Induction heating

Induction heating warms electrically conductive material by inducing currents in it with a changing magnetic field. Electrical resistance converts those currents into heat.

Electromagnetic induction: The production of an electromotive force in a conductor by changing magnetic flux. A changing magnetic field induces the currents that generate heat in the workpiece.
Induction coil: A shaped conductor carrying alternating current to create a magnetic field for induction heating. Its shape sets the field distribution around the workpiece.
Induction hardening: A heat-treatment process that rapidly heats a metal surface by induction and then quenches it. It uses localized induction heat to harden selected regions of steel components.
Resistance heating: A process that generates heat by passing electric current through a resistive element or material. Unlike many resistance heaters, induction deposits energy directly in a conductive workpiece.
Eddy current: A circulating electrical current induced within a conductor by a changing magnetic field. These circulating currents dissipate energy as heat inside the conductive workpiece.
Alternating current: Electric current that periodically reverses direction. Reversing coil current creates the changing magnetic field induction heating requires.
Induction brazing: A brazing process that heats joined materials and filler metal with electromagnetic induction. It provides rapid, localized heating for joining conductive parts.
Dielectric heating: Heating of insulating materials by energy loss in an alternating electric field. It heats dielectric materials that induction generally cannot heat directly.
Joule heating: The conversion of electrical energy into heat as current flows through electrical resistance. Workpiece resistance turns induced currents into thermal energy.
Electromagnetic field: A physical field comprising coupled electric and magnetic fields that exert forces on charged matter. The coil's electromagnetic field couples energy into conductive material.

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