April 28, 2022 UltraFlex Demonstrates Efficient Induction Brazing

A recent test application by UltraFlex demonstrated the efficiency of using induction for brazing parts manufactured for the HVAC industry.

HVAC manufacturers require frequent, reliable and time- and cost-efficient brazing in their manufacturing process. As a leading provider of advanced induction heaters, UltraFlex is frequently performing test applications per request of manufacturers from this industry.

The goal of UltraFlex test applications is to allow the customers to evaluate the induction heating parameters and results they can expect, for their specific heating scenarios. In this case, the customer was researching the use of induction brazing to replace the current, torch-based brazing for U-bend copper elbows and a brass fitting of different sizes. The customer was looking to increase their energy efficiency as well as productivity, targeting 25 000 brazed parts per month – which meant a brazing cycle of 30 seconds or less.

To automate the brazing, they would use a turntable with 16 positions, with the table sliding in and out of the induction heating coil.

For this induction brazing scenario UltraFlex engineers recommended the use of an induction heater from the UltraFlex UltraHeat SM series. UltraHeat SM are compact and easy-to-use 5kW induction heating systems. They feature adaptive digital phase control, providing efficient operation in a wide frequency range.

Two different induction coils were used in the tests of the larger copper elbows, with the C-shaped coil showing greater efficiency and hence, being recommended for this application. At 5 kW and 4.6 kW of power applied to the larger-size parts to be brazed, it took 25 and 26 seconds for the brazing to be completed. At 4.6 kW of power, the smaller assembly required 50 seconds brazing time.

This test induction brazing application showed the efficiency of using induction heating for the customer’s brazing application, even before major fine-tunings and optimizations had been applied. Having precise digital control on the power and the temperature, the customer could optimize the process and automate it completely, thus increasing his productivity and ensuring consistent, high-quality results, with no dependence on the operator’s skills. By using induction heating he would also ensure a clean and safe process – safe for the operator and safe for the environment – due to the lack of open flame, fumes and noxious emissions.

Find out more at:

https://ultraflexpower.com/

Contact us at:

+1.631.467.6814
uptnews@ultraflexpower.com

About UltraFlex Power Technologies:
UltraFlex Power Technologies (ultraflexpower.com) offers the most advanced and innovative digitally controlled induction heating equipment in the industry. Its compact modular and flexible systems are used for a wide variety of induction heating, casting and melting applications.

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