garian-ga,
Here I will present information on the metallurgical and technological
aspects of two methods for melting brass: induction heating and gas
heating. Some information presented herein refers to “non-ferrous
metals” as a group, rather than brass specifically, but since brass is
a non-ferrous metal (containing no iron), this should be helpful. I
have included as much information as possible discussing actual brass.
Basically, the induction methods are more technologically advanced
(and require more expensive equipment), but are more energy efficient
(so after the initial capital outlay, they are more economical to
operate than gas furnaces) and can do more precise work. (More details
to follow).
Concerning induction heating in general, from the following
Ameritherm, Inc. webpage
[http://www.ameritherm.com/brazing_induction.html ]:
“Modern induction heating provides reliable, repeatable, non-contact
and energy-efficient heat in a minimal amount of time. Solid state
systems are capable of heating very small areas within precise
production tolerances, without disturbing individual metallurgical
characteristics.”
The next link, from the same site, is a fantastic technical
explanation of what exactly induction heating is and how it works,
including a short QuickTime video. You should look over this page in
its entirety:
[ http://www.ameritherm.com/aboutinduction.html ].
A quote from the page: “Induction heating is a method of providing
fast, consistent heat for manufacturing applications which involve
bonding or changing the properties of metals or other electrically
conductive materials.”
The site also lists the following advantages of induction heating over
gas:
[http://www.ameritherm.com/aboutinduction.html , Section 2)]:
-Maximum Repeatability
With modern solid state induction heating systems,the heating pattern
is always the same for a given set-up, cycle after cycle and day after
day. Product quality increases with fewer rejects.
-Faster Cycle Time
Heat is developed directly and instantly(>2000º F. in < 1 second)
inside the workpiece, allowing a much quicker startup than other
industrial heating systems. Heating process times can be dramatically
reduced, heat treatment can be integrated directly into the production
line & production throughput can be significantly increased.
- Pinpoint Accuracy
Induction heating is highly directional; very small areas of the
workpiece can be heated without affecting surrounding areas. Power
input is precisely controlled to achieve the exact temperature
required for slow or fast heating.
- Selective Heat
Heat is delivered only where and when it is needed, which minimizes
product warpage and distortion. Reject rates are further reduced
because the process induces heat in the product without actually
touching it.
- Flexible Setup
Our remote heat stations allow the induction coil to be located up to
200 ft. away from the power supply, depending on the application.
Bring precision heating directly to your workbench or assembly line!
- Environmentally Sound
Induction heating is a clean, non-polluting process. It produces no
harmful emissions, exhaust gases, smoke, loud noise or waste heat to
alter the surrounding environment.
-Increased Profitability
This energy-efficient process converts up to 90% of the energy
expended into useful heat to reduce utility costs. Stand-by losses are
reduced to a minimum because the heat is only "on" when actually
performing its intended task.
And lastly, the following advantage of induction systems over gas,
specifically:
- User-Friendly
Working conditions are improved with the absence of smoke, fumes,
noise and extraneous heat produced by furnaces or other industrial
heating systems.
Furthermore, the Ameritherm company is willing to answer some of your
specific technical questions free of charge:
"Will induction heating work for your application?
At our Induction Heating Applications Lab in Scottsville, NY, we are
constantly evaluating and developing new uses for precision induction
heating with our advanced solid state technology. We invite you to
send samples of your parts to our lab for a NO CHARGE evaluation and
system recommendation. Send us your parts, describe your process, tell
us what is most important to you, and we will provide you with our
best advice. For more information, visit our Applications Laboratory
page or send us an e-mail using the link above. We'll look forward to
working with you on a precision heating solution!"
Here is their e-mail link:
info@ameritherm.com
On their Applications Laboratory page, “melting” is listed as one of
the “common applications for induction heating. Here’s a link to
Ameritherm’s Lab Page:
[http://www.ameritherm.com/lab.html ].
Next is a link to Ameritherm’s “Induction Heating Video Library” page,
including a video clip entitled, “Brazing Brass to Brass”:
[http://www.ameritherm.com/videoindex.html ].
The next link, from Vilnis Frishfelds’ website in corroboration with
“ABB,” is to a highly scientific discussion (with journal references
listed at the bottom of the page, and very interesting animated graphs
to illustrate concepts visually) on induction crucible furnaces, which
are used in both non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy:
[http://www.modlab.lv/diffusio.htm ].
An excerpt:
“In order to compare the numerical simulations with melting in real
furnace, the model experiment with small furnace is made were the
thickness of refractory is only 3 cm. The photo is taken after 55
hours of inductive melting and shows a sharp zinc accumulation front
(point B), where zinc mass fraction is 25 %, while at melt only 0.2 %,
and at cooler below 1 % (point C). Phase analysis performed by x-rays
showed that accumulation front contains pure metallic zinc that agrees
with our assumption about interacting impurities. The porosity
coefficient of ceramics in model experiment is approximately 15 %.”
From Diversified Metalsmiths, Inc.
[http://www.dmi-castings.com/melting.htm ]:
“Melting for both investment and sand casting is performed using
electric induction furnaces… It is also used for smaller pours of
non-ferrous alloys to reduce waste.”
The following site discusses melting brass with a butane (i.e. gas)
furnace:
[http://www9.ocn.ne.jp/~backyard/torchfurnace.html ].
The next link is to a page detailing the technical specifications of a
gas Natural Gas or Propane) crucible furnace, including photographs
from bakerfurnace.com:
[ http://www.bakerfurnace.com/cfurn.htm ].
If you e-mail them a specific question, such as “What are the
advantages of your gas crucible furnaces over induction furnaces?”
they will give you further insight. Their e-mail address for these
types of inquiries is:
Sales@Bakerfurnace.com
The following approach of “Melting Brass in the Flowerpot Furnace” is
outlined in detail with text and photographs, and describes a
“backyard” approach of less sophistication than that of the induction
labs discussed above, but still with decent products as a result. This
furnace is, believe it or not, charcoal powered!:
[http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/brasscasting1.html ].
Here is a link to the page from the same website detailing how to
build the precise type of furnace the author used (the “Flowerpot
Furnace”):
[http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/book_fp.html ].
The next link is to a webpage describing how to build a gas fired,
metal melting furnace:
[http://www.artmetal.com/project/TOC/proces/cast/ag_cast.html ].
Note the warning posted on the above site: “Processes, methods, and
apparatus presented herein have not been tested or verified by
ArtMetal in any way. Anyone using any of this information is doing so
at their own risk."
The next link is to a commercial gas furnace metal melting company,
GASMAC, Inc. They are in the business of selling “non-ferrous
furnaces, ovens and equipment”:
[http://www.gasmac.com/nonferrous.html ].
They sell “Electric resistance brass melting/holding furnaces,” among
other types of furnaces.
Google search strategy:
Keywords,
“melting brass gas vs induction”:
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,
“melting brass gas”:
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,
“melting brass induction”:
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,
“gas furnace brass melting techniques”:
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,
“induction furnace brass melting techniques”:
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,
“brass melting furnace”:
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,
"brass melting methods":
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,
"brass melting gas induction":
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,
"metallurgy brass melting":
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,
"metallurgy brass melting gas":
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,
"metallurgy brass melting induction":
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,
" brass melting applications":
://www.google.com/search?q=brass+melting+furnace&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=off&start=10&sa=N
If you ever need extremely detailed data on something very specific,
it’s best to email an authoritative source directly and request the
information (such as some of the e-mail addresses I provided above).
Also, clicking the “similar links” gray colored link next to each
search result main link will bring you to more content similar to that
of the last link.
I hope you find that this information is along the lines of what you
were looking for. If it for some reason is not, or if I’ve left
something out that is important to you, please do not hesitate to ask
for Clarification to this Answer. Do not hesitate to steer me towards
the specific information you need if you did not see it here, as your
Question was not all that specific.
Good luck in your endeavors, and be sure that you always observe all
industry-standard safety practices when working with furnaces and
molten metal!
Sincerely,
omniscientbeing-ga
Google Answers Researcher |
