EMAG · Induction Heating

Induction Heating Simulation with EMWORKS EMAG

EMWORKS EMAG uses finite element analysis to compute electromagnetic fields, eddy current distribution, joule losses, and temperature rise in induction heating coils, workpieces, and fixtures. From coil geometry selection to frequency-dependent skin depth control, simulate the full heating process before building hardware.

Skin depth control

Eddy current density

Joule losses

Temperature distribution

Coil impedance

Flux concentrator design

Curie transition modeling

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Recorded · Live May 23, 2024

Unlocking Efficiency in Induction Heating: Insights and Optimization Strategies

Discover how EMS in Autodesk Inventor streamlines induction heating design analysis & optimization in our webinar, showcasing electromagnetic & thermal insights.

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Process coverage

What EMWORKS EMAG simulates

Hardening & Heat Treatment

Surface hardening

Eddy current penetration depth, temperature profile, and hardening zone geometry in ferromagnetic workpieces

Through-heating

Bulk temperature distribution in forging blanks where uniform cross-section heating is required before forming

Joining & Bonding

Brazing

Temperature distribution and joule losses at the joint during induction-driven filler melt

Mold temperature control

Surface temperature uniformity across mold plates for injection molding cycle optimization

Coil & System Design

Coil geometry optimization

Solenoid, pancake, and shaped coil configurations for flux distribution and heating uniformity

Flux concentrator design

Ferrite magnetizer geometry to confine magnetic flux and improve efficiency in targeted zones

Power coupling and impedance

Coil inductance, impedance, and Q factor to support inverter and resonant circuit sizing

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How EMWorks simulates Induction Heating

13:52

Toroid Inductance Measurement vs EMWORKS EMAG 3D Simulation

Capability

Frequency selection and skin depth

Penetration depth in an induction-heated workpiece is governed by material conductivity, permeability, and excitation frequency. EMWORKS EMAG computes current density distribution as a function of frequency, allowing engineers to select the operating frequency that delivers the required skin depth for a given material and geometry. For surface hardening, a higher frequency confines heat to a shallow layer. For through-heating of forging blanks, a lower frequency is required to drive energy into the cross-section uniformly. The solver handles both regimes within the same AC Magnetic study setup.

Skin depth (mm)

Current density vs. frequency

Eddy loss distribution

Magnetic field intensity (A/m)

▶

Understanding the Impact of Frequency on Graphite Crucible Induction Heating

Magnetic field intensity at 1 kHz, 5 kHz, 9 kHz; temperature-dependent graphite properties

Capability

Coil design and flux distribution

Coil geometry determines where energy is deposited in the workpiece. EMWORKS EMAG evaluates magnetic flux density and eddy current distribution for different coil configurations, including 3D and 2D geometries, shaped coils, and multi-turn arrangements. Comparing designs in simulation before fabrication identifies which configuration produces the required temperature uniformity without hotspots or undertreated zones. Flux concentrators modeled as ferrite components redirect magnetic flux into targeted regions, reducing the power required to reach treatment temperature.

Magnetic flux density (T)

Eddy current density (A/m²)

Temperature uniformity (°C)

Flux vector distribution

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Analyzing the Impact of 3D and 2D Coil Designs on Induction Heating of Mold Plates

Surface temperature distribution after 2 s; validated against experimental data

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Enhancing Induction Heating Efficiency with Magnetizers

Flux vector, eddy current density 1.19×10⁸ A/m², temperature max 850°C in 7 s

Capability

Coupled electromagnetic and thermal analysis

Induction heating is inherently a multiphysics problem. Joule losses computed from the electromagnetic solution become the heat source for the thermal solver. EMWORKS EMAG couples AC Magnetic or Transient Magnetic studies with transient thermal analysis in a single simulation, tracking temperature rise, hotspot development, and thermal gradients across the workpiece over time. Material properties including electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and relative permeability are defined as temperature-dependent curves, allowing the solver to capture nonlinear behavior including the collapse of magnetic permeability as a ferromagnetic workpiece crosses the Curie temperature.

Temperature distribution (°C)

Joule losses (W)

Thermal gradients (°C/m)

Time-temperature curves

Permeability vs. temperature

▶

Simulating Sphere Hardening with Induction Heating: Multi-Physics Insights

Eddy current distribution, temperature evolution over 1.6 hrs — Transient Magnetic + Thermal

Capability

Power supply and circuit sizing

Coil impedance, inductance, and Q factor extracted from EMWORKS EMAG simulation feed directly into inverter and resonant circuit design. Engineers use these values to match the power supply to the coil and workpiece load, avoiding impedance mismatch and power delivery losses before the hardware is built. Parametric sweeps over coil geometry and gap distance produce impedance curves that inform component selection across the operating frequency range.

Coil inductance (µH)

Impedance (Ω)

Q factor

Power factor

Ohmic losses (W)

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Induction Heating and Induction Cooktop Coil Simulation with EMWorks

Coil inductance 92.67 µH vs. 93.8 µH measured; magnetic flux density distribution

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Thermal Analysis of an Induction Cooker Pot

Eddy losses vs. permeability, resistivity, and pan thickness; temperature evolution over 2 min

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Simulate Induction Heating before you build it

EMWORKS engineers can walk through your induction heating simulation setup, from coil CAD model to study configuration and result interpretation.

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Reference

All application notes — Induction Heating

Cooking History and Induction Cooktop Safety

Induction Heating and Induction Cooktop Coil Simulation with EMWorks

Coil inductance 92.67 µH vs. 93.8 µH measured; magnetic flux density distribution

AC Magnetic Analysis

Simulating Sphere Hardening with Induction Heating: Multi-Physics Insights

Eddy current distribution, temperature evolution over 1.6 hrs — Transient Magnetic + Thermal

Transient Magnetic Analysis Thermal Coupling

Understanding the Impact of Frequency on Graphite Crucible Induction Heating

Magnetic field intensity at 1 kHz, 5 kHz, 9 kHz; temperature-dependent graphite properties

AC Magnetic Analysis

Analyzing the Impact of 3D and 2D Coil Designs on Induction Heating of Mold Plates

Surface temperature distribution after 2 s; validated against experimental data

AC Magnetic Analysis

Enhancing Induction Heating Efficiency with Magnetizers

Flux vector, eddy current density 1.19×10⁸ A/m², temperature max 850°C in 7 s

AC Magnetic Analysis

Optimizing Injection Molding with High-Frequency Heating

Current density, temperature 80–90°C average after 15 s; validated against experimental (83°C cavity center)

AC Magnetic Analysis

Thermal Analysis of an Induction Cooker Pot

Eddy losses vs. permeability, resistivity, and pan thickness; temperature evolution over 2 min

AC Magnetic Analysis

Thermal Simulation of Induction Heating Brazing Process

Magnetic flux density, ohmic losses 94 W peak, temperature rise over 1 s

AC Magnetic Analysis Thermal Coupling

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What study type does EMWORKS EMAG use for induction heating simulation?

EMWORKS EMAG uses AC Magnetic studies for frequency-domain analysis of coil inductance, eddy current distribution, and joule losses. Transient Magnetic studies are used when time-domain results are needed, such as temperature evolution during a hardening or brazing cycle. Both study types couple with transient thermal analysis so electromagnetic losses drive the thermal solver within the same simulation.

How does EMWORKS EMAG compute skin depth in a workpiece?

EMWORKS EMAG computes current density distribution across the work-piece cross-section at the specified excitation frequency. Skin depth is observable directly from the current density field plot as the depth at which current density falls to 1/e of its surface value. Running the AC Magnetic study at multiple frequencies within a parametric sweep produces skin depth as a function of frequency for a given material, supporting frequency selection decisions for surface versus through-heating applications.

Can EMWORKS EMAG model the quench phase after induction hardening?

EMWORKS EMAG models the electromagnetic heating phase of the induction-hardening process within a coupled Transient Magnetic and thermal study. The thermal solver handles transient heat transfer, including convective boundary conditions that can represent the quenching medium applied to the workpiece surface after the heating phase. By modeling the heating and subsequent cooling stages within a single transient simulation, EMWORKS EMAG provides the temperature-time history needed to evaluate whether the workpiece reaches the required austenitizing temperature and experiences the desired thermal cycle before and during quenching.

For detailed prediction of metallurgical phase transformations, martensite formation, hardness, and transformation-induced stresses during quenching, the thermal results can be transferred to or coupled with specialized metallurgical or material-process simulation software.

How does EMWORKS EMAG support power supply sizing for induction heating systems?

EMWORKS EMAG extracts coil inductance, impedance, and Q factor from AC Magnetic study results. These values are used directly in inverter and resonant circuit design to match the power supply to the coil-workpiece load. Parametric sweeps over coil geometry and operating frequency produce impedance curves across the design space, supporting component selection for the resonant capacitor bank and switching frequency of the inverter.

Can EMWORKS EMAG simulate temperature-dependent material properties in induction heating?

Yes. Electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and relative permeability can each be defined as temperature-dependent curves in the material library. The coupled electromagnetic-thermal solver updates material properties at each time step as workpiece temperature changes, capturing nonlinear behavior throughout the heating cycle.

What is the difference between an AC Magnetic and a Transient Magnetic study for induction heating?

AC Magnetic is a frequency-domain study that assumes steady-state sinusoidal excitation. It computes time-averaged quantities including coil inductance, impedance, eddy current density, and joule losses efficiently for a single frequency. Transient Magnetic solves the time-domain problem step by step, capturing the evolution of electromagnetic and thermal fields over the duration of the heating process. AC Magnetic is used for coil design and power coupling analysis. Transient Magnetic is used when the time history of temperature rise, hardening profile, or material property change through the Curie transition needs to be tracked.

What results does EMWORKS EMAG produce for induction coil design?

For a given coil geometry and operating frequency, EMWORKS EMAG produces coil inductance, impedance, Q factor, magnetic flux density distribution, eddy current density in the workpiece, joule losses per component, and temperature distribution. Parametric sweeps over coil turns, gap distance, or frequency produce these results across a design space, enabling direct comparison of coil configurations before fabrication.

How does EMWORKS EMAG model a flux concentrator (magnetizer)?

Flux concentrators are modeled as ferrite or other high-permeability components in the simulation geometry, with material properties defined in the EMWORKS EMAG material library. The solver computes the effect of the concentrator on magnetic flux vector distribution, eddy current density at the workpiece surface, and resulting temperature profile. Results show the improvement in power deposition density in the targeted heating zone compared to a coil configuration without the concentrator.

Can EMWORKS EMAG model the Curie temperature transition in ferromagnetic workpieces?

Yes. EMWORKS EMAG accepts temperature-dependent relative permeability curves as material inputs. As the workpiece temperature crosses the Curie temperature, the solver updates the permeability based on the local temperature at each time step in the coupled Transient Magnetic and thermal study, capturing the resulting change in magnetic coupling and power deposition. This behavior is important for accurate induction hardening simulation of steel workpieces, where the transition from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic behavior above the Curie temperature significantly changes the effective skin depth and electromagnetic power deposition.

Can EMWORKS EMAG simulate through-heating for forging applications?

Yes. Through-heating requires a lower excitation frequency than surface hardening to achieve adequate current penetration across the full cross-section of the forging blank. EMWORKS EMAG computes current density and temperature distribution throughout the workpiece volume for the specified geometry, material, and frequency. The simulation produces temperature uniformity across the cross-section at the end of the heating cycle, which is the primary design criterion for forging pre-heat applications.

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