Metalcasting

National Laboratory: 
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Computational Tools Class: 
Materials Processing
Processing/Manufacturing Class: 
Fabrication and synthesis
Description: 

Casting codes and thermophysical property measurements instruments include:

  • Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) model for property estimation
  • Dual-push-dilatometer for mushy zone density measurements
  • In-house three-dimensional (3D) finite volume code, capable of modeling solidification, shrinkage-induced flow, and porosity formation due to metal shrinkage and evolution of dissolved gases during casting
  • Commercial casting software, ProCAST™ and Flow-3D™.
Capability Bounds: 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Processing and Joining Group has extensive laboratory capabilities for research in the melting, casting, and processing of metals (10,000 sq. ft. of laboratory space). Melting facilities accommodate from 150 g to 50 kg of aluminum, while casting facilities include capabilities for ingot, sand, permanent mold, and investment.

Unique Aspects: 

The ORNL microporosity model has been validated on production aluminum A356 alloy castings and can uniquely predict interdendritic versus hydrogen porosity location. ORNL also has unique post-processing techniques and sample holders for DSC and dilatometry instruments that provide for an accurate determination of the thermophysical properties of metals: reduced dilatometer temperature error <=0.5°C at 600-700°C and solid fraction error <=3% error.

Availability: 

ORNL’s metalcasting facilities are available for various partnership arrangements with industry.

Single Point of Contact: 

Name: Dr. Adrian Sabau
Email: sabaua@ornl.gov
Phone: 865-241-5145

References: 
  1. Sabau, A.S., and Viswanathan, S., Microporosity prediction in aluminum alloy castings, Met. Metall. Trans., 2002, 33B, pp. 243-.
  2. Sabau, A.S. and Porter, W.D., Analysis of a Heat-Flux Differential Scanning Calorimetry Instrument, Met. Metall. Trans., A , 2007, 38A, pp. 1546-.
Information Link(s): 
http://web.ornl.gov/sci/physical_sciences_directorate/mst/pjg/adrian/web_smu_bio/sp_papers.html#Die_casting
Supporting Document(s): 
056_ORNL.docx