Solidifying casting's future: process simulation software round-up: advances in casting process modeling software have created more options for foundries in their quest to design and cast sound components.In the foundry industry, process improvements move slowly and methodically into the future. This is not the case in the world of computer simulation. So much has changed in even the last few years that it is impossible to contain enthusiasm for this dynamic industry. Take, for example, the computers foundries are using today. Just three short years ago, many foundries were running their casting process simulations on Unix workstations, These more than $30,000 machines were the only way to analyze the filling of a mold cavity using the NavierStokes equations. Foundries not only had to buy these expensive machines, they also had to employ people who could "speak" the Unix language. Talk of moving to PC's for these types of filling analyses was just beginning in 1999, the last time MODERN CASTING offered a casting process modeling software round-up ("1999 Casting Simulation Software Simulation software is based on the process of imitating a real phenomenon with a set of mathematical formulas. It is, essentially, a program that allows the user to observe an operation through simulation without actually running the program. Survey," May 1999). Now, the PC conversion is complete. Unix workstations are no longer considered the only option when purchasing a computer See how to select a computer. to run a conventional casting process simulation package. In fact, today's machines generally consist of 2GB of RAM, dual processors and 2GHz of processing speed See MHz. , and can be purchased for less than $6000. Some of these new machines can run 20-30 times faster than the equipment common in the industry six years ago. A complicated filling and solidification job that used to run overnight can be completed in one hour. That's progress, and it is only going to improve. More Power, New Capabilities But speed and platform changes are not the only buzz in the world of computer simulation. The programs themselves have become more powerful and have added many new features. Nearly all of the casting process modeling software packages on the market today incorporate filling analysis along with the solidification solution. Traditionally, filling is simulated most accurately using the fully coupled Navier-Stokes equations The Navier-Stokes equations, named after Claude-Louis Navier and George Gabriel Stokes, describe the motion of fluid substances such as liquids and gases. These equations establish that changes in momentum in infinitesimal volumes of fluid are simply the sum of dissipative viscous and an appropriate turbulence model. Many software programs utilize this approach, while other packages have either developed a simplified Navier-Stokes equation Navier-Stokes equation A partial differential equation which describes the conservation of linear momentum for a linearly viscous (newtonian), incompressible fluid flow. In vector form, this relation is written as Eq. , or simply use Bernoulli approximations to simulate metal flow. Another improvement over the last three years has been in the development of material property data and interfacial heat transfer coefficients. Material property thermal data is the lifeblood of any simulation program. Simply put, bad data equals bad results. During the last three years, thermal datasets have been developed for various metal alloys (including aluminum, steel and compacted graphite iron), mold materials and feeding systems (see this article's For More Information box and the August Website-Only Article., at www.moderncasting.com). Another development involves the work done to understand the fluid mechanics fluid mechanics, branch of mechanics dealing with the properties and behavior of fluids, i.e., liquids and gases. Because of their ability to flow, liquids and gases have many properties in common not shared by solids. of filters. Pressure drop data has been developed for pressed, extruded and reticulated reticulated /re·tic·u·lat·ed/ (-lat?ed) reticular. reticulated reticular. foam filters, and this data is easily available in industry literature. Many programs allow for input of the pressure drop data, which then permits the user to predict the flow rate through the filter more accurately. This leads to accurate fill time and flow characteristic predictions. Major enhancements to various programs have opened the door to modeling other processes important to foundries. For example, it is now possible to model the heat treatment process using the results from the filling and solidification analysis. Metallurgy predictions can be made, as well as the impact on the structural integrity of the part. The lost foam process now is being modeled in several programs, although much work must be done to develop the data necessary to provide accurate results. In addition, modeling of the sand core blowing process has just been introduced. And finally, some software vendors have capitalized on the concurrent development of optimization techniques and incorporated this technology into their programs. At first glance, this allows the user to let the computer help optimize such things as riser placement and size and chill locations. However it isn't hard to imagine that this is just the beginning, and that we are about to embark on a journey in which casting process simulation programs soon will perform what is unthinkable today. What this all means is that computer simulation can help foster the success and viability of the foundry industry for many years to come. The more capability and accuracy that is built into our simulation tools, the better, more efficient castings that can be produced. As the closest production method to "near net shape," there is no reason that the industry can't steer the reemergence of cast products as the preferred production method. Editor's Note Editor's Note (foaled in 1993 in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred Stallion racehorse. He was sired by 1992 U.S. Champion 2 YO Colt Forty Niner, who in turn was a son of Champion sire Mr. Prospector and out of the mare, Beware Of The Cat. Trained by D. : The following survey was compiled to provide details on the latest features of casting simulation software. Each description includes a success story of how a particular program has optimized a foundry's casting operation. Mavis Software Alphacast Software, Ltd. 2 Kimble Close Northampton NN4 ORF England 44 1604 674716, Fax: 44 1604 660476 Website: www.alphacast-software.co.uk Email: sales@alphacast-software.co.uk Contact: Cliff Jobson. General Methodology: Finite difference A finite difference is a mathematical expression of the form f(x + b) − f(x + a). If a finite difference is divided by b − a, one gets a difference quotient. mesh. Software Features: Solid models can be generated from drawings using the integral modeler, or from ASCII ASCII or American Standard Code for Information Interchange, a set of codes used to represent letters, numbers, a few symbols, and control characters. Originally designed for teletype operations, it has found wide application in computers. .STL (STereoLithography) A 3D printing file format created by 3D Systems for its stereolithography system. Also supported by many numerical control, rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing machines, STL provides the surface geometry of the item in triangles. files. Each version includes a weight estimator, casting simulation and full post-processing (color coded contour plots and simulated x-ray format). Prediction capabilities include temperatures, pressures and velocities during filling, freezing times, macro and microshrinkage distributions, Niyama coefficients, local freezing times, primary dendrite dendrite: see nervous system; synapse. arm spacings (Al alloys), steady-state die temperature distributions, mold temperatures, cooling rates and temperature gradients. Process Applications: Sand, investment, permanent mold low-pressure and permanent mold diecasting. Computer Platform: PC with Windows. Installations: 36 total, including Copal Casting, Birmingham, England; Siobra Arbois, Arbois, France; Brafe Engineering, Woodbridge, England; and Materials Ireland, Dublin, Ireland. Training, Support and Update Options: Onsite training courses use customer parts for analysis. Technical software support is supplied on an annual basis and includes software updates. Packages also can be rented on an annual basis, including technical support and software updates. Case History: A zinc high-pressure diecasting tool at Siobra Arbois, Arbois, France, produced castings with 20-30% rejects due to surface porosity revealed after painting. Simulation showed a poor filling profile for the part and significant air entrapment entrapment, in law, the instigation of a crime in the attempt to obtain cause for a criminal prosecution. Situations in which a government operative merely provides the occasion for the commission of a criminal act (e.g. , and then was used to analyze alternative gating designs to improve the part quality. A single ingate with two overflows was predicted to give a progressive fill with minimal air entrapment. The tool was modified based on the simulation and subsequently commissioned. The parts are now produced with zero rejects after painting. Select No. No. 201 at www.moderncasting.com/info CastCAE 4.0 CT-Castech, Inc. Oy Kantokatu 7 04200 Kerava Finland 358-9-2344482, Fax: 358 9 2344492 Website: www.castech.fi Email: sales@castech.fi Contact: Niko Turunen. General Methodology: Finite volume mesh. Software Features: Molds and shells are created through mesh generation--no CAD program is needed. Solidification calculations can be based on metal, mold, chill, core and insulation domains. The software also calculates shrinkage and expansion and the effects of exothermic exothermic /exo·ther·mic/ (-ther´mik) marked or accompanied by evolution of heat; liberating heat or energy. ex·o·ther·mic or ex·o·ther·mal adj. 1. riser sleeves and coatings, as well as performing a 3-D view of x-ray visualization. Process Applications: Sand and diecasting. Computer Platforms: PC with Windows NT (Windows New Technology) A 32-bit operating system from Microsoft for Intel x86 CPUs. NT is the core technology in Windows 2000 and Windows XP (see Windows). Available in separate client and server versions, it includes built-in networking and preemptive multitasking. and higher and Macintosh. Installations: More than 100 licenses sold, including AlumAlloy Co., Inc., Ontario, California Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the city had a total population of 170,373. It is the home of LA/Ontario International Airport and the huge Ontario Mills shopping mall (the largest in Southern California and one . Training, Support and Update Options: Training (usually performed onsite) and support are included for the first 12 months for new customers, including updates. After the first year, customers are encouraged to sign up for the valid maintenance agreement, which offers support and upgrades. Case History: AlumAlloy Co., Inc., an aluminum sand casting Casting is the process of production of objects by pouring molten material into a cavity called a mold which is the negative, or mirror image of the object, and allowing it to cool and solidify. foundry in Ontario, California, had an order for a 50.2-in-diameter aluminum ring 6.7 in. thick. Concerned about creating a sound casting, the foundry simulated the casting process first to verify riser size and placement. The Castech software simulated one quarter of the component (ring symmetry assumes the same results for each section) and saw that the chill placed beneath the casting would direct solidification towards the risers. The risers fed 32% of their total volume into the casting and contained the casting's only porosity and shrinkage defects, verifying that a sound casting would result. Select No. 202 at www.moderncasting.com/info EKK EKK Eberswalder Karneval Klub (German: Eberswalder Carnival Club) , Inc. 100 North Pond Drive, Suite A Walled Lake, MI 48390 248/624-9957, Fax: 248/624-7158 Website: www.ekkinc.com Email: ekk@ekkinc.com Contract: Marty McLaughlin. General Methodology: Finite element analysis Finite element analysis (FEA) is a computer simulation technique used in engineering analysis. It uses a numerical technique called the finite element method (FEM). There are many finite element software packages, both free and proprietary. . Software Features: Kent software capabilities include a multiple surface finite element See FEA. mesh generator. The Wrafts program features a Navier-Stokes equation solver, which also can be adapted to semi-solid molding and can perform heat transfer simulation. CAP offers heat transfer analysis for performing solidification and multicyclic analysis. PORO porosity prediction software can predict porosity growth in aluminum and iron castings. Process Applications: Vertically-parted green sand, permanent mold and diecasting, as well as semi-solid molding. Computer platforms: Linux or Unix platforms. Installations: Currently more than 20 licenses, including installations at Internet Corp., Troy, Michigan Troy is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 80,959, the 12th largest city in Michigan by population. , Hayes Lemmerz, Inc., Ferndale, Michigan Ferndale is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is forms part of the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,105. Ferndale is primarily residential, with a small industrial sector featured in the southeast quadrant. , and ACP (Associate Computing Professional) The award for successful completion of an examination in computers offered by the ICCP. It is geared to newcomers in the computing field. For more information, visit www.iccp.org. ACP - Algebra of Communicating Processes Manufacturing Co. LLC (Logical Link Control) See "LANs" under data link protocol. LLC - Logical Link Control , Blossburg, Pennsylvania Blossburg is a borough in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,480 at the 2000 census. History In 1792 a party of immigrants who were building the Williamson Road from Williamsport, in Lycoming County, to Painted Post in New York under the . Training, Support and Updates: Customers are offered one week of initial training, covering the basic tutorial and a unique project from their company. Customer support includes unlimited phone and email support and software updates. Case History: Hayes-Albion, Albion, Michigan Albion is a city in Calhoun County in the south central region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 9,144 at the 2000 census and is part of the Battle Creek Metropolitan Statistical Area. , approached EKK to help solve a gate shrinkage problem in a transmission case casting. EKK performed a porosity analysis based on flow with conjugate conjugate /con·ju·gate/ (kon´jdbobr-gat) 1. paired, or equally coupled; working in unison. 2. a conjugate diameter of the pelvic inlet; used alone usually to denote the true conjugate diameter; see heat transfer and solidification. The porosity analysis predicted porosity exactly where the actual problem was occurring. An alternative gating design was suggested and verified by the software. The original porosity problem disappeared. Select No. 203 at www.moderncasting.com/info PAM-Cast ESI (Edge Side Includes) A markup language for Web pages that enables elements of a Web page to be dynamically assembled in servers distributed throughout the Internet. North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. 13399 West Star Shelby Township, Michigan There is also Shelby Charter Township in Macomb county. Shelby Township is a civil township of Oceana County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,951 at the 2000 census. The village of Shelby is located within the township. 48315 586/323-4610, Fax: 586/323-4611 Website: www.esi-group.com Email: info@esidetroit.com Contact: Buzz Sanderson. General Methodology: Finite difference and finite element methods. Software Features: The software performs filling, temperature distribution and solidification 'using mesh generation Mesh generation refers to the practice of generating a polygonal or polyhedral mesh that approximates a geometric domain. The term "grid generation" is often used interchangably. . It also can predict residual stresses, strains and displacement, and can be coupled with other software to predict performance criteria such as fatigue life. Process Information: Gravity and low-pressure permanent mold, high-pressure diecasting, sand, investment, thixomolding and squeeze, lost foam and contrapressure casting. Computer Platforms: PC with Windows NT and higher and Unix. Installations: More than 30, including 'at major automotive OEM's and large-scale foundries such as PSA (Professional Services Automation) An information system designed to organize, track and manage all opportunities, work, resources, costs, revenues and invoices to improve the productivity and efficiency of the workforce. ; Rungis, France; Renault, Paris; and Dasalt, Pairs. Training, Support and Update Options: PAMCast is supported by a network of ESI offices throughout the world. Training is available 'either at ESI facilities or may be tailored and delivered onsite to fit specific customer needs. Case History: Montupet, Quebec, Canada, an automotive gravity and low-pressure permanent mold foundry, uses PAM-Cast software to simulate large parts that require several million computational cells. By using the software, the foundry can shorten lead times, and eliminate defects before a die is built, This results in time savings of up to two months. Based on its sucdess with initial components, the foundry now simulates 100%' of the components it casts. Select No. 204 at www.moderncasting.com/info Solidcast, Opticast and Flowcast Finite Solutions, Inc. 4769 Highland Park Highland Park. 1 City (1990 pop. 30,575), Lake co., NE Ill., a suburb of Chicago on Lake Michigan; inc. 1869. It is a retail business and medical center for the North Shore area. Drive Slinger, WI 53086-9441 877/644-0785, Fax: 262/592-0044 Website: www.finitesolutions.com Email: Dave@finitesolutions.com Contact: David Schmidt. General Methodology: Finite difference, multi-variable response surface and a CFD-based method. Software Features: Heat transfer is calculated through the finite difference method In mathematics, more precisely in numerical analysis, finite differences play an important role, they are one of the simplest ways of approximating a differential operator, and are extensively used in solving differential equations. , and simultaneous volumetric volumetric /vol·u·met·ric/ (vol?u-met´rik) pertaining to or accompanied by measurement in volumes. vol·u·met·ric adj. Of or relating to measurement by volume. calculations also are performed to track the formation of macroporosity during solidification. Simulations can be set to find optimized results. Detailed information also can be obtained about temperature, velocity and pressure during the filling process. Process Applications: Sand, investment and permanent mold casting. Computer Platforms: PC with Windows 98 and higher. Installations: Over 420 companies and schools worldwide. Users include Stahl Specialty Co., Kingsville, Missouri Kingsville is a small town located at the intersection of US Route 50 & Missouri Route 58 in west central Johnson County, Missouri, USA. The population was 257 at the 2000 census. Geography Kingsville is located at (38. ; Harrison Steel Castings Co., Attica, Indiana Attica is a city in Fountain County, Indiana, United States. The population was 3,491 at the 2000 census. History Attica was laid out by George Hollingsworth and platted by David Stump on March 19, 1825. ; Signicast Corp., Milwaukee; and Bimac Corp., Dayton, Ohio. Training, Support and Update Options: Three-day training classes are offered every two months. Full phone, fax and email support are included at no charge for the first year, and updates are free during that time. Continuing use/support/update contracts are available on a yearly fee basis after the first year. Updates and an online user group can be found through Finite Solutions' website. Case History: Johnson Matthey, Ltd., St. Catharines, Ontario St. Catharines (2006 population 131,989; metropolitan population 390,317) is the largest city in the Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres (37.5 sq mi) of land. , Canada, an investment casting foundry, was encountering problems with oxide inclusions and gas defects in the production of a stainless steel stainless steel: see steel. stainless steel Any of a family of alloy steels usually containing 10–30% chromium. The presence of chromium, together with low carbon content, gives remarkable resistance to corrosion and heat. casting. These defects typically are associated with high velocity and turbulence during filling. Flow modeling of the original gating configuration showed excessive velocities in the casting when the shell was 30% full. The revised design showed much lower fluid velocities and a more even filling of the shell, significantly reducing turbulence and gas entrainment/oxide formation. Select No. 205 at www.moderncasting.com/info Flow-3D Flow Science, Inc. 683 Harkle Road, Suite A Santa Fe, NM 87505 505/982-0088, Fax: 505/982-5551 Website: www.flow3d.com Email: cfd@flow3d.com Contact: Tom Jensen. General Methodology: Finite difference code. Software Features: The software automatically couples the grid with geometry and offers multi-block gridding, including embedded and linked blocks. Special options include solidification shrinkage, binary segregation during solidification, surface defect tracking, specification of coherency co·her·en·cy n. pl. co·her·en·cies Coherence. Noun 1. coherency - the state of cohering or sticking together coherence, cohesion, cohesiveness and rigidity solid fractions. Process Applications: Sand, die, lost foam, tilt pour permanent mold, centrifugal and semi-solid casting as well as limited applications in investment and continuous casting. Computer Platforms: Various PC's and Linux. Installations: More than 500 worldwide, including Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, Michigan; General Motors Corp., Warren, Michigan; and Amcan Castings, Ltd., Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Training, Support and Update Options: Training is available every other month at Flow Science's office. Technical support and software upgrades are provided during the first year after the purchase of a permanent license and on an annual basis as a maintenance agreement for holders of permanent licenses. Case History: Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, Michigan, depends on diecasting for many of its automotive components but must watch for surface defects. Using Flow 3-D software helps determine whether the molten metal is taking a direct route through the cavity or is swirling around, causing early solidification and oxide inclusions. Surface defect tracking predicts the formation and location of oxides, leading to optimized reservoir and gate positioning and sizing. Making these design changes on the simulation software eliminates expensive die modification. Select No. 206 at www.moderncasting.com/info Magma Foundry Technologies, Inc. 2340 South Arlington Heights Road Arlington Heights, Illinois Arlington Heights is an affluent village in Cook County, Illinois and a northwestern suburb of Chicago. It is located about 25 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. A 2003 Census recount gave the village a population of 76,422, the largest for a village in the United States 60005 847/427-1001, Fax: 847/427-0601 Website: www.magmasoft.com Email: sales@magmasoft.com Contact: Tim McMillin. Software Features: Alloy-specific simulation, including calibration. Process Applications: Sand, shell, investment, permanent mold and diecasting. Computer Platforms: All. Installations: More than 700, including Grede Foundries, Milwaukee; Waupaca Foundry, Waupaca, Wisconsin; Stahl Specialty Co., Kingsville, Missouri; and Atchison Casting Corp., Atchison, Kansas. Training, Support and Update Options: Magma provides foundry-experienced engineers, not software developers, for training and implementation to assure that its tools will be further developed and supported well into the 21st century. Case History: St. Cloud Foundry (Grede Foundries, Inc.), St. Cloud, Minnesota St. Cloud (IPA: /ˌseɪntˈklaʊd/) is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the major population center in the state's central region. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 59,107. , was experiencing difficulty obtaining good directional solidification in an iron off-road vehicle hub it was casting in green sand. The difficulty was due to the gating design and use of ductile iron. Through the use of Magmasoft and the predictive tools specific to iron, the foundry was able to visualize the porosity problem and determine the best solution. The simulation tool also helped the foundry predict mechanical properties of the iron for consistency in hardness and elongation strength. This ensured a sound, cost-effective casting was delivered to the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) The rebranding of equipment and selling it. The term initially referred to the company that made the products (the "original" manufacturer), but eventually became widely used to refer to the organization that buys the products and . Select No: 207 at www.moderncasting.com/info NovaCast AB NovaFlow & Solid Softcenter SE-372 25 Ronneby Sweden 216/328-8384, Fax: 216/328-8387 Website: www.novacast.se Email: bhaskaran@globemetallurgical.com Contact: Charles Antony Bhaskaran. General Methodology: Finite difference method/volume of fluid. Software Features: Software includes separate modules for 3-D import, initial settings and auto mesh, flow with heat transfer, fully coupled flow, and solidification and calibration. Simulations can be viewed by temperature, liquid, shrinkage, solidification time, thermal modulus, flow rate, and 2-or 3-D sections visualized in rotation, pan, zoom, 3-D, 2-D, slicing and flow directions. Process Applications: Sand (horizontal and vertical), investment, permanent mold, shell and diecasting. Computer Platforms: PC with Windows 95 or higher and Linux. Installations: More than 200 users, including Advanced Cast Products, Inc., Meadville, Pennsylvania; Grede Foundries, Inc., Milwaukee; Lufkin Industries, Inc., Lufkin, Texas; and Wisconsin Precision Casting Co., East Troy, Wisconsin East Troy (disambiguation) East Troy is a village in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,500 at the 2000 census. The village is located mostly southeast of the Town of East Troy. A small portion extends into the adjacent town of Troy. . Training, Support and Update Options: Training is carried out onsite or at training centers. Support is offered by local representatives and through the head office in Sweden. Update of the program is once a year or more for all users with a valid technology partner agreement, which runs for 12 months at a time. Case History: Advanced Cast Products, Inc., Meadville, Pennsylvania, experienced a problem with widespread elephant skin surface defects on a 2-on vertically molded job. Simulation showed highly exposed broken stream metal flow down the riser. Also, oxidized oxidized having been modified by the process of oxidation. oxidized cellulose see absorbable cellulose. metal was entering the mold cavity first. By heavily tapering the sides of the ingate and the end of the runner, the falling metal converged into a solid stream. The initial metal to enter the system then was contained in a catch basin at the bottom of the riser, solving the problem. Select No. 208 at www.monderncasting.com/info Simtec Simulation Software Simatec, Inc. 3663 Broadmoor SE Grand Rapids, MI 49512 616/975-3882, Fax: 616/975-7775 Website: www.simtec-inc.com Email: info@simtec.inc.com Contact: Don Wade. General Methodology: Finite elemental analysis. Software Features: Simulates mold fill and solidification to predict flow-related defects. Performs solidification analysis and can predict defects including shrinkage cavities, hot tearing, segregation and residual stress. Process Applications: Sand, die, permanent mold, investment, lost foam, semi-solid, squeeze and centrifugal casting. Computer Platforms: PC with Windows 95 or higher and Linux. Installations: More than 250 worldwide, including Mercedes, Germany; Lioho, Taiwan; and Progress Casting Group, Inc., Plymouth, Minnesota. Training, Support and Update Options: Training (5 days recommended) can be performed onsite. Customer support response network includes email and telephone contacts for software specialists. Updates are released once or twice each year and are automatically sent to all current software users. Case History: Metal Castings, a die caster in the UK, was producing an AZ91 magnesium cylinder head cover for Ford Motor Co. The foundry was experiencing a high defect rate due to leakers in the high mass oil flow areas. Simtec software developed a casting technique that enlarged the gating system and added cooling to the critical areas. By increasing the gate area, the feeding was optimized to avoid shrinkage. Together with two additional cooling lines in the critical areas where hot spots hot spots acute moist dermatitis. occurred, the homogenization homogenization (həmŏj'ənəzā`shən), process in which a mixture is made uniform throughout. Generally this procedure involves reducing the size of the particles of one component of the mixture and dispersing them evenly of temperature distribution created a smooth solidification gradient, which resolved the high scrap rate problem. Select No. 209 at www.moderncasting.com/info Procast UES UES UNE (University of New England) Economics Society UES Upper East Side (Manhattan, NY) UES Upper Esophageal Sphincter UES Unified Energy Systems of Russia UES Waukesha, Wisconsin Software, Inc 175 Admiral Cochrane Drive Annapolis, Maryland 21401 410/573-2037, Fax: 410/573-2041 Website: www.ues-software.com Email: sales@ues-software.com Contact: John Barney. General Methodology: Finite element. Software Features: Software includes free surface flow, stress and distortion calculation, microstructure mi·cro·struc·ture n. The structure of an organism or object as revealed through microscopic examination. microstructure Noun a structure on a microscopic scale, such as that of a metal or a cell evolution with mechanical property determination, porosity and trapped gas predictions. Integrated alloy property prediction program is based on specific chemistry. Process Applications: Sand, shell, low pressure permanent mold diecasting, semi-solid, gravity permanent mold, lost foam, investment, squeeze, continuous and centrifugal casting. Installations: More than 400, including Gould Pumps, Ashland, Pennsylvania; Precision Castparts Corp. Portland, Oregon; and Citation Corp., Southfield, Michigan. Computer Platforms: PC with Windows 2000 or higher, Unix and Linux. Training, Support and Update Options: A three-day training class is offered every month and in-house training also is available. Technical support personnel have foundry, computer software and CAD experience. Upgrades are downloadable from .ftp site. Case History: ITT ITT Initial Teacher Training (UK) ITT I Think That ITT Invitation To Tender ITT Individual Time Trial (professional cycling) ITT Intention-To-Treat ITT In This Thread (forums) Industries-Gould Pumps, Ashland, Pennsylvania, wanted to optimize existing designs for a pump line to improve yield and reduce machining time using ProCast software. The pump casing originally employed nine risers to address locations that produced porosity. After running a pouring simulation, the foundry realized only five problem areas existed. After modifying the design by using only five risers to feed the potential problem areas, the simulation resulted in a sound casting and the design was implemented into production with no further changes. The new design achieved a 29 lb/casting reduction in pour weight and an 18 sq in. reduction in machining area. Select No. 210 at www.moderncasting.com/info For More Information Visit www.moderncasting.com for the 2002 AFS A distributed file system for large, widely dispersed Unix and Windows networks from Transarc Corporation, now part of IBM. It is noted for its ease of administration and expandability and stems from Carnegie-Mellon's Andrew File System. AFS - Andrew File System Transaction paper, (02-080) "Mold Material Thermophysical Data," T. Midea and J. V. Shah (2002). About the Authors Tony Midea is a product development manager in charge of the casting simulation group at Foseco, Inc. He is an aerospace engineer by trade (B.S. and M.S. in aeronautical aer·o·nau·tic also aer·o·nau·ti·cal adj. Of or relating to aeronautics. aer  o·nau and astronautical engineering from Ohio State Univ. and Univ. of Illinois, respectively) and has been involved with computer simulation activities for the past decade. The AFS Process Design & Modeling Committee (1-F) promotes computer simulation and its application in the solidification, reheating ReheatingThe addition of heat to steam of reduced pressure after the steam has given up some of its energy by expansion through the high-pressure stages of a turbine. and cooling of castings. |
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