HardLine is our range of stationary heat treatment systems for surface- and through-hardening. At the heart of each HardLine machine is an EFD Induction Sinac heat generator, the industry's most advanced induction frequency converter. These acclaimed converters help ensure optimum hardening results—day in day out, year after year.

The HardLine family includes vertical, horizontal centerless and customized machines—and serial and/or parallel compensated induction power sources with a wide range of output power and frequencies.

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To learn more about HardLine please download the brochure or contact your nearest EFD Induction office.

HardLine Industrial heat treamtent machines

Hardening
Tempering

Hardening with induction heating

The main benefit of induction heating for hardening is that it takes just a few seconds. In a furnace, the same process can take hours or even days. How is that possible?

The answer is that induction is phenomenal at generating heat fast. This, in turn, means you can integrate hardening in the production process. Hardening in a furnace, on the other hand, is more time-consuming (greater heat loss) and requires moving the components either to your own furnace or to that of a sub-contractor.

In-line integration of hardening reduces your lead times considerably. You get full control over quality, delivery times and costs. There's no need to transport kilos of components back and forward, which saves energy and the environment. And last but not least, you cut down the amount of administration to a minimum.

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Induction hardening

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Tempering with induction heating

Tempering solutions from EFD Induction are present in the automotive and automotive-supply industries. In fact, tempering can be performed on all hardened components—bars, joints, shafts, etc.

Tempering a component only takes around ten seconds, unlike in a furnace where it can take a couple of hours. The reason is that induction generates heat directly in the material— exactly where you need it.

This means tempering can be directly integrated into your production line to improve throughput, increase flexibility and save floor space.

Automotive

Induction heating for the automotive industry

EFD Induction has for years been a trusted supplier of induction heating solutions to numerous automakers in North America and Europe. We also work with many tier-one suppliers and sub-contractors.

Induction heating is used within a variety of fields in the automotive industry such as:

Induction bonding of body parts and magnets in electric motors
Induction brazing of connections for air-conditioning systems, brake linings and fuel tank injection pipes
Induction hardening and tempering of engine, suspension and transmission parts
Induction preheating of transmission parts, for example shrink fitting of gear wheels
Induction postheating of engine parts and brake discs (polymerization)
Induction straightening of steel chassis

HardLine is EFD Induction’s family of heat treatment systems for surface- and through-hardening.

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HardLine - Centerless Heattreatment Machines

An introduction to the Centerless Pusher (CP) and Centerless Continuous (CC) systems.

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HardLine vertical hardening systems are available in four machine types, each one designed for a range of workpiece sizes: VS, VM, VL, VXL.

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What makes it so effective? More and more companies are opting for induction-based hardening solutions.

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Seamless hardening. Why induction is the smarter choice. Seamless induction hardening is the proven cost-saving alternative to thermo-chemical processes.

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How to reduce distortion and costs when hardening small gears

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EFD Induction crankshaft hardening systems are a proven way to meet stringent specifications, while at the same time minimizing costs.

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There are many reasons why induction heating is the preferred method for hardening camshafts.

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Technical articles
News archive
Press releases

Induction hardening. A quick guide to methods and coils

There are two alternative methods of induction hardening: conventional “scanning hardening” and the less common “single-shot hardening”. This article looks at the induction hardening process and discusses these options.

Crankshaft fillet hardening. Challenges and Prospects

Those of us who work in automotive-related industries must sometimes feel we are faced with mission impossible. On one side there is the relentless pressure to squeeze costs, timelines and so on. On the other, there is the growing demand for smaller, lighter and more efficient components and assemblies. And nowhere are these contradictions more evident than with crankshafts.

Energieeffizienz von Anlagen zum induktiven Randschichthärten

In vielen Bereichen der Industrie ist aufgrund gestiegener Energiepreise und dem wachsenden Umweltbewusstsein die Energieeffizienz von Maschinen ein äußerst wichtiger Aspekt. Dem Wirkungsgrad von Induktionserwärmungsanlagen, welche Nennleistungen bis in den MW-Bereich generieren, kommt somit eine besondere Bedeutung zu. Aufgrund des gestiegenen Bedarfs nach zuverlässigen Lösungen und den hohen Anforderungen an die Bauteile, erfährt die Induktion als Verfahren zum Randschichthärten eine hohe Nachfrage.

Induction Heating: A Guide to the Process and Its Benefits

Induction hardening is being increasingly used within the gear industry. However, before looking at the advantages of the method, it is helpful to review the basics of the technology. The phenomenen of induction heating begins by passing an alternating current through a coil in order to generate a magnetic field.

Inductive spin hardening of gears

Easy integration into production flows has made the inductive spin hardening of gears increasingly popular in recent years. Dr. Hansjürg Stiele of EFD Induction explains the basics behind the method.

Induction hardening of crankshafts—how to meet even the toughest specifications

When it comes to crankshafts, engine component manufacturers are caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. On one hand, car-, truck- and ship-makers are relentless in their pursuit of lower costs. On the other, performance requirements are becoming ever more stringent.

Optimizing the performance of vehicle components

The elongation potential model simplifies the explanation of residual stress creation during surface hardening. It is widely accepted that residual stress can have a significant impact on the fatigue strength of hardened components.

Induction heating streamlines production processes

EFD Induction is best known in the automotive business for its hardening and tempering solutions. These are used to treat a wide range of steering, driveline and transmission components, as well as crankshafts, camshafts, gears, drive shafts, output shafts, torsion bars, rocker arms, CV joints, tulips and valves.

New hardening techniques

Achieving shorter manufacturing lead times is one of many advantages of using EFD’s induction-based hardening solutions. More and more companies are opting for induction-based hardening solutions – and there are four key reasons that make induction hardening such an attractive choice for OEMs and suppliers.

New nomographs for induction surface hardening of steel

New nomographs for induction surface hardening of steel showing the relations between surface power density, frequency, heating time, maximum surface temperature, and austenitisation depth have been calculated. Coupled electromagnetic and transient thermal 1D (ELTA) and 2D (Flux2D) simulations with nonlinear material properties have been used. A relative workpiece dimension factor is introduced to take into account the influence of the workpiece size.

Hardening techniques

There are many benefits to be reaped from contour spin hardening with the multifrequency method. The induction heating method used for small- and medium-sized gears is often referred to as spin hardening. This is because the gear is placed within an induction coil and spins as eddy currents are induced.

Hardening of slewing rings

Wind is the ideal energy source. It’s safe, it’s clean, and there’s an endless supply. But harvesting and converting it into electricity poses challenges. The large slewing bearings used in wind turbines, for example, are subject to extreme loads and near-constant operation. Such conditions mean the slewing rings must be hardened without producing so-called ‘soft spots’ or ‘soft zones’. These zones are caused by unintentionally heating already hardened areas—in effect tempering, or softening, the metal.

Induction hardening of camshaft lobes

EFD Induction is the world’s no.1 induction hardening company. That’s good news for us. But what’s more important is why?

One key factor is our proven success at ‘package hardening’—the simultaneous hardening of three closely spaced camshaft lobes.

Induction brazing and soldering the inlet caps and outlet pipes of fuel tanks

EFD Induction India has improved the soldering application with units recently supplied to the TVS Motor company.

John Deere buys crankshaft hardening system from EFD Induction

When the world’s largest manufacturer of agricultural equipment decides to invest in production upgrades, you can be sure it chooses the best solutions on offer. Jean- Pierre del Gobbo has the details on why John Deere selected a crankshaft hardening system from EFD Induction France.

What role has induction technology played in the promotion of green wind power?

Oil crisis… energy crunch… global warming. All of us are aware of the need to find sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. One of the most promising alternatives is wind. It’s clean, it’s free, and supplies are unlimited. There’s just one problem. How can we harvest it? EFD Induction explains how modern technology extracts energy from the skies—and what EFD Induction is doing to help it.

Induction heating for the aerospace industry

Specialized applications. Stringent quality levels. Tight leadtimes. The global aerospace industry sets tough demands on its parts and equipment suppliers. But they are the kind of demands that induction technology is uniquely qualified to satisfy.

Simultaneous frequencies on a single coil

The history of simultaneous frequencies on a single coil goes back to the late forties. But the full potential of the technology remained untapped until EFD Induction patented its ‘Multi Frequency Concept’ (MFC).

Induction hardening of heavy-duty hydraulic motors

A new EFD Induction solution has helped Hägglunds Drives slash hardening cycle times by 85% for large cam rings, and 45% for smaller rings.

Induction hardening of brake shoe

EFD Induction India has grown steadily since its launch in Bangalore in 1992. But the first half of this year has seen spectacular growth—much of it due to a surge in demand for hardening solutions.

Induction hardening complete steering racks, shafts and gear parts

Unique hardening solutions for unique hardening demands. EFD Induction Germany, is no stranger to tough challenges. But two particular demands—and the special solutions devised by EFD Induction—stand out.

Induction hardening of crankshaft

EFD Induction France has long been a leader in the design and manufacture of crankshaft hardening machines for auto-makers. That leadership is now being extended to extra-large crank-shafts for the truck, power generating, ship and railway industries.

The certificate awarded to EFD Induction Germany is the VDA 6.4

Not just anybody can supply German automakers. You first have to prove you’re as devoted to quality control as they are. And one way to prove it is to meet the tough quality control demands set by the German Confederation of Automobile Industries (Verband Der Automobilindustrie, or VDA for short).

In-line heat treatment

Kristian Berggren of EFD Induction Sweden discusses some of the factors that make in-line heat treatment an attractive option.

Induction hardening of camshafts and crankshafts

Caterpillar, Komatsu, JCB, John Deere, Poclain, Clark—they all have two things in common. One, they make large, heavy machines whose case depth, part dimensions and production rates differ radically from those in the automotive industry. Two, they are all customers of EFD Induction, and use the most innovative machines and production solutions available.

Induction heat treatment of steel bars

Joachim Plust of EFD Induction Germany discusses how integrated induction heating leads to better, faster and cheaper heat treatment of steel bars.

EFD Induction lands major order for thread annealing of CV joints

A global leader in advanced steering and driveline systems has selected an EFD Induction HardLine system. The heat treatment system will be used to anneal the thread area of the CV joints.

Induction scanners for sun gears and shafts

EFD Induction USA has recently won major orders from two American tier-one automotive suppliers.The orders involve EFD Induction ‘HardLine’ type induction scanning systems.

EFD Induction chosen for heat treatment of balance shafts

A global supplier of engine, steering and chassis components has selected an EFD Induction solution for hardening of balance shafts.

EFD Induction scores breakthrough order with NSK

EFD Induction, Europe's largest induction heating company, has won an order for an automatic induction hardening and quenching system from NSK of Japan, the bearing and precision parts manufacturer.

Major new technical article by EFD Induction experts

Dr. Hansjürg Stiele and Stefan Schubotz of EFD Induction Germany have written a detailed study of the energy efficiency of induction surface hardening. The study, which is in German, is published in connection with Härterei Kongress (Heat Treatment Congress), held this October in Wiesbaden.

EFD Induction expert published by leading steel industry group

An extensive technical paper, co-authored by Dr. Hansjürg Stiele, has been published by ‘Stahl-Informations-Zentrum’.

EFD Induction to focus on core business—sells commercial heat treatment operation

EFD Induction, Europe’s largest induction heating company, has announced the sale of its Germany-based commercial heat treatment operation EFD Härterei F. Düsseldorf GmbH.

EFD Induction lands Caterpillar hardening orders

Caterpillar Inc., the earthmoving equipment giant, has ordered eight induction hardening and tempering systems from EFD Induction.

Valve specialist Basso orders EFD Induction hardening system

Argentina-based automotive valve manufacturer Basso A.S. has ordered a vertical hardening system from EFD Induction. The system—designed to harden valve stem ends—is currently being constructed at EFD Induction’s facility in Freiburg, Germany.

EFD Induction Worldwide

EFD Induction has to date installed thousands of heating solutions for a wide range of industrial applications—bringing the benefits of induction technology to many of the world’s leading manufacturing and service companies. EFD Induction has manufacturing plants, workshops and service centers in the Americas, Europe and Asia.

We are RESPECTFUL, RELIABLE, COOPERATIVE, PASSIONATE.