INDUCTION HARDENING APPARATUS FOR A CRANKSHAFT

摘要

An induction hardening apparatus (20) for inductively heating and quench hardening a crankshaft (21) includes an arrangement of two workstations (33, 36) similar ly configured and a robotic device (37) indexing the crankshaft from a first workstation to a second workstation. The induction hardening apparatus is designed with a single induction coil (48) located at the first workstation for the sequential induction heating and quench hardening of the pins of the crankshaft. At the second workstation, a single induction coil (63) is used for the bearing surfaces of the crankshaft. One feature of the present invention is that the induction coils do not contact the surfaces of the crankshaft which are being inductively heated an d quench hardened. Crankshaft dimensions and geometry are programmed into servodrive systems (4 9, 51) which move the corresponding coil in X and Y directions accurately tracing the orb it or path of each pin and each bearing surface. Another feature of the present invention is th e use of an offset 180 degree coil (310) which provides improved heating patterns in less time than traditional 90 degree coils.