GH Induction Group recently shipped a new design gear/raceway hardening machine capable of hardening gears and bearing raceways up to 3,000 mm in diameter and 3,000 kg. The machine’s design has been updated to increase productivity, reduce set-up time and maintenance while improving process repeatability and monitoring, according to the company’s press release.

The basic design features include multi-axis CNC control; raceway or gear teeth tracking; the ability to process OD and ID without changing inductor orientation; process monitoring; programmable setup for different diameters; automatic coil centering and gap for raceways; and self-centering locators that use a single crank.

When raceway hardening or tooth hardening for two teeth at a time occurs, a second IGBT power supply for pre-heat is included as an optional feature for enhanced productivity. This feature is capable of reducing cycle time nearly in half. A second rotation table is another option that could increase productivity by as much as 25 percent, according to the press release. By adding a second coil mounting and a transfer switch, users can process a raceway and gear teeth in one part loading without changing coils.