FOUNDRY ENGINEERING ASSIGNMENT

A K S H A N S H M I S H R A

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SOFTWARE PACKAGES FOR

FOUNDRY USE

In recent years, key developments have taken place in

computer- aided design, casting design, simulation, rapid

tooling, intelligent advisory systems and Internet based

engineering and most foundries are presently caught

between change and survival. This is especially true in

case of the foundries operating in the developing

countries.

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SOFTWARE PACKAGES FOR FOUNDRY USE

In recent years, key developments have taken place in computer- aided design,

casting design, simulation, rapid tooling, intelligent advisory systems and Internet

based engineering and most foundries are presently caught between change and

survival. This is especially true in case of the foundries operating in the developing

countries.

However, they have to keep pace with the changing technological trends, if they

have to survive in the global market. If properly adopted, these can lead to both

immediate tangible benefits in terms of shorter lead time, higher productivity and

lower rejections, and long term intangible benefits, in terms of better company

image, higher confidence, stronger partnerships and improved marketing. Some of

the factors hindering the foundries in their full adaptation are price competition,

manpower availability and high cost of trained technical manpower, lack of

technical support and perception.

Various software packages are used in foundry are following:-

1) Magmasoft

2) CastCAE

3) AFS Solid 2000

4) ProCAST

5) MeshCAST

6) AutoCAST

In this report I will discuss about ProCAST Software package.

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ProCAST Software Package

ProCAST is an advanced and complete tool which is the result of more than 20

years of collaboration with major industrial partners and academic institutions all

over the world.

ProCAST offers an extensive suite of modules and foundry tools to meet your

most challenging industrial requirements. The software, based on powerful Finite

Element Technology, is well suited to also predict distortions and residual stresses

and can address more specific processes like semi-solid, core blowing, centrifugal,

lost foam and continuous casting.

ProCAST software was developed by UES Software, Inc., Ohio using finite element

technique. Foundries have used the software for improving the method and

simulating the solidification process for producing radiographic quality castings,

the very first time. ProCAST empowers foundries to address the most technically

demanding tasks in casting, while reducing lead time, increasing productivity and

controlling cost. This release offers best-in-class casting simulation in a single,

integrated and customizable environment.

ProCAST suite consists of one base module and seven optional modules. The Base

module comes with thermal/solidification solver along with pre and post

processors. The additional modules are Meshing, Fluid, Stress, Radiation,

Microstructure, Electromagnetic and Inverse.

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Suggested proCAST modules for different casting processes are following:-

MODULE SAND CASTING

DIE CASTING PERMANENT MOLD CASTING

INVESTMENT CASTING

Meshing Suggested Suggested Suggested Required

Fluid Suggested Required Required Required

Thermal Required Required Required Required

Stress Suggested Suggested Suggested Optional Radiation Optional Optional Optional Required

Inverse Optional Optional Optional Optional Micromodel Optional Optional Optional Optional

Key Features:

ProCAST modules are ideal for all types of heat transfer transient, non-linear 3-D

heat conduction, heat convection and radiation, phase changes using enthalpy

formulation, porosity predictions, fast mesh generation, cyclic analysis for die

casting and permanent mould casting, virtual mould for sand casting, heat transfer

between coincident or non-coincident meshes and dynamic memory allocation

description. The Heat Simulation Module includes the heat transfer analysis and is

the base module of ProCAST System. The pre and post processors for the system

are included with this base module, comprising a complete stand-alone package

for performing solidification analyses.

ProCAST can simulate all three primary modes of heat transfer: conduction,

convection, and radiation. Additionally, phase change and internal heat generation

or dissipation are accounted for. At the microscopic level, the thermal analysis

uses an enthalpy formulation. This formulation offers several advantages including

the removal of any discontinuity associated with sharp phase transformation and a

more accurate conservation of energy formulation than in the equivalent specific

heat method.

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Fig 1.2 The picture shows that some of the metal has lost its superheat and is approaching the liquidus temperature

of 616 degrees

ProCAST allows the input of thermal, fluid, mechanical and electromagnetic

properties of material as constants or as functions of temperature. Once a

material has been defined, it is then stored into a database for use in other

simulations without having to re-enter property values.

This database functionality is also used in all other areas of condition assignment.

It can automatically generate a material’s thermodynamic properties based on the

composition of that material. Developed by AEA technology and Thermo Tech Ltd.,

the integration of this material property generator allows the users to generate

temperature dependent enthalpy and fraction solid data, as well as the fraction of

phases at each temperature for use in simulations. Thus, the effects of

composition changes I an alloy on the solidification behaviour of a casting can be

examined.

ProCAST suite has two micro- modelling modules to offer. They are based on two

different methods and each has their advantages depending on the process and

material it is applied on. The modules are following:-

1) Deterministic Modeling

2) CAFÉ 3D (Cellular Automation – Finite Element)

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1) Deterministic Modelling :

This modelling can be applied for

Equiaxed Dendritic (DAS)

Coupled Eutectic

Ductile Iron Eutectic (SGI)

Grey/White Iron Eutectic

Ductile Iron Eutectoid

Grey Iron Eutectoid

Peritectic Transformation

Scheil Model

Iron/Carbon Solid State Transformation.

The ProCAST Micro – modelling Module performs deterministic modelling,

which couples the thermal history at any location in a casting with the

nucleation and growth of microstructures. The results of this type of simulation

are as follows:

Determination of microstructure size, distribution and characterization

Prediction of mechanical properties

Nodule count and graphite radius prediction for ductile Iron

Prediction of primary and secondary dendrite arm spacing

Micro – segregation calculation

The key features of this package are following:

Prediction of both columnar and equiaxed dendritic grain structures

Columnar to equiaxed transition

Grain selection in the columnar zone

Prediction of stray crystals in single crystal parts

Evolution of the crystallographic texture

Stereological information

Direct visualization of grain structure

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Fig. 1.3 Prediction of both columnar and equiaxed dendritic grain structures

2) CAFÉ Modelling:

Calcom and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland

have developed a new module of ProCAST for the modelling of grain structures

in castings. This module is based upon a coupling between 382 principles of

Foundry Technology stochastic methods and Finite Elements. Solidification

grain structure can be analysed using this modelling concept. Applications of

this technology have shown that many features of dendritic grain structures

can be reproduced for several solidification processes and cooling

configurations. Stochastic modelling have been successfully applied and

experimentally validated to the prediction of grain structures in Investment

casting processes for the production of turbine blades (Ni-base alloys).

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The CAFÉ model combines the traditional approach of microstructure

modelling with random aspects such as the location and crystallographic

orientation of the nuclei. It also takes into account the preferential growth

directions of dendrite trunks and arms. The pre- processing module enables a

quick and easy definition of the parameters for the CAFÉ calculation. A specific

post – processing module has been designed to visualize the results such as

grain structure at the skin of the casting, grain structure in cross sections,

growth interface, nucleation centres, grain texture, poles figures, grain size

distribution and histogram.

Fig 1.3 Grain structure in a blade

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The key features of this package are following:

Simulates all casting process

High pressure die casting

Low pressure die casting

Permanent Mould casting

Investment casting

Sand casting

Continuous casting

Solves Full 3- D Navier-stokes fluid flow equations

Coordinates rotate for tilt pouring

Gas modelling for simulating trapped gas and venting

Non – Newtonian flow modelling

Filter modelling

Compressible flow modelling

Lost foam modelling

Particle tracking