{"id":3550,"date":"2026-10-22T00:52:53","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T16:52:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.drgoodarzi.com\/blog\/?p=3550"},"modified":"2026-10-22T00:52:53","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T16:52:53","slug":"what-is-the-capacity-of-an-induction-furnace-45e2-58ab07","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.drgoodarzi.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/22\/what-is-the-capacity-of-an-induction-furnace-45e2-58ab07\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the capacity of an induction furnace?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey there, if you\u2019re scrolling because you\u2019re shopping around for induction furnaces, you\u2019ve probably wondered this at some point: what\u2019s the actual capacity of these things, anyway? I get it\u2014when you\u2019re looking to melt metal, whether it\u2019s for a small metal shop or a full-scale manufacturing line, capacity isn\u2019t just a number on a spec sheet. It\u2019s what dictates how much you can get done in a run, how much power you\u2019ll use, and even how smooth your workflow stays. And as someone who\u2019s been supplying induction furnaces for over a decade, I\u2019ve seen so many people mix up \u201ccapacity\u201d with a bunch of other terms, so let\u2019s break this down straight, no jargon. Induction Furnace<\/a><\/p>\n

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First off, let\u2019s clear the basics: induction furnaces don\u2019t work like your old gas-fired furnace that heats up the whole chamber. They use electromagnetic induction to generate heat inside<\/em> the metal itself\u2014so the \u201ccapacity\u201d we\u2019re talking about is almost always based on the weight of solid metal you can load and melt in one batch. That\u2019s the key number everyone cares about, right? But it\u2019s not a one-size-fits-all answer. I\u2019ve seen tiny lab units that do 5 kg (that\u2019s just over 11 lbs) of aluminum for small casting projects, up to monster industrial furnaces that crank out 150 tons of steel per batch. The range is huge, and it all depends on what you\u2019re melting, what you\u2019re using the furnace for, and how much space\/power you have on site.<\/p>\n

Wait, hold on\u2014let\u2019s not skip the part where capacity can be tricky if you don\u2019t specify the metal. Aluminum has a lower melting point (around 660\u00b0C, or 1220\u00b0F) and is way less dense than steel (which melts at ~1538\u00b0C, 2800\u00b0F). A furnace that holds 100 kg of aluminum will only hold like 60 kg of steel, because steel is heavier. That\u2019s a mistake a lot of new guys make\u2014they look at a spec that says \u201c100 kg capacity\u201d and try to cram in steel, then wonder why it doesn\u2019t fit. Trust me, I\u2019ve had so many customers call us panicking because they ordered the wrong size for their metal, just because they didn\u2019t account for density. So right off the bat: capacity is specific to the metal you\u2019re working with. That\u2019s non-negotiable.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s talk about the different types of induction furnaces, because that also changes the capacity. There\u2019s coreless induction furnaces (the most common for melting scrap, cast iron, aluminum) and channel-type induction furnaces, which are more for holding molten metal continuously, like in foundries that run 24\/7. Coreless is the one most people mean when they say \u201cinduction furnace,\u201d so let\u2019s focus on that first.<\/p>\n

Coreless furnaces: Small benchtop models start at 1 kg (super small, for hobbyists or R&D), go up to 1 ton for small foundries, and then the big industrial ones top out around 40 tons for steel melting. Wait, some places say 60 tons? Yeah, but that\u2019s for specialized stuff, not your average job shop. The channel-type ones, though, are more about holding capacity than melting\u2014they don\u2019t cool down much, so they\u2019re used for maintaining molten metal between pours. A channel furnace might hold 10 tons of aluminum, for example, and that\u2019s perfect if you\u2019re pouring a hundred parts a day and don\u2019t want to reheat metal every time.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the thing about what people actually<\/em> want to know: how much can I melt in an hour? Because capacity isn\u2019t just batch size\u2014it\u2019s throughput. A furnace with a 1-ton batch can\u2019t melt that in 10 minutes if the power is too low. Most standard coreless furnaces have a power rating that lines up with their batch capacity: a 1-ton steel furnace will usually have around 1000 kW of power, so it can melt a full batch in about an hour. If you cram more power in, it melts faster, but you can\u2019t just stuff more metal in unless the chamber is built for it. So throughput is a big part of \u201ccapacity\u201d that a lot of spec sheets hide. I always tell customers: if you need to melt 5 tons of steel a day, a 1-ton batch that runs twice a day is enough, or a 500 kg batch that runs 10 times\u2014same total, but the smaller one might save on power costs.<\/p>\n

Wait, let\u2019s get into the factors that dictate capacity, because if you\u2019re buying one, you don\u2019t just pick the biggest one. First, metal type, like we said. Then, power supply\u2014induction furnaces run on electricity, right? The power supply (the inverter and transformer) has to be matched to the furnace\u2019s coil and crucible. A crucible is the liner that holds the metal, by the way\u2014usually made of refractory material like silica for aluminum, magnesia for steel. If you get a crucible that\u2019s too big for the power, you\u2019ll never get the metal hot enough, no matter how much you stuff in. If it\u2019s too small, you\u2019re wasting power and not using the space.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s your operation. Are you a small job shop that does 100 kg batches once a week, or a large foundry melting 500 tons a month? I had a customer a few months back who was a custom jewelry maker, so he needed a 5 kg gold furnace\u2014perfect, no need for something bigger. Another was a guy who ran a small art casting studio, doing bronze, so a 50 kg furnace was exactly what he needed. I tried to upsell him a 100 kg once, but he said he didn\u2019t have the space for the bigger unit, and that was fine. So space is another factor. The big industrial furnaces are huge\u2014they take up whole rooms, have cranes to load scrap metal. If you\u2019re in a small workshop, you can\u2019t fit a 20-ton furnace, obviously.<\/p>\n

Also, don\u2019t forget about efficiency. A furnace that\u2019s rated for 10 tons might actually only melt 9 tons effectively, because some heat is lost to the crucible, or the induction coil isn\u2019t perfectly matched. The good suppliers (that\u2019s us, by the way) will give you the \u201cusable capacity\u201d not just the nominal one. Nominal capacity is the number on the spec sheet, but usable is what you can actually put in without it spilling or taking too long to melt. I\u2019ve seen competitors advertise a 20-ton furnace that\u2019s only good for 17 tons, and that\u2019s a bait and switch. We always tell customers up front what the usable capacity is, because we\u2019ve been burned before by guys who came back mad because they couldn\u2019t cram the full nominal amount in.<\/p>\n

Wait, let\u2019s address a common myth: induction furnaces have a maximum capacity you can\u2019t exceed, ever. That\u2019s true, but you also don\u2019t want to run them at full capacity every single time. Crucibles wear out faster if you\u2019re loading them right to the top, and power consumption goes up. A good rule of thumb is to run at 80% of the rated capacity for regular batches, and only go to 100% if you have a big rush order. That\u2019s something I teach all our customers, because overloading a furnace shortens its lifespan, which ends up costing more in the long run.<\/p>\n

Now, for those who are still stuck on picking the right one: let\u2019s give some real examples, not just numbers. Let\u2019s say you\u2019re melting aluminum for automotive parts. A small 500 kg coreless furnace works for a 10-person shop, melts a batch in about 45 minutes, uses around 500 kW. If you\u2019re doing steel for construction castings, a 5-ton coreless is your go-to\u2014big enough for most small to medium foundries, easy to operate, not too expensive. If you\u2019re doing continuous pour for things like metal bars, a channel furnace with 10 tons of holding capacity is better, because you can keep the metal molten and pour whenever you need, no waiting for melting cycles.<\/p>\n

I should also mention that capacity can change if you\u2019re using pre-molten metal instead of solid scrap. If you\u2019re charging with molten metal, you can put more in the furnace, right? Because you don\u2019t have to spend time melting solid\u2014you just top it up. That\u2019s another trick I share with customers: if you can re-use leftover molten metal from previous pours, you can get more total output without buying a bigger furnace. It\u2019s one of the ways induction furnaces are way more flexible than other types.<\/p>\n

Okay, so let\u2019s wrap this up for anyone who\u2019s reading this and trying to figure out their own needs. The capacity of an induction furnace isn\u2019t just a random number\u2014it\u2019s dependent on what metal you\u2019re melting, how much power you have, your workspace, and what you\u2019re actually making. There\u2019s no \u201cbest\u201d capacity, only the right one for your operation.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re shopping around and not sure whether a 100 kg or 500 kg furnace is right for you, don\u2019t guess. That\u2019s where our team comes in. We\u2019ve helped hundreds of customers\u2014from hobbyists to large foundries\u2014find the exact capacity they need, no upselling, no confusing spec sheets. We\u2019ll ask you what metal you\u2019re working with, how many batches a day you run, how much space you have, and we\u2019ll point you to the right furnace. No guesswork, no fine print.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019ve got questions about capacity, or you want to see what units we recommend for your project, just reach out to our team to talk through your needs. We\u2019re here to make sure you get a furnace that fits your workflow, not just a big number that looks good on paper.<\/p>\n

Rolling Mill<\/a> References:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Davis, J. R. (2001). Cast Metals: Fabrication, Technology, and Performance. ASM International.<\/li>\n
  2. Campbell, J. (2000). Complete Casting Handbook: Metal Casting Processes, Techniques and Design. Butterworth-Heinemann.<\/li>\n
  3. Induction Heating Association. (2019). Guide to Induction Furnace Capacity and Sizing. Industrial Heating Magazine.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Xi’an Aobang Technology Co., Ltd.<\/a>
    As one of the most professional induction furnace manufacturers and suppliers in China, we’re featured by quality products and good price. Welcome to buy durable induction furnace for sale here and get quotation from our factory. Customized orders are welcome.
    Address: No.268, Caotan 6th Road, Economical and Technological Development Zone, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China.
    E-mail: alicezhang@xaabfurnace.com
    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.xaabfurnace.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Hey there, if you\u2019re scrolling because you\u2019re shopping around for induction furnaces, you\u2019ve probably wondered this … What is the capacity of an induction furnace?<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":108,"featured_media":3550,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3513],"class_list":["post-3550","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry","tag-induction-furnace-4c91-58d8a3"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.drgoodarzi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3550","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.drgoodarzi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.drgoodarzi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.drgoodarzi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/108"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.drgoodarzi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3550"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.drgoodarzi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3550\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.drgoodarzi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3550"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.drgoodarzi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3550"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.drgoodarzi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3550"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.drgoodarzi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}