Induction Heater

[popeyespappy]

Depending on where you live the production of electricity can require burning large amounts of fossil fuels. Yes you can produce electricity using nuclear, solar, wind, and hydro but with the exception of nuclear and maybe hydroelectric you can run into issues producing the power you need when you need it.

Industrial induction furnaces can and do produce the temperatures required to melt any type of metal I’m aware of. They aren’t used much for things like smelting or steel production because they aren’t practical at the thousands of cubic meter scales usually seen in those industries. You do see plenty of electric arc furnaces at those scales though.

Induction furnaces are used for producing a lot of alloys. They provide a high degree of control over temperature and chemistry, and the current causes circulation in the melt which produces a good mixing effect.

Induction furnaces are also in widespread use in the heat treat industry. I’ve never seen an induction carburizer or nitrider but the induction process works well for surface hardening without adding additional carbon. Any process that gives you a hard outer layer while leaving softer but more pliable inner core is applicable to things such as making blades. If that industry isn’t using induction furnaces for heat treating it is because it is cheaper to do it another way not because induction wouldn’t work for them.

Induction welding is used to make a lot of metal laminates, but I don’t think that type of process uses anything that might actually be considered a furnace.