Patent ID: 8884201

Claim:
An inductive heating apparatus for fabricating a thermoplastic component, said apparatus comprising: a first set of induction coils; a second set of induction coils, said first and second sets of induction coils positioned to define a process area for the thermoplastic component, wherein said process area extends through at least one coil of said first and second sets of induction coils, wherein individual coils of said second set of induction coils are positioned between a pair of individual coils of said first set of induction coils along a length of the process area; at least one first power supply; and at least one second power supply, said at least one first power supply coupled to said first set of induction coils, and said at least one second power supply coupled to said second set of induction coils, said first and second power supplies configured to alternately supply electricity to said first set of induction coils and said second set of induction coils to facilitate reducing electromagnetic interference between individual coils of said first and second sets of induction coils, wherein said first power supply is configured to provide said first set of induction coils with electricity for a first predetermined period of time while said second power supply is not supplying electricity to said second set of coils, and said second power supply is configured to provide said second set of induction coils with electricity for a second predetermined period of time when said first power supply is not providing electrcity to said first set of induction coils.