Finite element analysis of casting processes considering molten-metal flow and solidification

용탕유동과 응고를 고려한 주조공정의 유한요소해석

Finite element analysis tool was developed to analyze the casting process. Generally, casting process consists of mold filling and solidification. Both filling and solidication process were simulated simultaneously to investigate the effects of process variables and to predict the defect. At filling process, thermal coupling was especially considered to investigate thermal history of material during the filling stage. And thermal condition at the final stage of filling is used as the initial conditions in a solidification process for the exact simullation of the actual casting processes. At mold filling process, Lagragian-type finite element method with automatic remeshing scheme was used to find the material flow. A perturbation method with artificial viscosity is adopted to avoid numerical instability in low viscous fluid. At solidification process, enthalpy-based finite element method was used to solove the heat transfer problem with phase change. And elastic stress analysis has been performed to predict the thermal residual stress. Through the FE analysis, solidification time, position of solidus line, liquidus line and thermal residual stress are found. Through the study, the importance of combined analysis has been emphasized. Finite element tools developed in this study will be used process design of casting process and may be basic structure for total CAE system of castings which will be constructed afterward.