O P T I M IZ E D C A S T I N G D E S I G N S

O P T I M I Z E C A S T I N G

D E S I G N S W I T H

H I G H L Y - A C C U R A T E

F I L L I N G A N D

S O L I D I F I C A T I O N

S I M U L A T I O N S

FLOW-3D Cast provides metal casters with highly-accurate insights allowing you to explore design concepts quickly and efficiently.

Cover image courtesy of BMW Group

O P T I M I Z E D W O R K F L O W S

D E S I G N F L O WIntuitive interface lets users set up highly-accurate

simulations quickly and correctly.

C L E A R M O D E L I N P U TTop-down workflow ensures that all aspects

of model setup are addressed. Models and

parameters are defined using casting terminology.

F A S T M E S H I N GMeshing captures complex parts and molds

with minimal user input. Casting designs

can be imported and meshed in minutes.

P O W E R F U L S O L V E RWide range of integrated physical models

capable of modeling casting processes

and providing solutions to filling and

solidification defects.

M A T E R I A L D A T A B A S EMaterial properties for alloys, molds,

cores and filters. Customizable database

with imported materials.

FLOW-3D Cast is available in three configurations, depending on your modeling needs:

BASIC, EXTENDED, ADVANCED.

S T R E A M L I N E D M E S H I N GF O R C O M P L E X P A R T S

FLOW-3D Cast’s unique meshing methodology, FAVORTM,

handles complex geometry within a structured mesh.

FAVOR allows FLOW-3D Cast to maintain highly-accurate

flow calculations around complex geometries.

This technique is referred to as free-gridding because

the mesh and geometry can be changed independently

of each other, greatly simplifying the meshing process

and saving significant time during simulation setup.

REDUCE

SETUP TIME WITH

FAVOR™, OUR UNIQUE

STREAMLINED MESHING

METHODOLOGY

P O W E R F U L V I S U A L I Z A T I O N

FlowSight™, an integrated state-of-the-art postprocessor, offers powerful visualization for identifying casting defects.

• Portable results

• Report generation

• Batch postprocessing

• Multiple iso-surfaces

• 2D-slicing through results

• Multiple views of simulation results

• Simultaneous stress and fluid flow view

• Extensive annotation capabilities

• Read and plot data from external sources

• Interactive probing

• Texture mapping

• Definable viewpoints

• Volume rendering

• Flipbook

• Vent flow rates

D E S I G N O P T I M I Z A T I O N

OX I D E F O R M AT I O N

FLOW-3D Cast’s defect

tracking capabilities help

predict where oxides are

likely to occur during the

filling process. FLOW-3D

Cast accurately tracks these oxides and their final locations.

A I R E N T R A I N M E N T

The air entrainment model

in FLOW-3D Cast is used

to estimate the amount of

entrained air that occurs in

metal casting systems during

filling. This model is an excellent predictor of porosity.

M I C RO P O RO S I T Y

FLOW-3D Cast predicts

microporosity occurring

late in the solidification

stage, letting you make design adjustments quickly, avoiding critical and costly defects.

SOLIDIFICATION AND SHRINKAGE

FLOW-3D Cast has a

complete suite of tools

for modeling solidification

and pinpointing areas of

excessive shrinkage or

porosity, allowing you to

determine placement of risers to assure such defects are alleviated.

T H E R M A L S T R E S S

FLOW-3D Cast’s thermal

stress model enables you

to predict precisely where

stresses will occur and how a

casting distorts. Stresses are simultaneously computed in the mold and in the solidifying metal.

D E F E C T P R E D I C T I O N

F O U N D R Y A P P L I C A T I O N S

I R O N S O L I D I F I C A T I O N

The iron solidification model describes the

eutectic and near-eutectic solidification of

cast irons capturing the formation of austenite, graphite and carbide and the density variations

that occur during the cooling process as

these different phases form.

C O R E G A S G E N E R A T I O N

The core gas model predicts the effects of gas

generation during the pouring and solidification

process for resin-bonded cores. The core gas

model predicts the location and quantity of

gas defects and helps to design core venting that will safely evacuate the binder product gas from the cores.

D I E C A S T I N G A P P L I C A T I O N S

C O O L I N G C H A N N E L S Cooling channels are used in die casting

and permanent mold casting for thermal

management to prevent the overheating

of the die and to control solidification.

FLOW-3D Cast’s cooling channel model includes time-dependent temperature and heat transfer coefficients and thermocouple-controlled activation

for cooling and heating.

D I E E R O S I O N

One of the causes of die erosion is cavitation,

which occurs when metal pressure drops below

a critical level due to flow separation and high

velocities. This unsteady flow can be very

damaging to dies. FLOW-3D Cast’s cavitation potential model helps you determine where cavitation-induced die erosion might occur and make adjustments before casting.

D I E C A S T I N G C O L D C H A M B E R O X I D E D E F E C T A N A L Y S I S

The engineering team at H E L L E B U S C H TO O L & D I E ran a series of high

pressure die casting filling simulations to identify possible defects in

a steering wheel casting to see whether the casting design needed

modification. The simulation results show that the majority of the oxides

were trapped in the overflows. The top and bottom of the back of the

steering wheel indicate locations where overflows could be placed

to capture oxides to further improve the casting quality.

H E L L E B U S C H T O O L & D I E

COURTESY H E L L E B U S C H TO O L & D I E

I D E N T I F Y P O T E N T I A L

C A S T I N G D E S I G N

I S S U E S B E F O R E

P A R T P R O D U C T I O N

H I G H P R E S S U R E D I E C A S T I N G

T H E R M A L D I E C Y C L I N G Die cycling simulations are an essential component

for high-pressure die casting. Simulations must

provide accurate temperature distributions in a die

throughout multiple die cycles. With FLOW-3D Cast, the temperature distributions for thermal die cycles are calculated for solidification,

die opening, spray, air blow, and die closing.

FLOW-3D Cast provides highly-accurate solutions for die casters.

L A D L E P O U R I N G & S H O T S L E E V EFLOW-3D Cast’s moving objects model accurately

captures the fluid motions throughout the process,

giving you insights from the actual ladle pour to the

fast shot. Test designs quickly by changing only a few parameters and compare optimized results easily with FlowSight.

Courtesy of Buhler

ACCURATELY MODEL ALL

STAGES OF HIGH PRESSURE

DIE CASTING: THERMAL DIE CYCLING,

SPRAY COOLING, SHOT SLEEVE

OPTIMIZATION, FILLING

AND SOLIDIFICATION.

G R A V I T Y C A S T I N G S O L U T I O N S

Filling of a gravity casting using the Moving Objects model to

simulate a moving ladle with a prescribed motion that matches

the actual machine setup. Filters are used in the runners in order

to control the flow. The small viewport on the top left illustrates

a vertical section of the mold.

T E K S I D S.P.A.

Courtesy of Teksid S.P.A.Post processed with EnSight®.

F O U N D R Y

G R AV I T Y P O U R C A S T I N GPart quality can be affected by entrainment of air

from overly-turbulent filling and by shrinkage-

induced defects. FLOW-3D Cast accurately tracks

the movement of the metal front, the location

of potential defects and the evolution of

temperatures during the filling process.

After filling is complete, the solidification

of the metal, and its resulting shrinkage,

can also be modeled.

LO S T F OA M C A S T I N GFLOW-3D Cast’s special models simulate the entire

lost foam process, predicting where folds or other

defects associated with trapped foam products

are located. FLOW-3D Cast provides engineers

with the insight necessary to determine filling

process parameters, such as pour temperature

and pressure, gate sizes and locations.

C E N T R I F U G A L C A S T I N GThe higher pressure associated with centripetal

acceleration in centrifugal castings, forces defects

towards the rotational axis. FLOW-3D Cast’s

non-inertial reference frame model can prescribe

this rotation with the ability to modify its speed.

This allows you to easily visualize and locate

potentially-costly defects.

I N V E S T M E N T C A S T I N GFLOW-3D Cast’s powerful numerical models can

simulate the complex investment casting process,

allowing users to analyze wax injection, metal

filling, and metal solidification as well as accurately

predict defects. This analysis helps casting

companies improve component design,

reduce defects, and shorten development time.

FLOW-3D Cast provides highly-accurate filling and solidification solutions for foundry processes.

NEW All-Electric Car BMW i3

B M W G RO U P

Previously, structural parts in cars were made of steel metal. Several advanced

auto manufacturers have succeeded in manufacturing these parts as complex

thin-walled light metal castings that are considerably lighter than the steel

designs. This reduction in weight is especially important for electric cars that

have to carry heavy batteries. Casting such complex and large parts is a very

demanding task and requires fine tuning of many parameters such as location

and dimension of ingates, vents, overflows, shot curve, casting and die

temperatures. The use of simulation early on in development enables BMW

engineers to optimize the HPDC process so that they can produce premium

quality parts according to the specification of their new car designs.

Courtesy of BMW Group

• Multi-block meshing, up to 5 mesh blocks

• Filling, including viscous turbulence and surface tension effects

• Solidification and heat transfer

• Expandable database for cast alloys, molds, etc.

• Chills, isolating sleeves and exothermic reactions

• Temperature-dependent properties

• Filters for flow control

• Track oxide formation and defects

• Identify filling & solidification related porosity

• Natural convection of molten metal before solidification

• Cast iron solidification

• Flow tracers

• Particle modeling

• Unlimited mesh blocks for accurate

and efficient simulations

• Filling and solidification analysis for

high pressure die castings

• Trapped gases and venting effects

• Thermal die cycling to determine

mold temperature distribution

and cooling line optimization for

temperature control

• Optimize shot sleeve performance

and apply motion to simulations

• Lost foam castings and foam defects

• Locate cavitation to determine where

die erosion may occur

• Permeable mold model for modeling

air escape during filling

• Six-degrees-of-freedom motion for

prescribed shot sleeve and complex

ladle pouring motion

B A S I C E X T E N D E D

• Thermal- and mechanically-induced

stresses and distortions

• Binary segregation

• Complete sand core suite

• Capture core gas release

and associated defects

• Sand core blowing

• Model moisture drying in molds and cores

• Vents

• Enhanced viscous effects including

non-Newtonian viscosity, shear thinning/

thickening and thixotropic flows

• Heating due to viscous shear

A D V A N C E D

ALL FLOW-3D CAST PACKAGES FEATURE

F LO W - 3 D C A S T PAC K AG E S A R E AVA I L A B L E

W I T H E S C A L AT I N G L E V E L S O F M O D E L I N G P O W E R :

B A S I C , E X T E N D E D a n d A DVA N C E D.

A l l B A S I C f e a t u re s , p l u s : A l l E X T E N D E D f e a t u re s , p l u s :

H I G H LY- A C C U R AT E F L O W A N D S O L I D I F I C AT I O N R E S U LT S

A U T O M AT I C M E S H I N G F O R E A S Y M O D E L S E T U P

M AT E R I A L L I B R A R I E S F O R M E TA L S , M O L D S , F I LT E R S A N D R I S E R S

A C T I V E S I M U L AT I O N C O N T R O L

F L O W S I G H T P O S T P R O C E S S O R

S U P P O R T

T R A I N I N G

U S E R S S I T E

Flow Science’s team of highly-experienced CFD support engineers prides itself on offering same day,

expert support by phone, email and live chat for the metal casting industry. Our dedicated support

team is committed to the timeliness of your projects and successful implementation of FLOW-3D Cast.

Explore a variety of resources on the Users Site, such as:

• Metal casting CFD checklists

• Live chat

• Example simulations

• Software updates

• FAQs, validations and hints & tips

• Presentations, workshops and tutorials

In order to access the Flow Science Users site, you need an active license and maintenance contract.

Flow Science offers comprehensive training classes for FLOW-3D Cast in Santa Fe, NM.

The 2-1/2 day training classes give attendees a solid, working understanding of the software

as well as hands-on experience with real-world simulations. We encourage potential users in addition

to new and existing users to attend. One-on-one consultation is available; please call for details.

C O M P A N Y

In 1963, while at the Los Alamos National Laboratory,

Dr. C. W. “Tony” Hirt pioneered several landmark fluid

dynamics methods, stability enhancing procedures

and a unique free surface tracking technique—the

“Volume of Fluid” or VOF method. In 1980, Dr. Hirt left

LANL to form Flow Science, Inc., with the mission to

develop a new generation of fluid dynamics modeling

capabilities for industrial and scientific applications.

Flow Science now supports a worldwide customer base

of commercial, academic and government users.

Our staff of scientists and engineers constantly

strives to make innovative and useful improvements

to our product suite.

L E A R N M O R EF L O W 3 D . C O M / C A S T

683 Harkle Road

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505

(505) 982-0088

sales@flow3d.com

L E A R N M O R E

F L O W 3 D . C O M / C A S T

6 8 3 H A R K L E R D

S A N TA F E , N M 8 7 5 0 5

( 5 0 5 ) 9 8 2 - 0 0 8 8

s a l e s @ f l o w 3 d . c o m

F L O W 3 D . C O M / C A S T

F L O W - 3 D C A S T

I S A P R O D U C T O F

F L O W S C I E N C E .

M A D E I N T H E U S A .