining the at least one material attribute, and (ii) the performing the inductive heat treatment.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining the at least one material attribute comprises: determining the at least one material attribute of the workpiece non-destructively and/or contactlessly.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining the at least one material attribute comprises: determining the at least one material attribute of the workpiece with an inductor and a magnetic field sensor.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the determining the at least one material attribute further comprises: arranging an inductor near the workpiece; activating the arranged inductor; and sensing a magnetic field with the magnetic field sensor in dependence on the activating the inductor as a test result or a determination result.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: calibrating a test device or a determination device based on the determined at least one material attribute.

7. A process-engineering arrangement, comprising: a determination device configured to determine at least one material attribute of a workpiece; a heat treatment device configured to perform an inductive heat treatment of the workpiece; and a control device operably connected to the determination device and the heat treatment device and configured (i) to control the determination device to determine the at least one material attribute, and (ii) to control the heat treatment device to perform the inductive heat treatment in dependence on the determined at least one material attribute.

8. The process-engineering arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the control device is configured to store a temperature regulation in dependence on the determined at least one material attribute for controlling the inductive heat treatment.

9. The process-engineering arrangement according to claim 7, further comprising: a test device configured to test a required specification of the workpiece after the inductive heat treatment.

10. The process-engineering arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the test is a destructive test of the workpiece.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0024] An exemplary embodiment of the method according to the disclosure is represented in the FIGURE. The disclosure is now explained in greater detail on the basis of this FIGURE.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The FIGURE shows a method 1 for inductive heat treatment of a workpiece, in particular for hardening it. Also represented is a process line 2, in which method 1 is executed. The process line 2 has the stations workpiece intake 4, inductive heat treatment 6, random testing 8 and goods output 10.

[0026] A first step of the method 1, determining at least one material attribute of the workpiece 12, is effected in the goods intake 4 by means of a test means, which in particular has at least one inductor and at least one magnetic field sensor. The test means is used to determine at least one of the material attributes structure, hardness, -structure of hardness or hardness depth, strength, orindirectlya distortion, or internal stresses of the workpiece are determined. An intake state of the workpiece is thereby determined, before the inductive heat treatment, which is then subsequently controlled in dependence on a determination result. The workpiece is then transferred into the inductive heat treatment 6 section of process line 2. Here the step of method 1, inductive heat treatment, controlled in dependence on the determined material attribute or attributes 14, is effected.

[0027] In the exemplary embodiment represented, this is realized by a temperature-regulated process control in dependence on the determination result determined in step 12.

[0028] Following completion of the inductive heat treatment, the workpiece may optionally be transferred to random, in particular destructive, testing 8. To ensure that the result of the inductive heat treatment 6 is not subject to drift over time, workpieces in this case may be randomly tested for hardness or structure or, in general terms, for a required specification.

[0029] Alternatively, and as a rule, following completion of inductive heat treatment 6 the workpiece is transferred into the final station of the process line 2, goods output 10.

[0030] The method 1 according to the disclosure executed in the process line 2 thus enables the process of inductive heat treatment 6 to be controlled directly by means of magnetic or magnetic field properties of the workpiece that are measured in-line.

[0031] By creation of a direct feedback of the inductive heat treatment to the material attribute, it is possible, in particular, to effect very precise local adjustment of the structure of the workpiece.

[0032] Disclosed is a method for inductive heat treatment of a workpiece obvious, in which firstly at least one material attribute of the workpiece is determined, and then the inductive heat treatment is controlled in dependence on the at least one material attribute. Also disclosed is a process-engineering arrangement comprising a determination means, a heat treatment means and a control means therefor.