AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE: Michael Faraday discovers induction

Michael Faraday discovered the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction in 1831, and within three months he developed all the basic experiments of induction. In this he built on the work of Oersted (1820) and Ampere (1822), who investigated the relationship between magnetic fields and electric currents. The foundation for electroheating technology was laid, and the archetype of the electrical generator (converter) was created - the birth of induction technolgy. 1831

Commissioning of the world´s first electric arc furnace in Remscheid

Commissioning of the first electric arc furnace in Remscheid-Hasten (Germany). This furnace was the first of its kind. The technique for melting steel with the aid of electric current was revolutionary and would fundamentally alter the steel industry. Within the industry there was great interest in the plants of Richard Lindenberg, the proprietor of Glockenstahlwerk, and it did not take long until Deutsche Edelstahl Werke (DEW) bought the company. After that, DEW and the Hasten site were closely associated with Elotherm for many decades. 1906

Construction of the world´s first crankshaft induction heating machine in Remscheid

DEW launched a research project to develop an induction heating machine for crankshafts. This project was so successful that induction technology was continuously expanded at the Remscheid-Hasten site. 1938

Establishment of Elotherm GmbH as an independent legal entity

Elotherm GmbH became an independent legal entity as a limited liability company. As an independent company, the former operating division of DEW manufactured plants, machines and generators (converters) for the industrial use of induction technology. 1952

DEW and AEG merge their activities

DEW and AEG merged their activities in the areas of industrial electroheating and electrical metallurgy. The company AEG Elotherm GmbH was created to address these areas in an integrated manner. Over the years this arrangement led to many new products and machines. Many of these machines are still in operation, keeping the name AEG Elotherm alive even now. 1956

Industry in change - automation of production

The introduction of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) in the 1970s radically changed industrial production processes. Machines run under program control instead of manual operation, and automation systems were developed. AEG Elotherm became a system supplier instead of a machine supplier. 1970

A continuous stream of innovations

Elotherm built the first tempering machine for tubes and bars. It could perform continuous heating with low frequencies and achieve large hardening depths. The induction quench and temper machines added surface hardening to the previously deployed range of methods.

In the tube and rolling mill sector, heating machines were developed for tube bending, tube end heating, and continuous inline bar heating in the rolling process.

A newly developed laser exposure machine for engine cylinder running surfaces rounded out the protfolio. 2000

Elotherm moves into new premises

Elotherm GmbH moved into its new company headquarters, a new building in Bergisch Born (Remscheid). This new building enabled optimisation of the production layout. Thanks to the higher available electrical capacity and tailored cooling installation, the machine could be not only produced but also completely tested. 2001

Takeover by the SMS group

New development opportunities opened up for the SMS group and SMS Elotherm. The high power density and associated high heating speeds in very small spaces enabled new energy-efficient and cost-saving production layouts in steel mills and rolling mills. Hybrid systems combined the advantages of conventional furnace technology with the low emissions and energy efficiency of induction technology. 2003

Establishment and acquisition of international subsidiaries

SMS Elotherm machines are now in use worldwide. Sales and service support locations in North America, South America, China, France and India are the preferred choice of our international customers for high-quality induction systems. 2008

Hardening machine for large rings

SMS Elotherm develops the first hardening machine for rings with diameters up to 7.5 m and 20 t weight. Constantly rising demands on the machine lead to increasingly larger ring hardening machines from SMS Elotherm. 2009

A new age begins - digitalisation of induction processes

The beginning of digitalisation. Sequentially and consistently, all machines are digitalised and new control concepts are developed. The applications developed in the spirit of Industry 4.0 simplify and optimise operation of the SMS Elotherm induction machines. 2010

Heating of blanks before press hardening

Press hardening allows the automotive industry to produce complex, high-strength sheet-metal body parts. Previously only conventional roller hearth furnaces were used for heating. Very fast and targeted induction heating of the blanks allows lines to be shortened and rejects to be reduced. 2013

Induction stirring in strip casting machines

With the aid of an innovative stirring technique for liquid steel, a special casting method was developed in cooperation with the SMS group. This method enables casting of innovative high-strength strips close to their finished dimensions, which cannot be produced using conventional continuous casting. Induction is a key element of this system - it enables targeted distribution and solidification of the steel in the system. 2014

Inline slab heating

In continuous casting and rolling mills, the temperature of the hot slaps is equalised in roller hearth furnaces and raised again before rolling. In cooperation with the SMS group, a hybrid induction system with very high power density was developed. It allows the slab temperature before the first roll stand to be specifically measured and adjusted in the continuous process. 2015

Forge heating with energy-efficient process technology

The modular ELO-FORGE family of forge heaters invorporates advanced converter technology with a constant power factor, an automatic shuttle system for fast inductor changeover, an emptying chain for forging down to the last part, and many other features for efficient forging operations. Advanced process control enables energy-optimised operation with low rejects. 2016

Modular hardening machine ELO-X

Development of a workpiece independent induction hardening machine in modular design. This machine concept offers individual solutions for various hardening applications based on the latest equipment technology. Retrofitting and expansion of the machines during the product life cycle is possible without great expenditure due to the modular system. 2019