Solving the World’s Toughest CFD Problems

Gravity Die Casting Workspace

Workspace Overview

The Gravity Die Casting Workspace is an intuitive modeling environment designed to help engineers successfully model gravity die casting applications with FLOW-3D CAST. Ladle motion, venting and backpressure are included in the fill analysis for an accurate prediction of air entrapment and porosity defects, while die thermal management and state-of-the-art solidification models seamlessly connect to the fill solution through the workspace’s sub-process architecture. The Gravity Die Casting Workspace provides a complete and accurate solution for all aspects of the simulation in a simple, versatile modeling environment.

Workspace Highlights

State-of-the-art die thermal management, dynamic cooling channels, spray cooling, and thermal cycling
Ladle pour with dynamic ladle motion based on pouring cup fill condition
Advanced flow solutions deliver accurate gas entrapment & gas porosity

Gravity Die Casting Playlist

6 Videos

BMW Injector Casting Process - Innovative Ingate System for Gravity Casting

0:26

Thermal Die Cycling of a Gravity Die Cast Mold

0:20

Fluid Structure Interaction Analysis of a Gravity Casting

0:19

Thermal Die Cycling Analysis

0:19

Gravity Die Casting CFD Simulation

0:12

Exothermic Riser Sleeve

0:12

Description

Description

Learn about the modeling versatility of FLOW-3D CAST in our webinar: Advanced Metal Casting Simulation, which is now available to watch on demand at: https://www.flow3d.com/resources/webinars/ Video courtesy of BMW and Flow Science Deutschland.

Processes modeled

Gravity die casting

Vacuum die casting

Flexible Meshing

FAVOR™ simple mesh generation tool

Multi-block meshing

Nested meshing

Mold modeling

Localized die heating elements and cooling channels

Spray cooling of the die surface

Ceramic filters

Air vents

Advanced solidification

Porosity

Shrinkage

Hot spots

Mechanical property

Microstructure

Sand Cores

Core gas evolution

Material definitions for core properties

Die Thermal Management

Thermal die cycling

Heat saturation

Full heat transfer

Ladle Motion

6 degrees of freedom motion definition

Defect prediction

Macro and micro porosity

Gas porosity

Early solidification

Oxide formation

Surface defect analysis

Vacuum and Venting

Interactive probe placement

Area and loss coefficient calculator

Macro and Micro Porosity

Gas porosity

Early solidification

Oxide formation

Surface defect analysis

Filling Accuracy

Gas and bubble entrapment

Surface oxide calculation

RNG and LES turbulence models

Backpressure

Complete analysis package

Animations with multi-viewports - 3D, 2D, history plots, volume rendering

Porosity analysis tool

Side-by-side simulation results comparison

Sensors for measuring melt temperature, solid fraction

Particle tracers

Batch post-processing

Report generation

Dynamic simulation control

Event probe-based triggers for motion control

Explore Process Workspaces

We recently went from a drawing on a napkin to the geometry created and simulation running within 8 hours. I don’t know exactly what it was like before we started using FLOW-3D CAST, but it takes 6 to 7 weeks minimum for tooling design changes to be made by our pattern maker. Take multiples of that, plus more depending on the part and how many design iterations it would take to get a good pattern. With FLOW-3D CAST, we usually get it right on the first try now. It’s huge for our business.

FLOW-3D CAST has been a tremendous asset to our quality program. After having evaluated six different casting simulation software Howell Foundry made the decision to purchase FLOW-3D CAST. Some of the factors in this decision include its setup versatility, cost, and most importantly its accuracy of the simulation to reality. FLOW-3D CAST’s powerful simulation ability coupled with its updated results viewer has been especially helpful on our most complex jobs to make sure we have a quality casting on the first pour.

At 4C-Technologies we have been pioneers in using various software flow simulation solutions for nearly 35 years. We optimize part designs and tool/runner designs on casted HPDC parts in various metal alloys. Since 2008 we have solely been using FLOW-3D CAST as it turned out to give by far the best accuracy. Furthermore, the support from the FLOW-3D CAST team is outstanding.

I have personally modeled the filling, solidification, and cooling of countless castings, with the goal being to maximize metal cleanliness and soundness, and to control grain structure, segregation and stress related defects. We have had a great deal of success using FLOW-3D CAST to predict casting performance, to optimize quality, and to reduce cost by reducing rework, scrap, and lead-time.

We are using FLOW-3D CAST not only as a die cast process simulation tool but also as a general CFD software tool. If during die cast process development, any part design changes need to be recommended to a customer, FLOW-3D CAST allows us quickly and reliably evaluate part design changes, and present to a customer not only the proposed changes but also the effects those changes will have on the part performance.