Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM) utilizes electric currents to melt metal within a vacuum (a space that is void of both matter and electrical charges). The inside of a spherical conductor is a great example of a vacuum. The first prototype was developed in 1920. One of the only ways to induce a current within a conductor is through electromagnetic induction. Electromagnetic induction induces eddy currents within conductors by changing the magnetic field. Eddy currents create heating effects to melt the metal. Vacuum Induction Melting has been used in both the aerospace and nuclear industries.
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