Quick Guide for Solidification Simulation

Picture 1. New Simulation/Open Simulation menu:After opening the ConiferCast, user should select New Simulation or Open an old simulation.

Picture 2.New Simulation menu: By clicking a new simulation, ConiferCast opens an untitled window.

Picture 3. Geometry Import menu: User selects STL files for simulation case and locates the files in the right position.

Picture 4. Mesh Parameters menu: User defines mesh over the whole calculation domain. Heavy areas and places of interest should have smaller element sizes.

Picture 5: Mesh Parameters menu: All the axis directions should be defined (X, Y, Z). Please try to use similar mesh sizes in different directions.

Picture 6. Mesh Parameters menu: Places of interest should have more precise mesh size.

Picture 7. Geometry Interpretation menu: In solidification simulation the mould cavity should be defined as filled with metal. All the other materials should be defined accordingly.

Picture 8. Source Parameters menu:If riser is exothermal, insulative riser material should be selected. Exothermal process should be defined as heat release depending on the modulus of the riser. For example, 0 sec to 60 sec. material starts burning and heat release rises from 0 to 2000 wats ( energy release is 60* 1000= 60 000 Joules), 60 sec to 300 sec energy release is constant 2000 wats ( energy release is 240 * 2000 = 480 000 Joules), 300 sec to 350 energy release is going into 0 wats ( energy release is 50*1000= 50 000 Joules).NOTE: HEAT TRANSFER COEFFICIENT TO METAL SHOULD BE 1000 W/m/K. In insulating material it should be 10 W/m/KHeat transfer coefficient to metal from Chill is 2000 WmK

Picture 9: Solver Parameters menu: For solidification no flow evalution should be selected. Then follow picture as above.

Picture 10. General Parameters menu: Materials should be selected from material database and pouring/starting temperatures given. Note: Sand Heat transfer coefficient to metal is 1500 WmK for Chromite sand. Quartz, Silica and Furan sand 1000 WmK.

Picture 11. Border conditions menu: No changes in solidification simulation.

Picture 12. Advanced menu: Initial time step could be changed as 0.1 or 1 sec depending on the size of the casting.

THEN SAVE THE DOCUMENT

THEN CALCULATE (IF PROBLEMS WITH READING OF STL FILES, PROBLEM IS THE NAMING OF STL FILES. CHOOSE FROM THE FILE MENY EXPORT STL FILES AND REBUILD YOUR SIMULATION STARTING FROM THE BEGINNING).

RESULTS.AFTER CALCULATION, GO TO POSTPROCESSING WINDOW

Picture 13. For Surface variable: Choose Metal volume and For Surface color parameters :Choose liquidus and solidus temperatures. You will see the solidification sequence by shifting time step bar above.

Picture 14. For Surface variable: Choose Liquid volume and For Surface color parameters :Choose liquidus and solidus temperatures. You will the last liquid regions prior to solidification and estimate if You have a porosity in Your casting. For example, On the left bar there is an isolated last liquid area in the bottom of heavy section -> Porosity in the center of the heavy section.

Picture 15. For Surface variable: Choose Voidl volume and For Surface color parameters :Choose for example solidification time. You will see the “Empty areas in the casting”. Note the center line porosity on the right bar.

Picture 16. For Surface variable: Choose Metal volume and For Surface color parameters :Choose solidus and lower temperatures. If You click the show volume from the bottom and clip the casting from center line, You will see the shrinkage on the top of the risers and channels.

Picture 17. For Surface variable: Niyama Defect Prediction and For Surface color parameters Niyama Defect Prediction . By shifting the variable bar, You will find a right value when Niyama shows the problems.

Picture 18. For Surface variable: Feeding efficiency index and For Surface color parameters Feeding efficiency index . By shifting the variable bar, You will find a right value when Feeding shows the problems.

Picture 19. For Surface variable: LCC porosity criterion and For Surface color parameters LCC Porosity Criterion . By shifting the variable bar, You will find a right value when LCC porosity shows the problems.