Multiphysics FEM Simulation of Contour Induction Hardening Process on Aeronautical Gears

Induction heating has been widely used by the heat treatment industry mainly in the wind-power and automotive sectors, in particular for hardening purposes, in a broad range of applications, its main advantages being the high repeatability and easy automation of the process, both factors leading to improved manufacturing efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions. Though, traditional furnace-based case hardening treatments still represent the choice of reference when performance requirements are particularly demanding, either for the critical operating conditions or safety-related issues. The processes of CIH (Contour Induction Hardening), compared to the traditional carburizing processes, allows to reduce the deformations after heat treatment. The main purpose of these treatments, as well as increases the surface hardness of the piece, is to induce compressive stresses in the superficial layer, improving the fatigue behavior. A multiphysics magneto-thermal simulation can be developed in order to calculate the temperature distribution in the gear, setting the input parameters such as currents, frequencies and treatment times