Manufacturing Simulation

with STAR-Cast
Content

Castings : Processes
– High Pressure Die Casting
– Gravity and Tilt Die Casting
– Sand Casting
STAR-Cast – Extra Topics
– Oxides
– Air Entrainment/Entrappment
Downstream Processes
– Heat Treatment Furnace: Generic Component
Deformation
– Structural components during heat treatment
Continuous Casting
 What is STAR – Cast ?

• Our dedicated tool for metal casting simulations

• Add-on to STAR-CCM+

• Key Features:
– Multiphase Filling & Solidification

– Criteria Functions for Defect Prediction

– Body Fitted Polyhedral Meshes

– Locally refined meshes

– Material Database

– Casting User Interface

– Supports native CAD

High Pressure Die Casting
 Examples

Sidemember Rear Courtesy of BMW

Shocktower

Gearbox; source: GF.com

Subframe Rear

Instrument panel support beam

Engine Block; source: GF.com
 Case 1: Rear Subframe

Casting temperature: 720 C

Casting weight: 21,6 kg
Filling time: 45 ms
Mean thickness: 3 mm
Max fill speed: ~55 m/s
Alloy: AlSi10MgMn
6
Piston Speed [m/s]

5
4
3
2
1
0
0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1
Piston Position [m]
Temperature
Velocity During Filling
 Recirculation Areas

• Recirculation
areas trap gas
and oxide films
• Flow
characteristics
leads to disrupted
filling front
• Source for gas
and dirt
entrainment
 Case 2: Automotive Part
Gearboxhousing
Alloy: 226 D
Casting Temperature: 720 degC
Die Temperature: 160 deg C
Casting Chamber Temperature : 160 deg C
Holding Pressure: 600 bar
source: gfau.com

Areas of interest
– Porosities
– Misrun
– Gas inclusions
Die Cycling
Dosing
Filling
Recirculation

Recirculation areas due to

jetting of the melt inside gate
Inhomogeneous feeding
Effectiveness of Ingates

Melt is colored by its passage through the different ingates

 Design Change

OLD Design

OLD 5 mm 5 mm

AREA Ratio OLD NEW

Large Ingate : Small Ingate 4:1 2:1
NEW Design
NEW 6 mm 4 mm

Aim:
• Reduce recirculation in gating system for better filling behavior without compromising the smaller ingate
 Efficiency of Gating

Design Volume through smaller ingate

OLD ~758 ccm
NEW ~ 1798 ccm

• Large Ingate still feeds onto ring

• Possible issues during machining
Die Casting
 Application case: Hydraulic part

● Case description: CuDie-R + L Core Part

– hydraulic part for a construction machine
– Al-alloy AlSi12(Cu)
– The casting includes a core

● Simulation Model
– STAR-Cast calculates the quasi-stationary temperature
distribution of the cyclic casting process
– All common venting techniques and cooling techniques can be
modeled
– Multi phase model: Coupled temperature-fluid flow-solidification
calculation in gas and alloy Bottom-Die Main-Die

Die casting geometry

 First approach: simple Gravity Die Casting

The first process design was gravity die casting.

– Experiments and simulation showed, that the filling leads to a high
amount of air enclosure and shrinkage porosity, resulting in pores

The results suggest to use a tilt casting process to

– reduce the amount of enclosed air during filling

– Avoid to keep air bubbles beneath the flat plateaus of the part Casting trial

– Move the heat center into the gating system to avoid shrinkage porosity

Porosity prediction by
STAR-Cast1
 Tilt die casting to avoid porosity
Inner Die
The gravity die casting process
was replaced by a tilt die casting Base
Casting & Gating
process
Outer Die
– The idea is that the melt is
smoothly filled from a sprue into Core
the cavity by tilting the whole die
by 90 °C Sprue
– Tilting is performed with 15 s and Melt
the process needs 120 s until the
part is completely solidified

Geometry used for the tilt die casting process

 Simulation approach: Gravity Die Casting
Alloy and conditions
– Alloy: AlSi12Cu
– Pouring temperature 780 °C
– Mold temperature is a result of the cyclic casting process
1
Simulation Model
0.8
– STAR-Cast calculates the quasi-stationary temperature distribution
of the cyclic casting process

Fraction solid
0.6
– Multi phase model: Coupled temperature-fluid flow-solidification
0.4
calculation of gas and alloy
– The core is permeable for air, dies are not 0.2

Input parameter 0.0

550 560 570 580 590 600
– Initial process parameter and temperature field as a result of Temperature [°C]
previous casting cycles. Fraction solid vs Temperature
– Thermo-physical data of the alloy and dies
 Typical Workflow Time

5 min
Surface • Import CAD geometry = 15 min (5 min manual time)
Preparation • Order Parts = 30 min

Volume Mesh • Setup Mesh settings < 20 minutes 20 min

Generation • Mesh Generation on 1 CPU – 354,000 Cells (5 min manual time)

• Define physics conditions

Solving • Define Boundary Conditions 15 Minutes manual time
• Solving : 120s Physical Time - 24 CPU (+ 12 h solve time)

Post-processing • Create scenes and plots

15 Minutes manual time

Note : in bold are manual operations

 Tilt Die Casting: Mold filling

Temperature on the melt front during the tilting process

Temperature on the melt front after 3 s, 5 s, 8 s, 15 s
 Tilt Die Casting: Solidification
Solidifcation:
– The melt solidifies last
above the part at the
surface of the gating system
after 117 s.
 no macro shrinkage defect
is to expect

Solidification described by the temperature on the still liquid melt (fraction solid below 0.9) after 20 s, 50 s, 80 s, 100 s and 117 s
 Tilt Die Casting: air removal

Air removal:
– During tilting a small air pocket forms
at the upper part of the part base.

– After 30 s the casting is air free

 no porosity due to remaining air is to

expect.

Temperature on the air surface to detect remaining air in the casting after 8s, 15 s, 20 s
and 30 s
 Conclusion

A die casting process was investigated using STAR-Cast

– The simulation showed a smooth filling of the part
• 90 deg rotation in 15 s

– Remaining air in the casting escapes before solidification is

completed

– Simulation indicates no hot spots inside the part

– STAR-Cast simulation were confirmed by casting trials

• Part within spec

Sound part from tilt die casting process

Sand Casting
 Application case

Case description:
– Gear box cover: AlSi7Mg

– Casted in gravity sand casting process:

• 4-fold pattern

• Parts weight is ~2 kg, the whole cluster is ~12 kg

Challenge Gear box cover Cluster after shake out

– Special emphasis on surface finish

Final product
 Application case

• Case issues:
– Oxide layers build up during mold filling and are entrapped and
located in the castings directly below the top surfaces .

– Shot-blasting opens up oxides and small pores  Bas surface

finish

• Simulation aims
– Find cause for oxide production and transport to suggest remedy

Oxide inclusions on part surface

 Simulation approach, Initial Geometry Design

Materials and Initial Conditions

Outlets
– Alloy: AlSi7Mg
Parts
– Pouring temperature 740°C
Inlet

Simulation Model and Input parameter

– Standard Gravity Casting Sprue
Runner
– Modelling includes
Parts of the casting process
• Surface tension

• Oxide prediction

– Thermo-physical data of the alloy and sand

 Typical Workflow Time

15 min
Surface • Import CAD geometry < 5 min (5 min manual time)
Preparation • Order Parts = 10 min

Volume Mesh • Setup Mesh settings < 20 minutes 30 min

Generation • Mesh Generation on 1 CPU – 500.000 Cells (20 min manual time)

• Define physics conditions

Solving • Define Boundary Conditions 15 Minutes manual time
• Solving : 8s Physical Time - 8 CPU (+ 15h solve time)

Post-processing • Create scenes and plots

15 Minutes manual time
 Filling Results, Initial Runner Design

Main runner fills not completely in the first one second, melt is reflected back into the main runner,
causing splashing: source of oxide formation
Filling Results, Initial Runner Design

Free surface is colored blue, wetted walls in red.

Changes in Runner Design

Initial runner design Optimized runner

Removed
Runner height reduced melt trap
from 4.5 cm to 2.5 cm
 Flow Patterns In Both Runner Designs
Solution: Reduction of oxide entrapment by reducing runner height

Initial runner design Optimized design with height reduced by 50%

Initial runner design Optimized runner

Optimized runner fills up much faster, less turbulences and smaller free melt surface in runner leads to
reduced oxide entrapments in castings
 Filling Results, Optimized Runner Design
Initial runner design

Optimized runner

Filling behavior in main runner (between 0.4s and 0.6s). Free surface is colored blue, wetted walls in red.
Manufacturing Simulation
with STAR-Cast
STAR-Cast Features at a Glance
 Casting User Interface (CUI)

• Additional layer to STAR-CCM+

• Process driven simulation setup

• High degree of automation

– With Guided workflow
– To quickly evaluate process variations

Die Casting
• High Pressure Die Casting
• Gravity Die Casting
• Tilt Die Casting

Sand Casting
• Gravity Sand Casting
• Centrifugal Casting

Investment Casting
• Gravity Casting
• Bridgman Process
• Centrifugal Casting
 Material Properties
Material properties are the key for high quality casting simulation

The STAR-Cast Material Database contains all relevant material

information for the casting engineer

160 – 2 K/s

AlSi10MgMn
 Meshing

• Fully automated CAD to mesh pipeline

– Support of tesselated data or native CAD
• Body-fitted polyhedral volume meshes
– Automatic mesh refinement
• Prismatic boundary layers accuratly capture
turbulent flow and temperature gradients
 Contact Time Model: „Oxides“

• Oxide: unavoidable, defect when in critical

areas
• High melting point
• Information provided by the model
• Location of creation
• How are they transported

Limitations
• By default no influence on flow
• Can be included manually
• No sticking of oxide to wall
• No rupture of oxide
Oxide Prediction

Blue: no Oxide
Red: Maximum Oxide contamination

Oxide distribution at different stages of filling

Oxide is flushed out of part during filling
Air Entrappment

Bad shot curve may lead

to higher gas content in
finished part
STAR-Cast
- a casting tool -
Campbell Box

Accurate mold filling simulation is key for predictive casting simulations

• Volume of Fluid
– Capture free surface flow

– Metal and Gas

• Turbulence modelling

• Surface Tension

• Phase Change

• Mushy Zone

• Porous Molds

Campbell Box, McWasp Conference

Campbell Box

T=0.10s T=0.20s

T=0.30s T=0.50s

T=0.70s T=0.90s

T=1.05s T=1.25s

T=0.00s
X-ray frame
 Accuracy: Material Properties

Material properties are the key for high quality casting simulations

The STAR-Cast Material Database contains all relevant material

information for the casting engineer
Application Example: Misrun Prediction
 Problem Description

Shell: 8,0 mm;

• Investment Casting of TiAl Low Inlet: 2 m/s @ 1570 degC
preheated at
Pressure Turbine Blade 1100 degC
• Gravity Investment Casting of a
single blade
Misruns in thin walled casting geometries

Magnitude of Temperature Gravity casting, Access

velocity TechCenter
Accuracy: Coldshut Prediction

TiAl alloy; Plate thickness d= 4 mm

 Accuracy: Mushy Zone Modelling

• Enthalpy Melting Solidification Model

– Enthalpy formulation to track solid portion of the metal phase
Solid Mushy Liquid

fL= 0.0 fL= 0.3 fL= 1.0

• Mushy Zone for alloys
– Large solidification intervals
– Mushy zone for higher solid fraction modelled as porous region

• Flow Stop Model

– For large pressure gradients or
body forces (i.e. HPDC)
 Accuracy: Micro Porosity

BLJ criterion Mushy zone evolution

Methods
• Analyzing the evolution of
the mushy zone
• Dim. Less Niyama

References: [1] Jakumeit, J.; Jana, S.; Böttger, B.; Laqua, R.; Jouani, M. Y. & Bührig-Polaczek, A.: Simulation-based
prediction of micro-shrinkage porosity in aluminum casting: Fully-coupled numerical calculation vs. criteria
functions; IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 2012, 27, 012066
Macro Shrinkage Prediction

Gravity Investment Casting

– Hastelloy X
Optimization: Application Example
 Realism: The Pouring Process

Gain insight in process and identify areas for improvement

Simulation includes:
• Pouring from crucible
• Rotation of the cluster

Melt flow through funnel outlet

 Throughput: Optimization

CD-adapco’s Design Exploration Software Product

Optimate Optimate+
Design optimization
• What if studies
• Parameter sweeps
• Multi-objective design optimization
• Design of Experiments
• Pareto front analysis
• Robustness (Uncertainty)
Fully automated process to find the
Fully automated process to gain insight
optimum design based on to
into a product’s behaviour
engineering objectives
 Throughput: Pouring Optimization

Optimization goal: Design parameters:

• No splashing ► small skull • Position of tilting axis in casting
• Fast filling chamber
• Rotation Speed

chaotic pouring optimized pouring

Skulls
Air Quenching of Structural Part
Example case for oven simulation
Engine mount is subjected to heat treatment  reach desired
mechanical properties
Aim is to investigate the performance of the furnace/packing
density
– Rack design
– Process time
– Mechanical properties
Simulation Setup

2 central parts are instrumented

Velocity Inlet: with temperature probes
25 m/s @ 30 C

Initial
Temperature
Rack and
Part : 495 C

Velocity Inlet:
17 m/s @ 30 C
Flow Pattern

• Strong recirculation
and separation of
flow in upper oven
• Upper row under
small air flow
• In lower rack is the
air flow more even
but recirculation
remains
Cooling of the Parts
Cooling Rates
Average Cooling Rate on Central Parts
Finite Elemente Analysis Engine Mount

STAR-CCM+‘s build in FE
capability is used to compute
stress and deformation

For a given point in the

simulation the thermal load
from the oven analysis is
transfered to the FE model
Deformation

Engine mount is warped, sides are deforming stronger then vertical beams due to uneven temperature
distribution
Application Examples for Continuous Casting
Horizontal Twin Roll Casting of AZ31

• Analysis of state state conditions in twin

roll casting machine for AZ31
• Determine final point of solidification
before rolling process
• VOF
• Melting/ Solidification
• Steady State

• Process variation for different

rolling/casting speeds

Paper presented at McWasp in 2012

 Continuous Casting : Slab Casting

Simulation of Continuous casting including

– MHD in caster
– Free surface prediction using VoF: Slag + Melt
• Slag entrainment
– Argon Injection through SEN