(V) 3D Simulation of an Automotive Wheel Hub and Induction Hardening Coil to Solve Coil Lifetime Issues

This paper will revisit a case study originally done for HTS 2009. The goal then was to solve a lifetime issue of an induction coil for heat treatment of an automotive wheel hub. At the time, computer simulation was beginning to allow for full virtual prototyping of heat treat applications as an alternative to experimental testing. While practical knowledge allowed for the successful determination of the cause of short coil life, and iterative simulation led to implementation of a longer lasting coil that met the required pattern, simulation was not used at the time to pinpoint the cause of failure. As faster computing becomes more widely available and finite element analysis (FEA) improves in scope and accuracy, virtual prototyping and detection of these failure modes are becoming faster and lower cost options compared to the traditional test and trial method. To highlight the leaps made in virtual prototyping, this case study that was previously done as an axisymmetric 2D model will be done in 3D with rotation for the full part. The focus will be on investigation of the original inductor to pinpoint the failure mode, with additional simulation of the improved design to reevaluate the simulated hardening pattern.