An induction heating device or work coil for heating electroconductive material to a desired temperature that can be used on a roll or cylinder of any diameter. The work coil has an open core of ferrite material shaped in a U. Wire is wound around the opposing legs of the U so that on excitation one leg becomes the N pole and the other leg becomes the S pole and the polarity alternates as the polarity of the excitation current alternates. A substantially thin rectangular flat layer of ferrite can be attached to ends of each pole piece. Each layer of ferrite has having a length sufficient to cover bottom end of each leg and a width in the direction of an axis perpendicular to the face of the U that corresponds to the width of the desired control heating effect.