J. Barglik, Silesian University of Technology, Katowice, Poland
Surface induction hardening of steel work-pieces belongs to modern energy-efficient, technological processes which require a lot of energy. In many cases the only way how to collect a sufficient amount of information necessary for optimal designing of the induction hardening device is a proper computer simulation supported by the well-planned experiment. From the physical and mathematical viewpoints its mathematical modeling is a kind of challenge because it represents a complicated multiphysic coupled problem. The physical phenomena include electromagnetic field, generation of the Joule losses in the hardened body, its rapid induction heating, consequent intensive cooling and finally accompanying metallurgical changes in internal structure of the workpiece. Boundary conditions for non-stationary temperature field have taken into consideration radiation heat transfer and multiple reflection phenomena. Metallurgical phenomena are determined based upon experimentally obtained numerical model. The complete analysis becomes to be especially complicated in case of work-pieces having non-regular shapes like for instance gear wheels.
The paper presents some aspects of mathematical modeling of surface induction hardening of gear wheels. The professional FEM-based package is used for modeling of coupled electromagnetic and temperature fields. Some user codes are prepared by the author of the paper based upon experimental data for investigated steel. They are applied for description of metallurgical properties of hardened material: hardness distribution and micro-structure of the hardened layer. Results of computer simulation were compared with measurement data obtained at the industrial stand. Quite reasonable agreement between computations and measurements is noticed. Final conclusions and some outlines for further research activities in the area are presented.
Summary: The paper presents some aspects of mathematical modelling of surface induction hardening of gear wheels. The FEM-based professional package was used for modelling of coupled electromagnetic and temperature fields. Some user codes were prepared by the authors of the paper. They were based upon expoerimental data for investigated steel and were applied for description of metallurgical properties of hardened material: hardness distribution and microstructrure of the hardened layer. Final results of computer simulation were compared with measurement data and reasonable agreement between them was noticed.
