Automatic RF heat treating

The  "clip" to the left is machine that was designed and built to automatically heat treat files with RF.  

The oval index table holds a number of the fixtures which present the parts through the RF coil, (2 positions).  The RF process heats the parts from room temperature to approximately 1,800 degrees F in the first position.  The second position is to "heat soak" the parts to help them achieve a hardness of RC 62. 

The station after the RF coil is a water cooled copper block that not only quenches the parts but also ensures that they remain flat.  As with most heat treated parts, flatness is very important and is guaranteed by the cooling blocks.

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The soft files are loaded external to the machine by the operator into a magazine.  The parts are then slid out from under the stack and presented to the material handler (shown on the left).   

The pile of parts at the end of the machine, (bottom right) would not normally exist because these parts would be dropped onto a conveyor (not installed yet).   The conveyor would then transfer the heat treated files to the next process station. 

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