What is Induction Hardening?
Induction hardening is a surface-hardening process in which  only the surface layer of a suitable ferrous work piece is  heated by electromagnetic induction to above the upper  critical temperature and immediately quenched

What are the best materials for Induction Hardening?
Medium carbon steel (.4% carbon minimum) is necessary for proper induction hardening. Alloys such as 4140, 4340, 4150 in a pre-heat treated condition provide best results. Annealed materials yield lower hardness results.

How deep is the case depth when you Induction Harden?
Case depths are dependent on the part application and configuration. Our power supplies yield case depths up to .250".

How long does it take to have a part Induction Hardened?
Induction hardening is a rapid surface hardening process. Cycle time can be as short as a few seconds to a few minutes depending on the part configuration and case depths required. Gear teeth are hardened one at a time.

Besides gears, what other type of parts can benefit from Induction Hardening?
Any part that is effected by local surface wear may benefit from induction hardening. Shafts, sprockets, pins and plates are just a few other types of parts which we induction harden.

Is Induction Hardening better than flame hardening or carburize and hardening?
Induction hardening is a heat treating option with certain advantages. Generally, induction is a more controlled and repetitive process than flame hardening. Most of our equipment is CNC controlled. As we are performing localized hardening, distortion is minimal when compared with furnace processes where the entire part is heated such as carburizing.

Will Induction Hardening distort my parts?
While distortion is inherent in all heat treating processes, induction hardening minimizes distortion through localized heating.

Can anything be done to minimize distortion when Induction Hardening?
Proper material selection can decrease distortion during induction hardening. Efficient coil design provides even heating and reduces distortion.