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Procast20091 Tutorials
Procast20091 Tutorials
Procast20091 Tutorials
PROCAST TUTORIALS
VERSION 2009.0
PROCAST TUTORIALS 1
TUTORIALS 3
GENERAL INTRODUCTION 3
FLOW CHART 3
MESHCAST 5
PRECAST 6
PROCAST 7
VIEWCAST 8
RESTART 9
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS 13
SYMMETRY 19
TIME STEPS 21
MATERIAL PROPERTIES 23
CASTING MATERIAL 24
EXOTHERMIC MATERIAL 27
FILTER MATERIAL 29
MOLD MATERIAL 29
THERMODYNAMIC DATABASES 31
CYCLING MODELLING 36
VIRTUAL MOLD 42
PROCESS TEMPLATES 47
HPDC-CYCLING 48
HPDC-FLOW 74
LPDC 87
GRAVITY-SAND 105
INVESTMENT 126
FILTER 149
STRESS 174
NON-COINCIDENT MODEL 193
TUTORIALS
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Flow Chart
• PreCAST is the pre-processor of ProCAST and allows the user to read a finite
element model, to assign material properties to the different model
components, to set the interface and boundary conditions and to define the
initial conditions.
• DataCAST compiles the settings and provides the necessary files for the
calculation.
• ViewCAST is the post-processor and allows the user to visualize the results as
ProSTAT reports the status of the calculation.
The user is guided through these different operation with the help of the file
manager (see below):
MeshCAST
Usually the user will read a geometry and check its quality (the geometry will be
eventually repaired, simplified or improved). The surface mesh will be generated
and the solid mesh will be generated based on the surface mesh. The quality of the
solid mesh is checked and the solid mesh can be optimized.
PreCAST
PreCAST is the pre-processor of ProCAST and allows the user to read a finite
element model, to assign material properties to the different model components, to
set the interface and boundary conditions and to define the initial conditions.
ProCAST
DataCAST compiles the settings and provides the necessary files for the
calculation.
ViewCAST
ViewCAST is the post-processor and allows the user to visualize and analyse the
results.
RESTART
It is important to remind that the *p.dat file contains run parameters information
as the *d.dat file contains calculation data as the material properties, the mesh
information, the boundary, interface and initial conditions.
A. NATURAL STOP:
B. HARDWARE PROBLEM:
AS A SUMMARY:
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
In order to assign the boundary conditions, i.e. all conditions applied to the
external side of the model, the user will proceeded as follow:
Using the Add-> button, choose the required Boundary conditions for your
model.
Using the selection/deselection tools, select the area of the model where the
corresponding Boundary conditions will be applied.
The surface of the selected area is displayed. This is useful in order to know
the filling area and to calculate the right filling velocity.
Go (1) in the Boundary Conditions menu. Press (2) Add -> in order to look for
the boundary conditions you need.
Use (3) the selection/deselection tools in order to select the area of the model
where the corresponding Boundary conditions will be applied. Do not forget to
Store (4) the selection.
Please note that once you pressed the Store button (4), the surface of the selected
area is displayed (5). This is useful in order to know the filling area and to
calculate the right filling velocity. In the velocity Boundary condition type, you
have a velocity calculator tool based on the filling type and the inlet area:
Assign (6) then the right Boundary condition entry from the database (7).
The database entry is then indicated in the top right table (DB Entry) of the pre-
processor interface.
The Boundary condition database (7) can be checked and enriched. The read
button allows the user to check the content of a Boundary condition. The Add->
button allows the addition of a Boundary condition among the available list. It is
also possible to copy and modify an existing Boundary condition. The use of the
Del button will delete the selected entry. It is possible to sort the Boundary
conditions per Boundary type.
Please note that some boundary conditions can be constant or time and/or
temperature dependent. In this case one has to be careful as the constant multiplies
the content of the table (if defined) and both tables multiplies each other.
SYMMETRY
In order to optimize the calculation cpu time, one should take advantage of the
rotational or mirror symmetries of the geometry to be modeled.
The axis of symmetry is defined with two points as the coordinates of three points
are necessary to define the plane of symmetry. In order to get the coordinates of
the symmetry, activate the 'Get Co-ord' button and click on the axis of symmetry
nodes or on the nodes of the symmetry plane. The cursor must be in the
corresponding X1, X2 or X3 coordinate input box.
Do not forget to press Apply once the axis or th plane of symmetry is defined.
TIME STEPS
MATERIAL PROPERTIES
The goal of this tutorial is to help the user with the definition of material
properties which are required for the different material types:
• mould
• sand mould in case of lost foam process
• filter
• casting for Newtonian flow
• casting for non-Newtonian flow (semi-solid infiltration)
• exothermic
Most of the material properties are temperature dependent. Data can be entered as
a constant or can be tabulated.
In case the data are tabulated, a linear interpolation is applied between the defined
point and a horizontal (constant) extrapolation is applied (except for the enthalpy).
Casting material
In order to perform a heat (with liquid to solid phase change) and fluid analysis in
a casting material, the following material properties are required (two
possibilities):
A.
Thermal:
• Thermal conductivity [W/mK]
• Density [Kg/m3]
• Specific heat [J/KgK]
• Latent heat [J/Kg]
• Fraction of solid [-]
• Solidus and Liquidus temperatures [°C]
Fluid:
• Viscosity [centipoise]
B.
Thermal:
• Thermal conductivity [W/mK]
• Density [Kg/m3]
• Enthalpy curve [J/Kg]
• Fraction of solid [-]
• Solidus and Liquidus temperatures [°C]
Fluid:
• Viscosity [centipoise]
Please note that in order to predict porosity, the density of the material must be
temperature dependent as shown below. The density change between solidus and
liquidus temperature will represent the shrinkage fraction during solidification.
In case the fluid flow behavior is shear rate dependent (non-Newtonian), the user
can describe the viscosity as a function shear rate and temperature with the help of
the Carreau Yasuda relationship:
For the use of the Power Cut-off viscosity relationship, please see the Thixo
casting section of the main Users manual.
Exothermic material
Thermal:
• Thermal conductivity [W/mK]
• Density [Kg/m3]
• Specific heat [J/KgK]
In order to take into account the energy released by the exothermic reaction, an
exothermic model is available in the material interface.
Filter material
In order to perform a heat and fluid flow analysis in a filter material, the following
material properties are required:
Thermal:
• Thermal conductivity [W/mK]
• Density [Kg/m3]
• Specific heat [J/KgK]
Mold material
Thermal:
• Thermal conductivity [W/mK]
• Density [Kg/m3]
• Specific heat [J/KgK]
In case of a sand mold for the Lost Foam process, the permeability of sand must
be defined under the Fluid section. The following material properties are thus
required:
Thermal:
• Thermal conductivity [W/mK]
• Density [Kg/m3]
• Specific heat [J/KgK]
Thermodynamic databases
In case of a binary alloy, it is not too difficult to extract the solidification path
from the corresponding phase diagram using a Lever or a Scheil relationship. But
most of the time, industrial casting alloys are composed of multi-element.
Let's compare the solidification behavior of two slightly different alloys in order
to illustrate the importance of having the right data.
The minimum of the Gibb's free energy curve (or the linear combination of two
curves) at temperature T will provide the stable phase diagram.
(4) click then on apply and (5) select the Scheil or Lever rule.
The available base systems are Al, Fe, Ni, Ti and Mg. The available alloying
elements are described in the "Databases/Thermodynamic Databases" section of
the main Users manual.
CYCLING MODELLING
In PreCAST there are two techniques to model cycling: A. the Standard method
and B. the Die Combo technique. This appears in the Interfaces menu when one
want to Add-> a new interface condition. The Standard or Die Combo technique
choice is here proposed.
The first technique consists of the modeling of the different cycling sequences
with the help of time dependent interface heat transfer coefficients and heat
boundary conditions.
This classical technique has the advantage of offering all flexibility and is able to
model any situation. However in case of process optimization, it can be quite
tedious to change all tabulated interface heat transfer coefficients and heat
boundary conditions if the cycling timing has to be changed.
The Die Combo technique facilitate the cycling modeling through the use of
dedicated interfaces.
The different cycle times are directly entered in the Run Parameter Cycles menu.
And the interface heat transfer coefficient and heat boundary conditions are
directly entered in the Die Combo interface.
Just copy and rename the *d.dat and *p.dat files. Open PreCAST and modify the
settings in order to model a filling (Fluid Flow) or stress analysis.
Using the Browse button, look for the Cycling (thermal only) calculation and set
the Step number at which the temperature distribution will be extracted.
VIRTUAL MOLD
The virtual mold should be used in order to save cpu time. The thermal aspect of
the mold is taken into account (heat diffusion, local heating, heat saturation) but as
the mold is not meshed, the user cannot visualize the temperature distribution in
the mold.
Please note that a zero velocity Boundary condition should be set to the surface of
the casting in case the virtual mold is used.
Enter the dimensions of the virtual mold. Please make sure that the virtual mold
will include the complete casting geometry. As the external boundary of the
virtual mold is considered as adiabatic (no heat exchange), the size of the virtual
mold should be set large enough. Using the Check Geom option you can have the
external dimension of the geometry. This helps to define the size of the virtual
mold.
The calculated thermal depth can be displayed using the Show Depth button and
the scale of the thermal depth can be adjusted using the Set Scale button. It is also
possible to remove the virtual mold.
The mold material is now displayed in the Material menu and material properties
can be assigned to the virtual mold.
An interface heat transfer coefficient has to be defined between the casting and the
mold.
PROCESS TEMPLATES
The goal of these tutorials is to help the user with the typical settings and run
parameters. The coupling of Thermal and Fluid flow modules allows the user to
model any process, i.e. gravity casting, sand casting, high pressure die casting,
low pressure die casting, investment casting ... But each process requires some
specific settings.
• INITIAL CONDITIONS: initial temperatures and the casting cavity will be set
as empty
Please note that the user is able to use predefined templates for the run parameters,
i.e. the parameters for the process of interest can be defined only once at the
beginning.
HPDC-Cycling
The goal of this tutorial is to show you step by step how to setup a high pressure
die casting model in ProCAST.
• casting
• top die
• bottom die
• insert
• meshed cooling channels
• unmeshed cooling channels
The goal here is to run first a thermal analysis with several cycles in order to
predict the number of necessary cycles to reach steady state. In a second step, the
temperature distribution of the mold components will be used as initial
temperature for a fluid flow or stress analysis.
In this tutorials both options for the cooling channels are considered: meshed and
not meshed channels. The goal is to illustrate the set-up of both options.
The interfaces will be treated with the Diecombo technique.
Enter first the case name under the 'Case' field of the file manager and press the
PreCAST menu.
PreCAST will load first a ProCAST file (d.dat) if it is present in the current
directory. If PreCAST does not find any ProCAST file, it will look for a
MeshCAST file (.mesh) with the corresponding prefix. And if there is no
MeshCAST file, you will have to use the Open file menu of PreCAST in order to
look for the right file.
These information and the volume of the different components are available in the
File menu -> Check geometry options.
Assign material properties to the casting, mold and inserts. In this case,
Aluminium is assigned to the casting material, Steel H13 to the top and bottom
dies and to the insert and water is assigned to the meshed cooling channels.
Please note that the temperature of the casting material will be re-initialized before
each cycle as the temperature of the mold components at cycle N-1 will be taken
into account for cycle N. It is therefore important to set the right Material type for
each component.
In this case all interfaces have to be converted from EQUIV to COINC. In order
to validate this choice, press the Apply button.
Between the bottom die and the meshed cooling channels, a constant heat transfer
coefficient of 2000 W/m2K will be set.
Between the top die and a bottom die a diecombo interface will be set.
Between the bottom die and the insert, a diecombo interface is assigned with a
heat transfer coefficient of 1000W/m2K.
Please note that the casting will be 'attached until ejection' to the top die.
Air cooling condition will be assigned to the external surface of the mould
temperature of 200°C. The inner surface of the non-meshed channels are selected
using the propagate selection tool.
In the Preferences menu, select the hpdc Cycling option. The right and dedicated
run parameters will be automatically set.
9
Save and Exit PreCAST
10
Run DataCAST and ProCAST
11
Visualize the results in ViewCAST
HPDC-Flow
The goal of this tutorial is to show you step by step how to setup a high pressure
die casting model in ProCAST.
• casting
• top die
• bottom die
• insert
• meshed cooling channels
• unmeshed cooling channels
The goal here was first to run a thermal analysis with several cycles in order to
predict the number of necessary cycles to reach steady state. In a second step, the
temperature distribution of the mold components will be used as initial
temperature for a fluid flow or stress analysis.
In this tutorials we are going to extract the die temperature distribution of HPDC-
Cycling in order to use it as initial temperature.
Create a new calculation directory and copy from your hpdc-cycling directory the
hpdcd.dat and hpdcp.dat files.
• MATERIALS: the casting material is set as empty, but the same properties will
be used
• INITIAL CONDITIONS: the extract procedure is applied on the top die, bottom
die and insert domains
The temperature distribution can be displayed in order to check that the extract
procedure worked.
• RUN PARAMETERS: General and Thermal are not modified, The number of
Cycles is set to 1 and Flow is set to 3. The frequency for saving the velocity
results (FLOW) is set equal to TFREQ (frequency for saving the temperature
results).
Please note that at step zero, the temperature of the die is not uniform as we used
the calculated temperature distribution obtained before cycle ten in the HPDC-
cycling calculation.
LPDC
The goal of this tutorial is to show step by step how to setup a low pressure die
casting model in ProCAST.
• casting
• left and right side dies
• top and bottom cores
Enter first the case name under the 'Case' field of the file manager and press the
PreCAST menu.
PreCAST will load first a ProCAST file (d.dat) if it is present in the current
directory. If PreCAST does not find any ProCAST file, it will look for a
MeshCAST file (.mesh) with the corresponding prefix. And if there is no
MeshCAST file, you will have to use the Open file menu of PreCAST in order to
look for the right file.
These information and the volume of the different components are available in the
File menu -> Check geometry options.
Assign material properties to the casting, mold and cores. In this case, Cu-
Aluminium Bronze is assigned to the casting material, Steel_H13 to both parts of
the dies and Sand_Silica to the core domains.
In this case all interfaces are COINC. In case the model would have EQUIV
interfaces, they should be converted from EQUIV to COINC. In order to validate
this choice, do not forget to press the Apply button.
Once the interfaces are created, assign a heat transfer value to each interface.
Typical values are 500 W/m2K between casting and cores and 1000 W/m2K
between casting and steel dies.
A natural air cooling heat Boundary condition will be applied all around the dies
and a pressure Boundary condition together with a temperature Boundary
condition will be imposed at inlet of the gating system.
Please note that the simulation model might have a different height compared to
the current casting if the full filling column was not taken into account in the
simulation model. In such a case the pressure ramp should be shifted accordingly.
Please also note that the pressure which is applied to the inlet for the filling
sequence will be the difference between the reference pressure which will be
defined in the run parameters and this pressure BC. In this case where a total
pressure of 0.2 bar is applied, a zero reference pressure will be defined in the
FLOW run parameters.
9
Set the run parameters
In the Preferences menu, select the LPDC filling option. The right and dedicated
run parameters will be automatically set.
10
Save and Exit PreCAST
11
Run DataCAST and ProCAST
12
Visualize the results in ViewCAST
Gravity-Sand
This tutorial will guide you step by step in the ProCAST set-up of a sand casting
simulation.
• casting
• sand box
• cores
Please enter first the case name under the 'Case' field of the file manager and press
the PreCAST menu.
PreCAST will load first a ProCAST file (d.dat) if it is present in the current
directory. If PreCAST does not find any ProCAST file, it will look for a
MeshCAST file (.mesh) with the corresponding prefix. And if there is no
MeshCAST file, you will have to use the Open file menu of PreCAST in order to
look for the right file.
These information and the volume of the different components are available in the
File menu -> Check geometry options.
Assign material properties to the casting, mold and cores. In this case,
Ductile Iron is assigned to the casting material, Sand silica to the mold and
Steel_H13 to the core domains.
In this case all interfaces have to be converted from EQUIV to COINC. In order
to validate this choice, press the Apply button.
Once the interfaces are created, assign a heat transfer value to each interface.
Typical values are 500 W/m2K between casting and sand and 1000 W/m2K
between casting and steel cores.
A natural air cooling heat Boundary condition will be applied all around the sand
box, a velocity Boundary condition will be applied and a temperature Boundary
condition will be imposed to some nodes of the top surface of the down sprue.
In the Preferences menu, select the Gravity filling option. The right and dedicated
run parameters will be automatically set.
In the General run parameters panel, DTMAX is set to 5 seconds in this case.
Do not forget to press Apply in order to validate the Run Parameters selection.
9
Save and Exit PreCAST
10
Run DataCAST and ProCAST
11
Visualize the results in ViewCAST
Position the model using the picture manipulation tools (zoom, drag, rotate, ...).
Isolated pockets of liquid are displayed using the Fraction of Solid cut-off option.
Investment
The goal of this tutorial is to show you step by step how to setup an investment
casting model in ProCAST.
• casting
• a shell mold
• an enclosure
• Remark: It is possible to model the preheating of the shell mold in the furnace
using the same model as the one for fluid flow modeling. The temperature
distribution of the shell mold is then used as initial condition for the fluid flow
calculation using the extract procedure. To do so:
Please enter first the case name under the 'Case' field of the file manager and press
the PreCAST menu.
PreCAST will load first a ProCAST file (d.dat) if it is present in the current
directory. If PreCAST does not find any ProCAST file, it will look for a
MeshCAST file (.mesh) with the corresponding prefix. And if there is no
MeshCAST file, you will have to use the Open file menu of PreCAST in order to
look for the right file.
If this Case name is not entered, you will have to go in the File menu of PreCAST
and open the right file.
These information and the volume of the different components are available in the
File menu -> Check geometry options.
Two mirrors of symmetry will be considered here. The Get Co-ord button is
useful to pick the node coordinates on the planes of symmetry.
You can check that the symmetry was well applied if the symmetry is set in the
Boundary conditions.
Inconel 718 and a shell material are applied to the casting and shell mold.
In this case all interfaces have to be converted from EQUIV to COINC. In order
to validate this choice, press the Apply button.
• Remarks:
Check that the normals of the enclosure are all pointing inside the enclosure. In
case it is not the case, use the Align or Reverse options.
9
Set the run parameters
In the Preferences menu, select the Gravity filling option. The right and dedicated
run parameters will be automatically set.
10
Save and Exit PreCAST
11
Run DataCAST and ProCAST
• Useful tip:
12
Visualize the results in ViewCAST
• Prediction of pockets of liquid using the fraction of solid field and the cut-off
option
Filter
This tutorial will guide you step by step in the ProCAST set-up of a sand casting
simulation with a filter material.
• casting
• filter
• chill
Please enter first the case name under the 'Case' field of the file manager and press
the PreCAST menu.
PreCAST will load first a ProCAST file (d.dat) if it is present in the current
directory. If PreCAST does not find any ProCAST file, it will look for a
MeshCAST file (.mesh) with the corresponding prefix. And if there is no
MeshCAST file, you will have to use the Open file menu of PreCAST in order to
look for the right file.
These information and the volume of the different components are available in the
File menu -> Check geometry options.
Symmetry definition
In order to define the coordinates of the two points which are defining the axis of
symmetry, press the 'Get Co-ord' button and then click with the mouse on a mesh
points located on the axis of symmetry.
You can check that the symmetry boundary conditions are well set. Go in the
Boundary conditions menu and check that you have the symmetry well defined.
Generate a virtual mold larger than the model. The virtual mold has to be large
enough as the external boundary of the virtual mold is considered as adiabatic.
Please note that the virtual mold will be taken into account and you have thus to
assign material properties to the mold.
In addition to the thermal conductivity, the density and the specific heat, a filter is
defined by its Void Fraction and Surface Area (it is also possible to define the
Pressure Drop properties - optional).
In this case only the interface between the chill and casting has to be converted
from EQUIV to COINC. It is important to note that no interface between the
casting and the filter is created. One should thus leave the EQUIV interface type
between casting and filter. In order to validate this choice, press the Apply button.
Assign then heat transfer coefficients between the chill and the casting and
between all components and the virtual mold. Please note that no heat transfer
coefficient is defined between the casting and the filter. This will be defined in the
Assign Volume Boundary Conditions menu.
A zero velocity Boundary condition has to be applied all around the casting as no
coincident meshed mold is considered. A velocity Boundary condition and an
imposed temperature are applied to the top of the gating system.
The interface heat transfer coefficient is defined in the Assign Volume -> Filter
Heat condition.
9
Define the Initial Conditions
10
Set the Run Parameters
In the Preferences menu, select the Gravity filling option. The right and dedicated
run parameters will be automatically set.
In the General run parameters panel, DTMAX is set to 5 seconds and TSTOP is
set to1000°C in this case. This means that the calculation will be stopped as soon
as the casting domain temperature is below 1000°C.
11
Save and Exit PreCAST
12
Run DataCAST and ProCAST
13
Visualize the results in ViewCAST
Stress
This tutorial will guide you step by step in the ProCAST set-up of a stress model.
• casting
• die
Please enter first the case name under the 'Case' field of the file manager and press
the PreCAST menu.
PreCAST will load first a ProCAST file (d.dat) if it is present in the current
directory. If PreCAST does not find any ProCAST file, it will look for a
MeshCAST file (.mesh) with the corresponding prefix. And if there is no
MeshCAST file, you will have to use the Open file menu of PreCAST in order to
look for the right file.
These information and the volume of the different components are available in the
File menu -> Check geometry options.
Assign the Interfaces between the components. Please note that the mesh
was already optimized in MeshCAST and thus the interfaces are already created
(they are already set as COINC).
A natural air cooling heat Boundary condition is assigned all around the die and a
zero displacement Boundary condition is applied to the top and bottom surface of
the die.
Do not forget to press Apply in order to validate the Run Parameters selection.
9
Save and Exit PreCAST
10
Run DataCAST and ProCAST
11
Visualize the results in ViewCAST
Temperature results:
Y-Displacements:
Non-Coincident model
This tutorial will guide you step by step in the ProCAST set-up of a non-
coincident model.
If you run a fluid flow analysis with a non-coincident model, do not forget to
assign a zero velocity boundary condition all around the casting.
• casting
• sand mold
No prefix is entered in this case in the file manager (Case field) as you are going
to load the models using the Multiple Mesh option in the File menu
These information and the volume of the different components are available in the
File menu -> Check geometry options.
One coincident interface was recognized in this case (even if both models are not
coincident) between both mold components because one element is most probably
exactly coincident on each mold side.
In case of a non-coincident model one has to turn the coincident interface type in
non-coincident and add the other non-coincident interfaces. Please note that the
casting is the Master and the Mold is the Slave.
• Velocity: zero velocity all around the casting (this necessary in case of a no-
coincident mold, in case of virtual mold or in case there is no mold)
• Velocity: -y velocity at the top of the downsprue.
• Temperature: Pouring temperature of the metal assigned at the top of the
downsprue.
In the Preferences menu, select the Gravity filling option. The right and dedicated
run parameters will be automatically set.
9
Save and Exit PreCAST
10
Run DataCAST and ProCAST
11
Visualize the results in ViewCAST