SMS Elotherm has continuously refined the hardening process to achieve extremely high energy efficiency. Induction hardening with induction machines from SMS Elotherm needs less energy than comparable systems.

A crucial factor here is that with Elotherm, the converters (power generators) and the inductors (power applicators) come from the same source and are perfectly matched to each other. Elotherm therefore achieves a trend-setting energy balance, which reduces the environmental footprint as well as unit costs.

Compared to hardening processes with traditional furnace technology, induction technology needs distinctly less energy, is considerably faster and minimises distortion effects. It also eliminates the time, cost and energy expenditure of furnace preheating or charging as with thermochemical processes in the furnace is not necessary. . When induction heating machines are not needed, they automatically switch to an economical standby mode.

Stably reproducible process results, long inductor service life, short cycle and set-up times, easy access for maintenance, optimised machine footprint, and if desired fully automatic sequences are factors for optimal customer benefits. Whether with series products or package concepts aligned to the customer’s process, we stand by our customers with all of our experience and expertise and this for decades.

Induction hardening is generally a clean process. The process sequence for hardening usually consists of heating, holding at hardening temperature, soaking, quenching and if necessary inductive tempering or even tempering by residual heat (auto tempering). SMS Elotherm has detailed knowledge of the interactions in this process and their impact on metallurgical characteristics. Based on this expertise, we are constantly improving the efficiency of the machine technology to reduce power consumption significantly.

Surface hardening of passenger vehicle crankshafts. The machine can be designed with one or two stations. Surface hardening with one station is primarily suitable for small and medium volume production, with the focus on hardening of a variety of workpieces. With two stations, the machine is ideal for large volume production with high-throughput hardening.

SMS Elotherm has created effective conditions for flexible machine layout as well as flexible application. The machines can harden crankshafts for 1 to 6 cylinders.

In continuous industrial operation, the machine can achieve cycle times under 30 s for hardening of four-cylinder passenger vehicle crankshafts. That means a profitable throughput of up to 120 crankshafts per hour, with consistently high quality within exactly specified tolerances.

For hardening crankshafts with lengths up to 1500mm, the SMS Elotherm system opens up a solution, for trucks and other large vehicles as well as many stationary units. Customers can choose exactly the required performance profile to avoid overcapacity and/or excess capital expenditure.

Hardening crankshafts with lengths up to 12000 mm and weights up to 8 tonnes even with large undercuts in the fillets – those are the breathtaking dimensions of crankshaft induction hardening machines from SMS Elotherm.

This allows enormous crankshafts to be hardened with high precision and, above all, economically. Some examples are crankshafts for marine engines or locomotives, or for the large diesel engines of generators, compressors and pumps.

Customers can choose from a basic configuration with low capital expenditure or a higher configuration level with for example distinctly shorter cycle times.

The hardening process can be set individually for each bearing location and is also performed automatically.