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ESI Group / AluPress AG
Simulating solidification time for a high-pressure aluminum diecasting.
Simulating solidification time for a high-pressure aluminum diecasting.
Simulating solidification time for a high-pressure aluminum diecasting.
Simulating solidification time for a high-pressure aluminum diecasting.
Simulating solidification time for a high-pressure aluminum diecasting.

New Version of ProCAST Cuts Turnaround Time

Nov. 15, 2013
New fluid-flow solver Modified porosity model Custom-design workflows

ESI GROUP released ProCAST 2013.5 along with its dedicated user environment Visual-Cast 9.0, both programs designed to help foundries improve casting yield and quality with more efficient processes and solvers. The program offers numerous new modules and tools, and is well adapted to predict distortions and residual stresses after casting.

Also, the new version addresses specific metalcasting process tasks and variations, including core blowing, centrifugal casting, lost foam casting, semi-solid casting, and continuous casting.

"ProCAST empowers foundries to address the most technically demanding tasks in casting, while reducing lead time, increasing productivity and controlling cost,” stated Marco Aloe, product manager, ESI Group. “This release offers best-in-class casting simulation in a single, integrated and customizable environment. The new fluid-flow solver delivers twice faster turnaround time and improved accuracy."

ProCAST 2013.5 features a new version of the fluid-flow solver that benefits from the accuracy of the Finite Element Method (FEM), the efficiency of the Finite Volume Method (FVM), and the speed of the Multi-Grid linear solver used by many prominent CFD software packages.

ProCAST's improved fluid-flow solver and the modified porosity model enable precise modeling of large titanium structures made by centrifugal casting, as demonstrated in the frame of the COLTS project, an international co-operation between China and Europe.

ProCAST's user environment Visual-Cast 9.0 provides significant improvements in turnaround time, offering faster and more intuitive handling capabilities. In addition, foundries can now design their own workflows, encapsulating practices and adjusted to particular needs.

To answer the growing needs of advanced casting simulation, the release incorporates the Time-Temperature Transformation (TTT) and Continuous Cooling Transformation (CCT) approaches for modeling Heat Treatment, and the full integration of the CAFE module to model grain structure.

New capabilities dedicated to specific processes are also introduced, including a die locking force indicator, a new turbulence model, and an improved mis-run prediction model.

Importantly, the thermodynamic databases used to compute the material properties are extended.

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