Get to Know the People Behind Induction Innovations: Paul Astrowski
At Induction Innovations, we understand that our company is only as good as its employees. Each team member brings a level of expertise and experience that has been invaluable to the longevity and growth of the company.
Operations Manager Paul Astrowski is a perfect example. A 12-year team member, Astrowski oversees the production of our induction heating products, including manufacturing, assembly, quality control, shipping and receiving. He also plays a central role in product development and our continuous improvement efforts.
When not at work, Astrowski enjoys spending time with family, especially his grandchildren, as well as spending time outdoors.
Astrowski cites the opportunities for continuous learning as one of the things he likes best about working at Induction: “I am always learning from my co-workers,” he says. He also loves the “constant challenges” of his job.
Astrowski played a crucial role in the evolution of our portable induction heater series, The Mini-Ductor®. He started as a part-time repair technician and was later tasked with building the original Mini-Ductor (MD-600) prototype, which included product documentation as well as the design of the switch guard – a key contribution to what would become the defacto induction heater used in the repair of automotive, agricultural and heavy duty vehicles.
After moving to a full-time position, Astrowski was assigned to the development of the U-Series Concentrator attachment for the Inductor® Series line, greatly simplifying the job of removing graphics, auto glass and seam sealers in body shops.
The Ongoing and Customer-Inspired Evolution of Induction Heating Tools
“It has been amazing watching the products evolve,” Astrowski said, recounting an evolution that began with the Mini-Ductor series following from the MD-600, which came out in 2006 and was the original Mini-Ductor. A second generation, the safer and more robust Mini-Ductor II (MD-700), was introduced in 2009. The Mini-Ductor® Venom® (MDV-777), is the third generation of the Mini-Ductor series, which now includes customer-inspired enhancements and a twist lock feature that has made it even easier to use.
“I’ve seen the Inductor Series evolve from the Inductor 2000 into the current offering of the Pro-Max, Inductor Max and Glass Blaster,” he said. “What amazes me the most is hearing our customers talk about the endless applications our products have and the amount of time they’ve saved.”
What is Induction Heat?
Induction heating works by running an electric current through a coil to generate a high frequency magnetic field. When a metal piece is placed within the coil, the magnetic field creates a circulating current in the metal. The current combines with resistance in the metal to generate heat. High resistance ferrous metals such as iron, steel and nickel generate more heat compared to low resistance metals like aluminum or copper. The metal expands once heated, making seized, corroded and glued parts easy to remove.
Our Mini-Ductor and Inductor Series utilize induction heating technology to cut your torch time in half, eliminating collateral damage and reducing accidents. Learn why the Mini-Ductor and Inductor Series are a vehicle repair tool of choice among ASE master technicians and modern repair operations worldwide by visiting our website and viewing our application and product demo videos.