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Induction Furnace Controller

Darren Vandervort, founder of the Open Capitalist open source product development platform, has joined us on the Open Source Induction Furnace (OSIF) project. We are using Open+Pario for project development. He volunteered to become project leader for the induction furnace controller subproject – where the controller is one of the components of a modular, scalable, induction furnace design. You can view the deployment proposal on the furnace prototype, further details on the controller, and other documents under the Documents section. We are at the phase of design discussion prior to the build, so join us for technical developments at the Open+Pario project management site. For our initial work, we are basing initial discussion around a working application – an induction oven – documented by ST Electronics. Please join the development team at Open+Pario if you have electronics experience – especially if you know about power electronics.

Regarding other modules on the OSIF – we are still negotiating with the Donbass State University induction furnace research group regarding further design work, primarily regarding the furnace chamber and induction coil details. We are considering a visit to their research labs after the Free Society (FSCONS) summit. The on-site visit would allow us to (1), engage in rapid learning on the state of the art; (2), complete the furnace chamber design; and (3), begin the build process.

5 Comments

  1. ian

    sorry, I missed that you already had this link on the wiki page: http://www.dansworkshop.com/electricity-and-electronics/induction-heating.htm

  2. ian

    I posted a comment before the one above and it never appeared, probably for exceeding a word limit – here it is again in two parts (minus the link referenced in the previous comment):

    I noticed on a previous posting a commenter stating mosfet’s may be suitable – I think you will want IGBT’s. I do agree with his statement to keep the power block separate from the microcontroller block, and keeping with modular design an IGBT block can be reused for many other tasks/machines. IGBT blocks seem to be approaching a commodity component (for motor controllers, wind gen, grid tie inverters, etc.).

  3. ian

    For more information on IGBT vs. MOSFET for induction heating see here:
    http://www.srt.tu-darmstadt.de/fileadmin/general/publicat/synopsis_PCIM.pdf

  4. ian

    Here is an open source EV project with example code/hardware using an IGBT Semikron SKAI Power Stage for the motor controller: the blog software will not accept my post with this link, so just search “Tumanako Inverter”

    An EV has many components that can be reused for an induction furnace – the motor windings could also be your transformer, batteries or fuel cell your power.

    There are instructions on making a crucible for induction furnaces here:
    http://www.engineeredceramics.com/crucible.htm

  5. DVandervort

    @2.

    Ian, I posted the comment you are referring to. My opinion was based more from a lot more experience with mosfets and lower power stuff than higher power. If the power levels are in the gray area I tend to lean toward mosfets for that reason.

    The main disclaimer I should have posted is that I am not a power engineer, if there is anyone that would like to help see:
    http://openpario.mime.oregonstate.edu/projects/osif