Simple Solutions That Work! Issue 16

of a cooling curve used in a simulation software that was customized (left) to fit the real melt solidification properties (right) of A356. The same principle applies for all ferrous and non- ferrous alloys. The thermal analysis sample close the loop between the simulated melt properties and the shop floor melt properties. Thermal analysis is a powerful tool to evaluate your process; validate melt treatment and products. Choose the right heat treatment parameters, grain refiners and fluxes based on the efficiency—not just on cost. Have you ever experienced variations that you can’t explain? It could come from season change, product variation or lack of experience workers. Measure the solidification of your melt and set those criterias. It takes 7 minutes to get this information and confirm the melt will solidify as designed. Molds can also be instrumented. Figure 1: Custom thermal analysis operator’s interface for A201 The late eutectic criteria are showing green. When it’s red, the melt operator needs to stop and advise the metallurgist. The Terminal Freezing Range criteria (TRF) is related to the hot tearing tendency. It’s the freezing range from 90% solid to 99% solid. It’s useful for Al-Cu alloys like 201 and others. Guidelines, are just that. Save time and money by using the custom melt properties for a given melt procedure versus using the standard database properties, especially for complex casting jobbing foundries. Figure 2 : Showing a standard A356 cooling curve on the left and custom cooling curve after melt treatment on the right is from the thermal analysis sample. The Liquidus is the L vertical and the Solidus is the S vertical. The C vertical line is the critical fraction solid temperature (credit to SOLIDCastTM ). 8 Contact: FRANÇOIS AUDET jfrancois.audet@solutionsfonderie.com