Predictable Core Production
Sand core quality and profitability are driven by the core box design, the productivity of the process, reproducible manufacturing conditions for core shooting/blowing and curing, and the resulting core properties.
MAGMA C+M is capable of autonomously establishing robust process conditions and optimized solutions for sand core production including the shooting, gassing and curing of organic and inorganic binders for cold and heated core boxes. The integrated tools to statistically set up virtual Designs of Experiments and automatically assess results support toolmakers and coremakers in determining optimal design and process conditions, for example regarding:
- Robust lay-outs and reduced core box wear through optimized blow tube and vent configurations
- Proven set-up of core box thermal control, determination of required curing times
- Practice-oriented determination of robust process parameters for reproducible core shooting and gassing
- Reduction of binder content and amine consumption
- Avoiding extensive trials and core box modifications on the shop floor
Core Shooting, Flow Tracer
Hot distortion of bonded sand cores - Core deformation during filling
Core shooting simulation including shot cylinder for a multi-cavity core box
Visualization of particle flow for sand and air
Assessment of core volumes filled by each nozzle during core shooting
Analysis of defect root causes
Parametrized modification of vent configurations to assess their impact on core density
Analysis of the main effects influencing the core quality
Assessment of the effects of different design and process variables on core density
Scatter diagram from virtual experiments indicating robust process conditions
Predicted amine concentration and uncured areas of the real core
Local amounts of active amine
Quantitative assessment of different process conditions for improved gassing of cold box cores
Cured surface layer (blue) and condensation zone with increased water content (yellow) for an inorganic binder
Temperature history over several production cycles in the core box and core
Local core box erosion
MAGMA C+M’s unique integrated methodology of virtual experimentation and autonomous optimization lets the software automatically run through various core box design and parameter combinations. MAGMA C+M helps identify a set of process conditions best meeting the specified requirements. This is done quickly and comprehensively, matching different objectives considering all driving forces decisive for core quality.
This makes MAGMA C+M key for toolmakers and coremakers to lay out optimal core designs, achieve reliable production processes, minimize quality risks, determine stable process windows and realize the full potential of the core material and production process without economic risks.
MAGMAinteract® Total Displacement
MAGMAinteract® Displacement Z
Detailed knowledge of bonded sand, from measurements to new mechanical model, validated on benchmark examples and used on complex cores
Multi-state material from a loose granular material to a bonded porous material, where strength is governed by binder bridges and contact between grains
Bending of long cores due to buoyancy can now be simulated and analyzed
Core distortion modeling is fully coupled to the filling and solidication simulation allowing the user to optimize the entire process to minimize core distortion and related issue of dimensional tolerances in the casting.
Simulation results are used to pre-shape the core to meet tolerance requirements of the final part.
Location of core prints are optimized to avoid problems in thin walled designs
Core and Mold Reference
Optimization of the Shooting and Curing Process for a Complex Core
Usiminas recently introduced the new core making simulation software MAGMA C+M as part of their strategy to establish robust designs and processes for their core production line. The first project the software was applied to was already in progress at that time. Therefore, the main goal was to optimize the process conditions for the existing tooling lay-out.
