2. CAST-DESIGNERTM
What is Cast-Designer ？
Cast-Designer is a useful and powerful system to
support designers and engineers make system
design and upfront analysis in an express way for
casting. The investment module is design tool
special for investment casting process.
• Expect system for casting system design in tens mins to
half hour ；
• Special Upfront analysis technology for metal filling and
solidification analysis based on the last FEM technology,
the lead time is 2 to 3 times faster compared with
tradition CAE tools includes modeling and simulation ；
• Standalone software system based on Open CASCADE
technology or fully integrated to the common MCAD
system such as Pro-Engineer, UGS NX and Solidworks
• Developed by C3P Software with very close
collaboration with world top level industrial partners,
research institutes and universities.
3. CAST-DESIGNERTM
• Quality by Design is
one of the most
misunderstood and
misused tools
available to
industrials.
• ~ 5% design lead time
to solve at least 80%
quality problems.
• Quality of productions
was not depended on
checking, not only
depended on the
produce process, but
also mainly depended
on design process.
We special focus on ‘Design’ and ‘Designer’
• No casting background
• Focus the functions of the product
Performance
of this
product?
4. CAST-DESIGNERTM
• Quality by Design is
one of the most
misunderstood and
misused tools
available to
industrials.
• ~ 5% design lead time
to solve at least 80%
quality problems.
• Quality of productions
was not depended on
checking, not only
depended on the
produce process, but
also mainly depended
on design process.
We special focus on ‘Design’ and ‘Designer’
• Die Designer
• Specialists in casting
field (process and
materials)
• No CAE experience
Which design
is best?
• No casting background
• Focus the functions of the product
Performance
of this
product?
5. CAST-DESIGNERTM
• Quality by Design is
one of the most
misunderstood and
misused tools
available to
industrials.
• ~ 5% design lead time
to solve at least 80%
quality problems.
• Quality of productions
was not depended on
checking, not only
depended on the
produce process, but
also mainly depended
on design process.
We special focus on ‘Design’ and ‘Designer’
Which design
is best?
• Practical knowledge in
casting technology
• Advanced CAD
capabilities
• Modeling experience
• Specialists of CAE
• No casting background
• Focus the functions of the product
Performance
of this
product?
• Die Designer
• Specialists in casting
field (process and
materials)
• No CAE experience
6. CAST-DESIGNERTM
• Quality by Design is
one of the most
misunderstood and
misused tools
available to
industrials.
• ~ 5% design lead time
to solve at least 80%
quality problems.
• Quality of productions
was not depended on
checking, not only
depended on the
produce process, but
also mainly depended
on design process.
We special focus on ‘Design’ and ‘Designer’
Which design
is best?
Cast-Designer / CPI
• No casting background
• Focus the functions of the product
Performance
of this
product?
• Die Designer
• Specialists in casting
field (process and
materials)
• No CAE experience
• Practical knowledge in
casting technology
• Advanced CAD
capabilities
• Modeling experience
• Specialists of CAE
7. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Cast-Designer for Casting System Design
Cast-Designer BASIC is an efficient
3D CAD tools with expert system
special for HPDC
Expert
Power
Platform
An Expert System for Investment Casting System
design to help designer and engineer make a
reasonable casting system in a quick way
Designer application Includes riser, feeder, gating
system , chill, well and cooling system
Standard alone software based on last Open CASCADE
technology or fully integrated to common MCAD
system, such as Pro-E, UG NX, SolidWorks etc
Usage
Data
Learning
The design approach is much faster and simple compared
with tradition CAD system and fully parametric
Standard and special data exchanger for 3D CAD
system and CAE system
Short learning curve and enhance company design
ability shortly
Cast-Designer BASIC is an efficient 3D CAD tools
with expert system for Investment Casting
9. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Gating System Design Advisor
Casting Design Advisor
metal, mass,
quality requirement
Casting Volume
Riser & Feeder
Filling Time
Inner Gate
Help solve the
solidification problems
Casting alloy, Casting
part geometry
Nbs, section area
(Design finished)
Fine turning
Sprue runner
Runner
Speed Up Ratio
Nbs & section area,
shape parameters
Design runner, Nbs &
section area
Increase ratio of
pouring system/Spure:
Runner : inner gate
10. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Put inner
gate here
3D Part Base Analysis
Part Analysis
Build in casting part analysis capability to
analysis thickness distribution and identify
the thicker region. Usually, the inner gate
can be set to this region to avoid porosity
problems in the casting process.
The part analysis is express and usually a
few minutes.
Part Thickness (Ray Method) Thickness Level (2mm)
Thickness Level (3mm) Thickness Level (4mm)
11. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Inner Gate Design
Inner Gate Design
Gate system design advisor can calculate the modules of inner gate.
Ingate location could be defined as the thicker region and also consider
the dewax process. Ingate/runner size also could be evaluated again by a
new thickness level analysis for a part with inner gate or runner together.
Thickness Level (3mm) Thickness Level (4mm)
Put ingate here
for dewax
Put inner
gate here
12. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Cast-Designer: Main Tree /Runner Design
Cast System Design
• Cast-Designer is the sole system to guide
investment casting system design in the
market today
• The gating system design modulus could
design any complex casting system in full
parametric method
• Build in knowledge base to assist the designer
• Riser, inner gate, runner, sprue runner and
chill design, build in main tree type.
• Support user defined template, flexible import
and export template file
13. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Smart Design
Part layout and smart runner design
Part Layout design is necessary for
investment casting to increase the
production rate.
Smart Designer for runner
The build in knowledge database with
tens year industrial experience to
balance the yield ratio and casting
quality, both filling and shrinkage
porosity are taken account.
Part layout design for investment casting
14. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Smart Design
Part layout and smart runner design
Smart Designer for runner
Input the total casting weight (also with the related runner if
necessary) and select the close dimension as the part geometry.
Smart Designer for runner
The build in knowledge database with tens year industrial experience to balance the
yield ratio and casting quality, both filling and shrinkage porosity are taken account.
15. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Smart Design
Part layout and smart runner design
Part Layout design is necessary for
investment casting to increase the
production rate.
Smart Designer for runner
The build in knowledge database with
tens year industrial experience to
balance the yield ratio and casting
quality, both filling and shrinkage
porosity are taken account.
16. CAST-DESIGNERTM
1. All components in Cast-Designer are full parametric and it is easy
to modify and update, fine turning is possible and simple
2. Very similar interface for all design components
3. Multi-objects support, Multi-plan support
4. Full 3D model, support draft design concept
5. What You See, What You Get work style (WYSWYG)
6. Data template concept, import and export data template.
Fine turning the designed runner
18. CAST-DESIGNERTM
What is Cast-Designer CPI (Casting process insight)
Analysis
Evaluation
Analysis the metal filling and solidification process
Provide an accurate, express and flexible method for
casting system evaluation, select the ‘right’ design
Express
Innovation
Express part and wall thickness analysis
Innovation technology compared with tradition CAE
method, upfront analysis, accurate, flexible and no
limitation.
Cast-Designer CPI is a powerful tool integrated in
Cast-Designer system based on the last CAE technology
19. CAST-DESIGNERTM
What is Cast-Designer CPI (Casting process insight)
No requirement for any CAE
knowledge, easy learning
Start from CAD or STL, auto repairing
and healing
High-End technology to provide really virtual
result in a short time
Filling: metal filling process, air entrapment,
velocity, vector, pressure
Solidification: Temperature, liquid/solid fraction
CPI is the sole
really practical
method on the
marketing today
to support
casting design
23. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Cast-Designer CPI Flow Chart
CAD Data &
Casting System
CPI Meshing: Casting & Shell
• Fully automatically voxel meshing, no
CAE knowledge required
• Very fast and robust, flexible control the
voxel size in different direction
• Support multi domain, no Boolean
operation required of CAD before voxel
meshing
• Original data could be CAD or mesh or
mixed CAD and mesh
• Special treatment for CAD or mesh
defects, such as geometry gap, overlay,
intersection or unclose.
• Special treatment for tin dimension region
to avoid huge model or feature lose.
24. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Cast-Designer CPI Flow Chart
CAD Data &
Casting System
CPI Meshing: Casting & Shell
CPI Setup
• Setup casting process, boundary condition and control parameters for CPI analysis
• Single page for all condition and parameters, very simple
• Rich material data, select material from database directly and database management
• All conditions and parameters could be save as CSF template and use back anytime
• No requirement for CAE knowledge, very short leaning curve
25. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Cast-Designer CPI Flow Chart
CAD Data &
Casting System
CPI Meshing: Casting & Shell
CPI Setup
• Perform simulation and result
analysis
• High-end technology with very fast
simulation speed, tens minutes to
one hour depend the model size
• Batch simulation mode and multi
tasks could be controlled easily
• Using ParaView as post-processors,
very powerful, flexible and without
limitation
• Rich analysis result in various format,
support animation and VRML
• Support plug-in filter for post-
process, similar concept as
Photoshop
Post Result
26. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Meshing technology in Cast-Designer CPI
• Innovation technology for
meshing generation
• Very simple for operation
• With coarse mesh, mesh
layer and advance
geometry mapping (mesh
smoothing) technology
• Extremely better for
accurate in filling pattern
and pouring time
FEM Mesh: 87,364
elements
27. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Meshing technology in Cast-Designer CPI
• Innovation technology for
meshing generation
• Very simple for operation
• With coarse mesh, mesh
layer and advance
geometry mapping (mesh
smoothing) technology
• Extremely better for
accurate in filling pattern
and pouring time
FDM Mesh: 268,576
elements
28. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Cast-Designer: Multi-Levels Mesh Technology
FDM Method
1. Even if set a very fine mesh, FDM still lose
CAD features and cause the energy lose.
2. A major issue is the big gating system
volume ratio will cause a huge model if the
meshing is set to uniform or semi-uniform,
and bring to a very longer CPU time.
Vgate_volume
-----------------------
Vtotal_volume
29. CAST-DESIGNERTM
FEM Method (Cast-Designer)
1. Advance mesh smoothing is an unique
technology to catch the CAD surface in
maximum.
2. The multi-levels mesh technology is also
an unique in Cast-Designer to reduce
the mesh numbers of the gating system
to maintenance a good balance of
simulation speed and model size.
Cast-Designer: Multi-Levels Mesh Technology
Vgate_volume
-----------------------
Vtotal_volume
30. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Automatic Shell Generation
Automatic Shell Generation
1. Automatic shell generation capability is very
useful since the casting shell is very important for
heat transfer, radiation and solidification process
2. Generate shell only need simple parameters
from industrial and very simple operation s.
Parameters for Shell Generation
1. Input data: Shell thickness , Gravity
direction and symmetry plans
2. Output result: 3D Casting shell
32. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Enclosure Generation for Radiation Simulation
Enclosure Generation
1. Even if no physical enclosure, the
factory roof and wall is also a big
enclosure.
2. Due to the casting & gating
geometry, somewhere will be
shadow region for radiation
simulation, so the solidification
speed or cooling rate will be
affected.
3. The solidification time also affected
by radiation.
Radiation Calculation: Radiation, view factor and
shadow factor simulation
1. For high temperature process like investment casting, the heat radiation must be token account in.
2. The affection of shell and enclosure is important in radiation calculation, it must be modeled.
3. View factor and shadow factor may change the solidification result.
33. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Result Comparison: with & without radiation view factor
Without View Factor
Did not take account the view factor, the
cooling was more uniform and did not
find defects in solidification.
With View Factor
Take account radiation and shadow
factor, the cooling rate in this region
was a little slow and cause defects.
Liquid pocket
34. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Result Comparison: with & without radiation view factor
Without View Factor
No shrinkage porosity found . The
simulation did not find the defects
existed on the part.
With View Factor
Shrinkage porosity existed in the
casting part due to the view factor. This
result was same as actual casting part.
Shrinkage porosity
35. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Cast-Designer: Filling Process Simulation
Investment Casting Process for material 10X18H9
Pouring Temperature: 1620 C, Shell material: Ceramic, T= 950 C
Filling time: ~34 s Solidification time: ~ 900 s
Metal flow Air entrapment
36. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Cast-Designer: Filling Process Simulation
Process & Simulation time:
Modeling: Cad check & Meshing: ~ 10 min Setup: 5 min
Simulation time: 2.5 h for filling simulation 30 min for solidification simulation only
Model size: Casting 53,322 Elements/ 59,724 Nodes, Shell 69,315 Elements
Metal flow Air entrapment
39. CAST-DESIGNERTM
Components or Modulus of Cast-Designer
Cast-Designer Basic
Cast-Designer CPI
The full Cast-Designer system includes the
following components, which could be a
complete solution or selected alone as a sub-
system.
Cast-Designer Basic
Expect system for casting system
design for investment casting
Cast-Designer CPI
An Upfront analysis system for
metal flow and solidification
analysis to support ‘decision make’
of die casting system bases on the
last CAE technology in an time
economic method
Cast-Designer / CPI
for MCAD
Integrate Cast-Designer / CPI to
MCAD system (Pro/E, UG NX,
Solidworks etc.)
Cast-Designer Tools
Some special tools to support
gating system design, such as cast
zone and wall thickness analysis
40. CAST-DESIGNERTM
2004~ 2010SolidWorks
17 ~ NX 7UG NX
2000 ~ WF5Pro-ENGINEER
SUPPORT VERSIONSCAD SYSTEM
2004~ 2010SolidWorks
17 ~ NX 7UG NX
2000 ~ WF5Pro-ENGINEER
SUPPORT VERSIONSCAD SYSTEM
• Cast-Designer build in
the existed CAD system
• Familiar working
environment, save
learning time
• No data transfer
problems. The system
handle all the data
automatically to avoid
data lose
• Better integration with
design data
management capability
• Full function as
standard software
version and widely CAD
version support
Cast-Designer for MCAD System
for Pro/ENGINEER
Wildfire
for Siemens
UG NX
For DS
SolidWorks
Welcome to Cast-Designer!
Cast-Designer is, an upfront design, & analysis system for casting process.
This presentation is special focus on, investment casting field, or called lost wax casting sometimes.
So far, Cast-Designer is the sole product, in the market today, to combine expert system, and CAE technology together, and special designed for, mould planning in casting industrial. Cast-Designer is developed, and marketed by, C3P Software international Co.
Cast-Designer is a useful and powerful system, to support designers and engineers, make system design and upfront analysis, in an express way. Cast-Designer had a package, special designed for investment casting process.
The major advantages, and features of Cast-Designer includes:
At first,guided by expert system,Cast-Designer can make, casting design in tens minutes, to half hour；
The second, Cast-Designer, using last finite element method, it can make Upfront analysis, for metal filling and solidification. The lead time is, only one hour, to two hour for almost cases, includes modeling and simulation ；
There are two versions of Cast-Designer, are available. The standalone software system, based on Open CASCADE technology, and another one is, fully integrated to the common MCAD system, such as Pro-Engineer, Unigraphics NX and Solidworks；
C3P software developed Cast-Designer, and with very close collaboration with, the world top level industrial partners, research institutes, and universities.
Today, in the real business environment, cost, lead time and quality are the major concerns. Control the design stage, is the best way, to save time and cost, as well as enhance product quality. This is also the start point, of Cast-Designer. As we know, 5% design lead time, can solve at least 80% quality problem, in the future, and bring back the biggest benefits, to industrial. We can serve the product designer, to improve the original design, at very early stage.
We also serve the die design engineer, to help them, select the best solution for manufacturing. Such as define the casting solution, design the casting system and optimize it, validate the casting system in simple and express way.
More ever, our solution also provide, a more deep and detail study, of the whole casting process for CAE specialists.
With Cast-Designer, it is possible, to optimize a casting design, by detecting the part features, with potential metal flow, and solidification problems, evaluating riser and chill, gate system, and pouring system design, alternatives in the early design stage. Even a novel, with limited experience in simulation, who can easier to undertake, the design setup, in very short period of time.
In other word, CAST-DESIGNER for investment casting, can help the industry, to achieve the target of 'Time to Market'.
Cast-Designer is an efficient 3D CAD tools, with expert system, special designed for investment casting process.
It is an Expert System, for casting system design, to help designers and engineers, make a quick design.
The designer application, Includes riser, gating system , pouring system.
The design approach of Cast-Designer, is much faster and easily, when compared with tradition CAD system, and the design of Cast-Designer, is fully parametric.
Cast-Designer with standard, and special data exchanger, for 3D CAD system, and CAE system.
Also, Cast-Designer is easy to learn, it can improve, and enhance the design ability in shortly.
This is the work process, of Cast-Designer for investment casting.
At first, when we get an original casting part, we can make a part analysis, to understand the thickness distribution, and thermal modulus, also check the possible liquid spots, in the casting process. The most important is, it can help us to define the location, of inner gate.
After that, base on the above analysis result, we will design the inner gate, and runner. With Cast-Designer’s expert system, special for the smart design function, we can simple get a roughly design, very quickly. The system can calculate, an optimized filling time, and inner gate section area.
Then, we can make some adjustment, of the dimension, and shape, of the runner and pouring cup, since all design, in Cast-Designer are parametric.
After that, we can perform a quick simulation, for solidification only, to check the dimension, or the inner gate and runner sections.
Finally, a simulation with full casting system, should be carried out to validate both filling process, and solidification process.
If there are any problems, of the result, the design could be corrected, in any design phase or stage.
Now, we look for the design process, of gating system.
As said before, Cast-Designer is an expert system, with KBE technology. It summarized half century knowledge, and experience of casting process, and provided complete guide line, to help designer.
The gating system advisor, is one of the most useful wizards in Cast-Designer. With such advisor, the designer can get, the filling time, and inner gate section area, base on the casting weight, or volume, and feature thickness of casting part. Then the user can adjust the numbers, and section area of runner and sprue runner.
This presentation shows, the 3D part base analysis.
The casting process result, depend many factors, but mainly by part material, geometry, and the process. The 3D part analysis, is mainly focus on the part geometry.
The build in casting part analysis capability, to analysis thickness distribution, and identify the thicker region. Usually, the inner gate can be set to such region, to avoid porosity problems, in the casting process. The analysis result, includes part thickness, in ray method, and 3D thickness level, to show the global thick region, in different level.
The part analysis is, purely geometrical base, so it is only a few minutes.
Inner Gate Design.
As the above analysis, of part geometry, Inner gate location could be defined, as the thicker region, and also consider the easily dewax process, the Gate system design advisor ,also can help calculate the thermal modules,of inner gate.
After that, Inner gate or runner size, also could be evaluated again, by a new thickness level analysis, for a part with inner gate, or runner together.
Main tree design, is a major feature, of investment casting. The parts will attached to the main tree, and the pouring system, also base on the main tree.
Cast-Designer is the sole system, to guide investment casting system design, in the market today, The gating system design modulus, could design, any complex casting system, in full parametric method. Riser, inner gate, runner, main tree runner, and chill could be designed, in Cast-Designer. The typical main tree types, have been build in, the system to simple use. Cast-Designer also support, user defined template, and with flexible function, to import and export, the template file.
Before design the main runner, and pouing cup, or main tree in another word. We need make the part layout design, at first.
Part Layout design, is necessary for investment casting, to increase the production rate. The layout method, mainly consider the inner gate, and dewax process, also need consider the mass distribution, and thermal balance in the later.
The smart Designer function, is a nickle feature in Cast-Designer. The concept is, we will use the main runner, and pouring cup, to make the compenstation of metal shrinkage, in the solidification process.
The user only need input the total casting weight, and select the close dimension, to the part geometry, and layout boundary size, then the system will generate the main runner, automaticlly.
The build in knowledge database, with tens year industrial experience, to balance the yield ratio and casting quality, both filling, and shrinkage porosity, are taken account.
However, the shape of the main runner, and the pouring cup, was quite simple, so it is still need some adjustment, in the later, to match the real geometry, base on the same or similar volume.
Since all data in Cast-Designer, are full parametric, so the geometry adjustment, was so simple and easily.
More ever, Cast-Designer uses very similar interface, for all design components, so the work is simple, and easy to learn.
Cast-Designer support Multi-objects, and Multi-design solutions
The 'What You See, What You Get' work style, helps user to check the design, on real time.
Also, Cast-Designer with data template concept, to import and export data template, also easy to customrize.
Why we talk about Cast-Designer CPI? The question and industry background is there,
Cast-Designer help, create a casting system within half hour, that is really good, however, the experience and knowledge, always face some limitation ,for new material, and process, in this case, who can evaluate my design? Who can tell me, which one is the best solution?
Physical test, is one of the tradition method, even if it wastes time, and cost, also difficult for some cases. On the other hand, since ten years ago, some companies begin to use the CAE tools, to predict the problems and defects, of the casting process. Of course, such method is more advance, however, it still can not solve the headache of industrial, the tradition CAE simulation software, need a good education background, and long term for self learning and trial, also the project lead time, from simulation is longer. Very often, the simulation was done, by one CAE specialist, but who do not understand well of design, and the designer can not receive the answer, of simulation immediately, to update the design on time. It is far from to the, ‘time to market’ business in today.
Cast-Designer CPI was developed, and marketed by this background. CPI meaning is Casting Process Insight.
Cast-Designer CPI is a powerful tool, integrated in Cast-Designer system, based on the last CAE technology, it can analysis the metal flow, heat transfer, and phase change in casting process, provide an express, flexible and accurate method, for casting system validation. With Cast-Designer CPI, the user is easy to select the ‘right’ solution.
When compared with other tradition CAE method, Cast-Designer CPI, base on upfront analysis, and use innovation technology, to ensure the result.
So far, CPI is the sole really practical method, on the marketing today, to support casting design, because, the high-End technology to reduce modeling time, and simulation time to a very reasonable time frame, for example, two hour for the first result,
we provide very detail result, for the metal filling process, such as metal flow, air entrapment, velocity, vector and pressure.
we also provided detail result, for solidification process, included temperature distribution, cooling rate, liquid or solid fraction, and shrinkage porosity.
Cast-Designer CPI can start from CAD, or STL mesh file format, it can repair and heal geometry, if it is not perfect.
The user of Cast-Designer, was not asked a CAE knowledge. The learning curve of Cast-Designer, is also short.
This is an example, of Cast-Designer CPI, for filling simulation.
There are three design solutions, for an investment casting part, the first one and second one, are side filling system but with different design, and the last one was bottom filling system. The red color show the hot liquid metal, and blue color is the air, which still not be filled. All the metal flow, air entrapment, velocity, vector and pressure, could be provided by Cast-Designer, after the simulation.
If wer check the metal flow, we can find the last one, with the best balance, and the first one and second one were not so good, special for the second one, with a big problem for air entrapment, and filling squence.
This is the solidification result, includes temperature distribution, liquid fraction or solid fraction, also the shrinkage porosity, shown in the last image of each model. With this result, we can predict the casting problems, and defects easily. The simulation time is very short, all the solutions are less than 2 hours, includes filling and solidification.
Now, we look the whole work flow, of Casting-Designer.
With Cast-Designer, the user is possible to work, from CAD data, to casting system, then generate the CPI model for simulation, also including the meshing process, for both casting and shell, the setup process for casting condition and parameters, and simulation which done by computer.
Thanks the powerful Cast-Designer solver, until get the first result, the total lead time of Cast-Designer, could be controlled within around 2 hours. This is really breakthrough technology, and big benefits to industrials, to save the time and cost, at very early stage.
Meshing is a critical issue, for any finite elements analysis software, special for casting simulation. Cast-Designer spent more than ten years, to solve this problem, and now the operation is so simple, and result is very reliable.
Today, the meshing of Cast-Designer is fully automatically, no any CAE knowledge is required of user. The size of meshing could be controlled in different direction. More ever, Cast-Designer supports multi domains, this is a breakthrough technology, in meshing process. With this technology, CAD model need not Boolean operation, or assembly operation before meshing, this can save a lots of time for designer. There is also special treatment technology ,for the defects of CAD model, or mesh, such as geometry gap, overlay, intersection or unclose.
The coarse mesh technology in Cast-Designer, is also unique, to treat the tin thickness region, to avoid huge model, or feature lose, and advance mesh smoothing technology, make the meshing, match original CAD in geometry, it is very useful for complex shape, like casting part.
Cast-Designer using template, and objective concept for CPI setup. this make the setup very simple, and easily to make part exchange, for an existed CPI model.
At first, the user need select the casting process, such as investment casting. The template for each casting process, was defined inside software. Then, the user asked to define the analysis type, it meaning is, filling simulation only, or solidification simulation only, or a couple analysis for filling and solidification.
After that, the user can follow the sequence of, up to down, left to right, to define the material data, heat transfer condition, and casting speed or pressure. finally the parameters, to control the simulation and save result. after that, the CPI model is completed.
Cast-Designer with a rich material database, the user can select material, from database directly, also it is possible to generate, the own database and manage it.
All defined process conditions and parameters, could be saved as user template file, and use back in anytime.
The simulation engine of Cast-Designer, the solver in another word, is very powerful. Base on finite element method, Cast-Designer can perform simulation, in fast speed, flexible define and high accuracy. The job submitting interface, also supports batch simulation mode, to manage multi tasks.
The post-process of Cast-Designer, is very powerful and user friendly. Our development is based on Para VIEW platform, so Cast-Designer can handle very big model, and also use the plug-in filter technology, in post-process. Same as almost post-process, Cast-Designer can provide, rich analysis results in various formats, such as contour, deformation, vector and curves, we also support animation, and VRML export for data exchange.
We pay a little more attention, on the meshing process, since it is always a critical issue, and argument, between FEM technology, and FDM or FVM technology.
Cast-Designer is using FEM technology, it is more advance, compared with tradition FDM or FVM method, because the good geometry description, better formula, full couple simulation, and flexible memory management, all above are very important for casting.
The displayed example, is a Cast-Designer mesh. with only 87,364 elements, but still good enough for geometry description.
The same part also meshed in the finite different mesh method. This method is quite simple in calculation, but it is not flexible, for the complex geometry ,and easy to cause energy lose, in the curve edge. For example, in this case, the mesh with 268,576 elements, it is around 4 times than the CPI mesh, but the geometry description, was still much bad than the FEM approach. In another words, it need much more CPU time, for the simulation.
There is a major feature of investment casting, the volume ratio, of gate system to the total casting, is very high. Normally, more than 50%. From the simulation point, a lots of elements will be wasted, if we select the uniform mesh. However, due to the complex casting geometry, it is not easy, to set a multi-level mesh size in FDM or FVM method, to save the model.
Cast-Designer developed an unique technology, to generate the multi-levels mesh, for casting in Hexdron mesh, this is a breakthrough technology, in the market today. with this technology, the elements in the gating and runner can be reduced around 4 times, and the result was still similar. The operation of such multi-level mesh, was very simple, only a few clicks, and suitable to any complex geometry.
Shell generation is also important, for investment casting process. Since the casting shell, is very important for heat transfer, radiation ,and solidification process.
The shell Generation, is fully automaticlly in Cast-Designer, and only need input some simple parameters from industrial, such as shell thickness, gravity direction. if the analysis is symmetry model, the shell generation also can be symmetry model, to save model size.
The shell mesh could be generated, as casting part mesh together.
Generate the investment mesh, includes casting part and shell, was so simple and quickly, in Cast-Designer. Usually a few minutes, to ten minutes maximum. This allows the designers and engineers, pay more time to the design, than the simulation process.
Another important factor, of investment casting, is the view factor and enclosure generation. This is quite different from other casting process.
For high temperature process, like investment casting, the heat radiation, and the affection of shell, and enclosure, must be token account in.
As the experience and industrial validation, it is so important, and it must be well modeled. The View factor and shadow factor, always change the solidification result, such as shrinkage porosity.
In fact, even if no physical enclosure, the factory roof and wall, is also a big enclosure. so it is strong recommended .
Let's look one example of investment casting.
The left one, is a simulation, without take account the view factor. so the cooling rate was more uniform, and did not find defects in solidification.
The right one, is a simulation, which has taken account the view factor. so the cooling rate in the red circle region, was a little slow , due to the shadow factor, and we can see it will cause defects, in the later.
This is the result of shrinkage porosity. same as the above discussion, there is no defects in solidification, but it is not true in the real part, there was some porosity, existed in the red circle region.
The right one, has taken account the view factor, we can find the Shrinkage porosity existed, in the casting part, due to the affection of view factor. This result was same as, the actual casting part.
So, this is clear, for investment casting, view factor was so important, and must be considered, and well modeled in the simulation.
This is an example, of Cast-Designer CPI, for filling simulation.
The red color show the hot liquid metal, and blue color is the air, which still not be filled. All the metal flow, air entrapment, velocity, vector and pressure, could be provided by Cast-Designer, after the simulation.
We also can focus on a region, to have a detail analysis, of the filling process in the post process. We can find some air entrapment, existed on this part.
This is the solidification result, includes temperature distribution, liquid fraction or solid fraction. With this result, we can predict the casting problems, and defects easily.
Also the temperature distribution, of the shell, and hot liquid pocket on the casting process, in X ray method.
The full Cast-Designer system, includes several modulus, which could be a complete solution, or selected alone as sub-system.
The major modulus includes:
The first one is Cast-Designer Basic.
Which is an expect system, for riser, gating system design.
The second one is Cast-Designer CPI.
Cast-Designer CPI is an Upfront analysis system, for metal flow and solidification analysis, to support ‘decision make’ of casting system, bases on the last CAE technology in an time economic method.
The third one is Cast-Designer Tools.
Some special tools, to support casting system design, such as cast zone, and wall thickness analysis, it is optional.
There is also another modulus, Cast-Designer for M CAD, and Cast-Designer CPI for M CAD.
This modulus allow integrate Cast-Designer, and Cast-Designer CPI to M CAD system, the support system includes, Pro-Engineer of PTC, Unigraphics NX of Simens, and Solidworks of Dassult System.
Regards the M CAD system, Cast-Designer could be built in the existed CAD system, such as Pro-Engineer of PTC, Unigraphics NX of Simens and Solidworks of Dassult System. With this feature, the user can work in the familiar working environment, to reduce the learning time, for another software system. Also, no data transfer problems. The system will handle all the data exchange, to avoid any data lose.
Another function, which only available in the M CAD version is, the data management capability, it help the user to manage, the data version and model version.
So, thank your attention of Cast-Designer for investment casting. Please record our website for more detail information. You also can contact us, or our authorized worldwide sales network, for more details. It is our pleasure, if Cast-Designer can help you to improve your work, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you!
