May 2025 Volume 7

AUTOMATION

it the flexibility for variations in the coil line. The mechanical links between each bar section allows the bar to pivot as it is being driven through the curved storage tube but also enables the bar to remain stiff as it pushes the billets through the induction heating coils. In-Line Billet Pushout System As an alternative billet pushout system, Inductoheat offers an in-line pushout integrated in to the billet step feeder assembly. The bar is similar to that of the Inductoforge Billet Pushout System, but is stored above the step feed infeed conveyor. The step feeder is operated by accepting a bin of billets dumped into the hopper by a hydraulic bin tipper. The oscillating steps on the step feeder walk billets up each flight until they reach the top of the feeder and are deposited onto the feeder infeed conveyor. When the billet pushout device is activated, the step feeder turns off, thus stopping the feeding of billets. Once the last loaded billet passes the sensor on the infeed conveyor, pneumatic cylinders lower the pushout bar onto the chain infeed conveyor. The chain infeed conveyor feeds the pushout bar onto the pinch roll chain infeed conveyor and

into the pinch roll drive assembly and pushes billets through the induction heating coils. Once the pushout bar reaches the end of the induction coil line, the bar is retracted by the infeed chain conveyors until it reaches its full back position where the pneumatic lift gates raise the billet to its resting position. Integrating the pushout bar into the infeed conveyor of the step feeder assembly does not require any additional floor space. All In-Line Billet Pushout System functions are also integrated into the Inductoforge controls system and entirely operated from the HMI control screen. Summary The addition of a billet pushout device to any induction heater will provide forging companies with an opportunity to maximize production along with maintenance opportunities. Allowing operators to forge all the heated billets in the induction coil line results in fewer rejected billets and minimizes wasted energy. As equipment automation becomes more and more desired, a billet pushout system offers the best possible solution to the operators most prominent issue when operating an induction heating system, how to empty an induction coil line full of hot billets.

Brian P. Lockitski Project Engineer – Forging Inductoheat Inc. – An Inductotherm Group Email: blockitski@inductoheat.com

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