Robust Production of Aluminum Castings with Reproducible Quality

The quality and profitability of non-ferrous castings are driven by the tooling design, the gating and risering layout, the thermal control of the die and reproducible manufacturing conditions for metal treatment and alloy chemistry.

MAGMASOFT® is capable of autonomously establishing robust process conditions and optimized solutions for non-ferrous sand, permanent mold and low pressure die castings regarding cast part geometry, mold and die layout, thermal control and process parameters. The integrated tools to statistically set up virtual Designs of Experiments and automatically assess results support the die caster in determining optimal design and process conditions, for example regarding:

  • optimization of the gating system for low turbulence filling, reduced gas and oxide inclusions and misruns
  • positioning and sizes of feeders/risers eliminating shrinkage and porosity while maintaining high yield levels
  • efficient thermal control of the die and extended die life
  • optimum alloy chemistry for prevention of critical phases during solidification and further metal cooling
  • robust process parameters, including metal treatment for the desired microstructure and the required properties
  • optimized die design and heat treatment conditions for minimized casting stresses and part distortion

 

MAGMASOFT®’s unique integrated methodology of virtual experimentation and autonomous optimization lets the software automatically run through various non-ferrous casting design and parameter combinations. MAGMASOFT® helps identify a set of process conditions best meeting the specified requirements. This is done quickly and comprehensively, matching different objectives considering all the driving forces decisive for non-ferrous casting quality.

This makes MAGMASOFT® key for part designers, pattern and tool makers, and metal casters to layout optimal cast component designs, implement reliable production processes, minimize quality risks, set up reliable process windows and realize the full potential of non-ferrous cast materials.

Non Ferrous Reference

Methodical Assessment of Different Casting Layouts

At ZI in Bergzabern, Germany, the new virtual experimentation capabilities in MAGMA5 were recently used to make a successful comparison of different production alternatives for a gear housing.

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