Current Research Challenges in Solidification Modeling of Automotive Castings

In this paper an overview of the current state of the art in numerical solidification modeling of automotive castings is presented. The challenges involved in modeling the solidification phenomena are described. Two distinct scales at which the solidification modeling is carried out is presented. At the macroscopic scale the key factors which affect the solidification process are the mold filling, heat transfer, fluid flow, macrosegregation, and residual stresses. At the microscopic scale, phenomena such as the microsegregation and microporosity formation control the microstructure that evolves. By modeling these phenomena in a tightly coupled manner, predictions of the microstructural parameters along with thermal histories at various locations in the casting can be carried out.