Improved operation of an induction furnace

A heating method for a flat rolled stock made of metal in an induction furnace,

• wherein the rolled stock passes through the induction furnace in a longitudinal direction and extends from a first to a second rolled stock edge in a transverse direction running transversely to the longitudinal direction;
• wherein the induction furnace comprises a plurality of module pairs;
• wherein the module pairs follow one another sequentially viewed in the longitudinal direction and each comprise a first and a second induction module;
• the heating method comprising:
• positioning the induction modules at a respective starting position viewed in the transverse direction;
• determining the starting positions such that the first induction modules are arranged offset toward the first rolled stock edge and the second induction modules are arranged offset toward the second rolled stock edge;
• supplying each of the induction modules with electric energy via a separate energy supply device proprietarily assigned to the respective induction module;
• defining a respective electric setpoint variable for the induction modules;
• and
• monitoring whether electric actual variables, using which the induction modules are operated, correspond with their respective setpoint variables;
• wherein, in the case that exclusively an actual variable, using which one of the first induction modules is operated, has a reduced value in relation to its corresponding setpoint variable, while maintaining the operation of all second induction modules, the setpoint variables, both the setpoint variables for the first induction modules, which are upstream from that first induction module, the actual variable of which has a reduced value in relation to its corresponding setpoint variable, and also the setpoint variables for the first induction modules, which are downstream from that first induction module, the actual variable of which has a reduced value in relation to its corresponding setpoint variable, are increased, so that a reduced heating of the rolled stock caused by the reduced actual variable is compensated for as much as possible.

A control program for a control device of an induction furnace, in which a flat rolled stock made of metal is to be heated;

• wherein the rolled stock passes through the induction furnace in a longitudinal direction and extends from a first to a second rolled stock edge in a transverse direction running transversely to the longitudinal direction;
• wherein the induction furnace comprises a plurality of module pairs;
• wherein the module pairs follow one another sequentially viewed in the longitudinal direction and each comprise a first and a second induction module;
• wherein the induction modules are positioned at a respective starting position viewed in the transverse direction;
• wherein the starting positions are determined such that the first induction modules are arranged offset toward the first rolled stock edge and the second induction modules are arranged offset toward the second rolled stock edge;
• wherein the induction modules are each supplied with electric energy via a separate energy supply device proprietarily assigned to the respective induction module;
• wherein a respective electric setpoint variable is defined for the induction modules, wherein the control program comprises machine code, which is executable by the control device;
• wherein the execution of the machine code by the control device causes the control device to monitor whether electric actual variables, using which the induction modules are operated, correspond with their respective setpoint variables;
• and
• wherein in the case that exclusively an actual variable, using which one of the first induction modules is operated, has a reduced value in relation to its corresponding setpoint variable, while maintaining the operation of all second induction modules, both the setpoint variables for the first induction modules, which are upstream from that first induction module, the actual variable of which has a reduced value in relation to its corresponding setpoint variable, and also the setpoint variables for the first induction modules, which are downstream from that first induction module, the actual variable of which has a reduced value in relation to its corresponding setpoint variable, are increased, so that a reduced heating of the rolled stock caused by the reduced actual variable is compensated for as much as possible.