Optimizing Induction Heating of WNiCo Billets Processed via Intensive Plastic Deformation

Abstract

The aim of the work is to optimize the induction heating regime and propose a suitable deformation temperature for a pre-sintered powder-based tungsten heavy alloy workpiece subsequently processed via rotary swaging. The heating regime is designed with the help of numerical analyses and subsequent experiments. The first part of the study focuses on the theoretic background of the induction heating and comprises the development of a reliable induction heating model via performing electromagnetic simulations in two individual computational software packages (for verification). The second part of the study then involves the optimization of the heating regime using the designed numerical model. Last but not least, the predicted results are compared to the experimentally acquired results, and the optimized heating regime, applicable before experimental rotary swaging of the WNiCo workpiece, is proposed. The results of the microstructure analyses of the workpiece heated to the selected optimum deformation temperature of 900 °C showed that the designed induction heating procedure provided sufficient heating of the bulk of the workpiece (contrary to the lower swaging temperature), as the swaged microstructure featured well-deformed tungsten agglomerates. Furthermore, the analyses documented the high-quality oxidation-free surface of the particular workpiece (contrary to the higher swaging temperature).