Control freaks [induction furnace logic controller]

Abstract

The induction furnace has been used in a massive range of applications from heating, melting and welding to shrink-fitting, forming, soldering and even plasma physics. Furnaces operate at frequencies between 10 Hz to 60 MHz, and as a result, different power supplies - operating at different frequencies - have also been developed. Induction steel heating furnaces (ISHF) have several advantages in practical applications. However, when a material is heated within an ISHF, its resistivity and magnetic permeability fluctuate, which proves detrimental to the control of power within the furnace. One way to improve power control within an ISHF is to use a programmable logic controller (PLC). Indeed, modern PLCs are modular, affordable, have large memory capacities, and also have special functions such as pulse wave modulation (PWM) and data communication. Using a PLC not only eases position, temperature and pressure control within the ISHF, but also provides overvoltage and overcurrent protection. A new PLC control system design allows heating to take place at constant power while maintaining a steady resonance frequency. The article introduces the system.