Microhardness of the piston rod treated with different
induction hardening processes was tested.
Finite element analysis(FEA)
software, ANSYS/Thermal, was used to simulate the thermal field for high frequency
induction hardening process. The simulation process is divided into three steps:induction heating, spray water quenching and air cooling. The results reveal that the depth of hardening zone is proportional to the ratio of the moving speed to the output power. Through the FEA and calculation, it was proved that the distribution of heating temperature along the depth of piston rod surface layer during induction hardening is in concordance with the curve of hardness distribution. According to the simulation, if the ratio of moving speed to output power is the same for different induction processes, the thermal fields of induction heating are similar. The simulation result establishes the temperature time curves on separated layers of crossing section of the piston rod, which plays an important role in the determination of induction hardening process.