ESI Group has released a new finite element software package for metalcasting simulations, ProCAST 2004. The company explains that ProCAST "provides fast optimization of designs for a wide range of processes," including high- and low-pressure die casting, sand casting, and investment casting. Its capabilities include automatic meshing, thermal analysis, metal flow, stress and deformation, microstructure analysis and radiation effects.

ProCAST 2004 also includes a new user interface and better improved speed, accuracy, and processing capabilities. It is available on Windows NT, 2000 and XP platforms, hardware-vendor supported Linux platforms, and UNIX workstations from HP-Compaq, IBM, SGI and Sun.

ESI Group’s casting portfolio includes ProCAST, CALCOSOFT for fast and efficient modeling of continuous casting processes, and PAM-CAST, the finite difference software for filling and solidification.

"ProCAST 2004 is the first release delivered by ESI Group since its acquisition from UES Inc.," said Dominique Lefebvre, casting solutions product manager at ESI Group. "Extensive validations complying with the ISO 9001 procedures of ESI Group have been conducted to assess the reliability and consistency of the simulation results. ProCAST 2004 is the first step in our strategy to provide high added-value solutions to the casting industry."