Cut down administrative time, streamline ordering processes, reorder induction coils you can count on. All of these goals sound great, and that's just what eldec LLC.'s new app sets out to do. In this Heat Treat Today Original Content article, eldec Sales Engineer, Greg Holland, shares how their new app, the Coil Design Assistant (CDA) helps heat treaters to efficiently design and order induction coils.
This past month, eldec LLC. released a free app called Coil Design Assistant (CDA) which is intended to streamline the ordering process of induction coils. Specifically designed for cases when customers know what they want, the app will "convey that information to us quickly," says Greg Holland, sales engineer at eldec LLC., "to reduce the time to quote, fabricate and deliver to the job site."
How the app works is by first submitting information about the induction coil. If a customer has an existing eldec coil to replace, the submission only requires the serial number. If the customer wants to replace their coil from a non-eldec coil, or if they want to customize a coil to optimize performance based on part geometry, the CDA can still be used to configure a basic coil design to specifications. This app will then make future order modifications or extensions more streamlined. Even in situations when a customer has forgotten the serial number, Holland says the app helps "to expedite replacement" when describing a homemade coil.
In fact, like more conventional modes of requesting, all requests made through the app are handled by the eldec application team prior to giving a quotation, "and approval drawings are provided prior to fabrication." So, the team is on hand both to work with customers on the coil design if the customer desires, and for nuanced questions that arise in the review process regarding topics like current, frequency, or overall process.
The big time saver on this is the interpretation from 2D to 3D imaging. Holland states: "Often, a sketch does not capture the third dimension involved in most, if not all, induction applications. The app allows the coil dimensions to be quickly communicated to eldec for even faster quotations and in a format that our engineering team can use to quickly turn around a 3-D approval drawing for customer review, often within a day or two from order."
While the app works best with eldec machines, many other machine builders have adopted the eldec standard 50 mm foot, making the CDA "valuable for use with all inductor designs." Further, Holland comments, if the power supply, for instance, has a mounting foot which is designed differently than the eldec standard design, the CDA features automatic prompting to a discussion platform with an application team expert.
The app will not fully replace the more complex orders and is selective in the number of categories that it has available, so eldec encourages people with complex design needs to contact the sales team directly to talk with a designer.
Holland shares that although there is no fool-proof timeline for tracking coil life, here are a few things to bear in mind:
- Check ceramic coating (if included on the coil) for chipping/flaking and wear to the point of bare copper being exposed.
- Check concentrators (laminations or ferrotron) for discoloration, as this is a sign of overheating. Also, check the concentrators for physical damage, cracks, and major chips (minor chips should not significantly affect functionality)
- Check the bottom of the coil foot for spots where the coil may have arced to the coax transformer. If there are arc spots, this is an indication that the coil is not tight enough on the coax; loose coils can cause multiple issues that are not limited to just coil failure.
- Check for excessive discoloration of the coil leads and gussets. This could be a sign of overheating.
- Check for badly warped or bent coil leads as this is an indication that the operator is putting excessive stresses on the coils during operation. Too much stress on the coils can lead to extra wear of the base copper and any brazed joints in the coil construction.
- Check white Teflon (between coil leads) for signs of melting. Again, this would be an indication of overheating on that particular coil.
- Check the mica on the heating face for signs of excessive wear and replace as needed.
Proper coil design is a critical aspect in the heat treating process. As Holland indicates, the best coil is customized to the specific, intended process. Shapes, features, and coupling distance must be taken account of to evenly and effectively distribute heat and increase process efficiency. Further, he says, "With a more efficient process and coil design, energy usage decreases, workpart quality increases, as does coil life, and overall costs decrease."
