Heating Apparatus, Heat Treatment Apparatus, and Heating Method

A heat treatment apparatus comprising:

• a heating apparatus;
• and
• a cooling unit,
• wherein the heating apparatus comprises:
• a workpiece support on which a ring-shaped workpiece is placed;
• a rotary drive assembly;
• and
• a heater configured to heat the workpiece,
• wherein the workpiece support comprises a plurality of rotating rollers arranged in a circumferential direction,
• wherein the rotary drive assembly is configured to rotate the plurality of rotating rollers to rotate the workpiece placed on the workpiece support along a ring shape of the workpiece, and
• wherein the heater comprises:
• a heating coil configured to induction-heat the workpiece on the workpiece support at a heating position;
• and
• an actuator configured to move the heating coil at the heating position relative to the workpiece to adjust a distance between the workpiece and the heating coil,
• wherein the cooling unit is configured to cool the workpiece heated by the heater, and
• wherein the drive device is disposed above the workpiece.

A heating method comprising:

• placing a ring-shaped workpiece on a plurality of rotating rollers arranged in a circumferential direction;
• setting the workpiece at a heating position to face a heating coil;
• moving the heating coil to adjust a position of the heating coil relative to the workpiece;
• rotating the rotating rollers to rotate the workpiece along a ring shape of the workpiece;
• and
• induction-heating the workpiece.