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Investment Casting Simulation with ProCAST

Advanced casting simulation tools like Procast™ allow the foundry engineer to quickly bridge the gap between design and manufacturing. Optimisation or improved efficiency during the manufacturing cycle leads to substantial time and cost savings. Computer analysis provides the means for verifying design ideas and viewing the effects of “what ifs” at minimal costs by avoiding time-consuming and expensive rework and retooling.

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Ecotre-Techne: simulation and tomography

16/06/2018

Newspapers & Magazines

Create virtual twins. Also virtualization did leaps and bounds, permitting to recreate with a precision that touches 100% an object directly on the monitor of a pc.
Article in Italian

The added value of casting and vacuum simulation

29/12/2017

Newspapers & Magazines

We recently participated in the technical seminar "Simulation & Vacuum Metallurgy Specialist", a meeting and training day organized annually by Ecotre Valente S.r.l. of Brescia. The seminar, now in its seventh edition, took place in the evocative setting of the Mille Miglia Museum in Brescia,

Ecotre-Colosio-ESI win the METEF innovation award

29/12/2017

Newspapers & Magazines

ESI’s exclusive Italian Casting Agent Ecotre Valente s.r.l, Italian Die Casting Machine manufacturer Colosio s.r.l and ESI Group were jointly awarded the METEF 2017 International Innovation Award in the “Machinery” category - For the development of an integrated simulation software / press configuration aimed at reaching the cost and quality requirements for a specified die cast product. From being empiric and approximate, the choice of a press becomes objective and precise, aligned with the characteristics of a real press. Ecotre-ESI & Colosio were located adjacently at the METEF exhibition to display this technological innovation to the die casting community.

Pialorsi Stampi: The innovation of the Polini electric motor guaranteed by high-performance die-casting with QuickCast and ProCast

19/01/2024

Success stories

QuickCast and ProCast are the predictive software tools used by Pialorsi Stampi in the creation of an electric motor for e-bikes for Polini Motori. The product and process simulations offered by both software tools made it possible to transform an ambitious and innovative project for the construction of aluminium supports to connect the electric motor to the bike frame into reality.
The aim of the project was to make two non-porous parts using an alloy with sufficient mechanical properties to withstand the stresses of off-road use.
The technical challenge during the production phase was to create the best conditions for the welding and subsequent heat treatment of the components.
QuickCast and ProCast software were used to simulate three different possible settings for the mould with a view to choosing the most functional solution. The results of the simulations were gradually analysed and the right adjustments made it possible to eliminate any flaws highlighted by the predictive programmes during the design phase, resulting in a functioning end product with all the specifications required by the customer.

Shot Peening Modeling in DEFORM

28/04/2023

Technical papers

SFTC recently took part in a research project to develop modeling methods for shot peening processes. A deliverable from this work was the new Shot Peening Template, which streamlines the setup and simulation of this complicated process.
Shot peening is a beneficial surface treatment used in a wide range of industries. It induces a compressive residual stress on the surface of a metal component via cold working. This is accomplished by firing spherical shot onto a part at high velocity. The resulting compressive stress state counteracts tensile stresses experienced during inservice operation. This can greatly increase a part’s fatigue resistance.

Mori 2A: Deep drawing simulation with Deform software

28/02/2022

News

Mori 2A in collaboration with ECOTRE VALENTE carried out a deep drawing simulation of a sink. This analysis allows you to thoroughly examine all the phenomena that come into action during the drawing process, virtually sample and have all the information for setting up a compliant and optimal work cycle.
Thanks to the deep drawing tests carried out in DEFORM, Mori 2A can produce its sinks on the computer and know their performance and quality: required tons, shape, defects, wrinkles, cracks and elastic return.
Article in Italian

Die Insert Redesign with DEFORM

25/02/2022

Success stories

DEFORM was used to simulate the forming of the hex-head flange screw blank.
The stresses during forming were subsequently used to predict the effort and deflection of the equipment components. To study the matrix effectively, it is necessary to include the interaction between the matrix and the keying. The original matrix consisted of a hard metal insert and jacket.
DEFORM was used to perform a subsequent matrix stress analysis at the stage where the highest load was observed.

DEFORM: A software to combat expensive energy

22/02/2022

News

Ecotre Valente from Brescia proposes DEFORM to optimize costs through process simulations
Not only reductions in shiftwork and production in the lower cost ranges, energy savings can also come from a simple one software.
A popular saying goes that "necessity sharpens the wits", meaning that when you are in critical conditions it is a process of nature find new solutions to problems, and in this case to costs.
Precisely in the face of the expensive energy Ecotre Valente, it has decided to offer its customers a new weapon represented by the software DEFORM for the simulation of energy consumption in furnaces...
Article in Talian

Highest quality cast iron castings with ProCAST. The IRONCASTING case

10/02/2022

Success stories

THE CHALLENGE
Produce a knuckle in GJS 500-7 with a weight of 41,5 kg. The dimensions of the flask are 1100 x 900 x 700 mm.
Meet the customer’s quality standard by delivering high excellent casts, with complex geometry and tight tolerance.
Ironcastings aim to precisely solve residual stress problems predicting and optimizing microstructure, mechanical properties and porosity formation along with maximum efficiency during foundry process (metal yield maximization) leading to production cost reduction, for example reducing weight of cores.
All these goals have been reached without modify the part geometry.

Fonderia Morini: 78 kg molecular seal. From paper to piece in 30 days

12/01/2022

Success stories

FONDERIA MORINI - Leader in Europe in the foundry sector, specializes in the production of aluminum and aluminum alloy castings with sand casting technology, alongside the Gravity Die Casting Foundry Division. Co-design and definition of the casting system and uprights guided by the simulation of casting on the single piece
Article in Italian

PentaP: complete support for sheet metal forming with DEFORM

29/12/2021

Newspapers & Magazines

PentaP supports die makers through the service of virtualization of the forming process, or the FEM simulation through the use of software DEFORM, distributed exclusively in Italy by Ecotre Valente of Brescia. “The results obtained are a lot interesting and allow our customers to evaluate immediately what are the intrinsic problems of a forming, with a very high reliability, the results they are close to reality ”, underlines the owner.

Ecotre Valente offers solutions to metallurgical and quality problems with the partner PentaP Srl of Bergamo: www.pentap.it

NICRO: Radiant tube forming with DEFORM

29/12/2021

Success stories

This study illustrated how DEFORM-3D predicted the influence of process parameters and geometric features on final product quality. The redevelopment project achieved the following objectives that led to reduced production costs.
• Cracking was eliminated and wrinkles were avoided in the final product.
• The robust design allowed for less stringent material requirements on the Alloy 601 sheet stock.
• Use of standard sheet stock increased flexibility in production scheduling and reduced costs, since the standard material was often on hand.
• The number of stamping operations was reduced from three to two, which shortened the production cycle time.
• Continuous processing eliminated the need for in-process inventory.
• Machine tooling and setup time were reduced.
• Overall delivery time was improved.

Eliminate scrap and defects with simulation

29/12/2021

Success stories

The webinar dedicated to the novelties in the simulation of hot and cold forming, coining, drawing, shearing, rolling, forging, drawing, extrusion, welding with the new software DEFORM 2021 and organized by the Brescia-based company will be held on Thursday 1 July 2021.
Article in Italian

Grain flow in Forgings – Software DEFORM

29/12/2021

Success stories

Our main focus was on closed die forging for the previous items in this series. In this, however, we will consider preforms and large components, which are often produced by open molding.

Simulation software for ingot casting, forging, shape rolling and heat treatment

29/12/2021

Newspapers & Magazines

The metallurgical sector is experiencing a time of change with the demand for increasingly complex components, light, performing and high performance. The new software QuikCAST Light, QuikCAST, ProCAST 2021 and DEFORM 12.1 support steel mills, forgers, calibrators, foundries, die makers, metallurgists and designers, as they virtualize their own process and create a virtual department in which to try in advance the equipment, the production cycle and execute a preview of the quality control on the product. up to to any heat treatment and mechanical processing final providing information related to quality, properties mechanical and structural features of the product.

Dimensional Verification with GOM Inspect Professional using ProCAST

29/12/2021

Newspapers & Magazines

Simulation software programs for casting identify metallurgical defectiveness, mechanical properties and deformations of parts, and are fundamental for operating in a market that requires the rapid manufacture of difficult pieces, and which leaves no room for mistakes, testing or re-sampling. ECOTRE Valente, specialists in the simulation of metallurgical processes, use GOM Inspect Professional for the dimensional analysis of virtual pieces, in order to predict and rectify the onset of problems linked to shrinkage and warpage.

All the advantages of die casting simulation

29/12/2021

Newspapers & Magazines

Thanks to the casting simulation software, it is possible to design without shrinkage cavities and increase the performance of diecastings.
Casting simulation is now widely used in various foundry applications and is essential in production as it reduces time, development costs and product cycle.

Virtual Foundry: a European center for correcting casting defects

29/12/2021

Newspapers & Magazines

BRESCIA. The first Central European was born for the virtual foundry 4.0, thanks to Ecotre Valente Cutting-edge technologies in direct collaboration with Esi Group Germany, colossus of the software.
Article in Italian

ESI ProCAST for Increasing the Productivity of Gravity Casting and HPDC

29/12/2021

Newspapers & Magazines

ESI Group, specialist in material physics, has developed a unique proficiency in helping industrial manufacturers replace physical prototypes by virtually replicating the fabrication, assembly and testing of products in different environments.
Today, coupled with Virtual Reality, animated by systems models, and benefiting from data analytics, Virtual Prototyping becomes immersive and interactive: ESI’s clients can bring their products to life, ensuring reliable performance, serviceability and maintainability.

Reflectors on the diecasting. Large dies and high technical complexity

29/12/2021

Newspapers & Magazines

Simone Gentiletti, technical sales engineering of M.C.S. Facchetti, in this interview, addresses various issues related to the diecasting sector and its operating dynamics, in light of the current situation and its developments
Article in Italian

Alloys and processes for diecasting: recent research directions

29/12/2021

Newspapers & Magazines

As you know the University, that of Brescia in particular, for years has been offering a teaching service aimed at what are the realities of our territory so there are courses on foundry, in particular on diecasting, courses on non-ferrous metals with particular attention to 'aluminum and zinc alloys together with foundry and metallurgy laboratories
Article in Italian

Integrating Casting Porosity Predictions in Crash Tests

29/12/2021

Success stories

Alcan, BMW and ESI Group have successfully validated the potential benefits of a coupled product/process engineering approach based on crash and cast coupling with correlation of simulation and experimental results.
Casting Process Simulation
To account for the effects of the production process, the first step in the current approach is a casting process simulation in order to predict the uneven distribution of mechanical properties, and particularly the porosity distribution within a given aluminum die cast part. Comparison of numerical porosity predictions (obtained with ProCAST) with CTscans and micrographs show a good match.

Jegan uses ProCAST to optimize its HPDC process

28/12/2021

Success stories

"ProCAST and QuikCAST give us the ability to see the injection as if we were inside the die. With ProCAST we have been able to reduce the number of physical tests, which means a reduction in time and costs."
Bart Goes
Director of Jegan

FMB: from design… to defect-free casting

28/12/2021

Newspapers & Magazines

Defects? No thank you. Probably the flaw is a feature of the real world, as opposed to everything that is ideal and, consequently, perfect. However, there is a but: if the defect exists and cannot be completely eliminated, it is also true that it can be contained and reduced to acceptable values. Therefore, the primary objective of each foundry is to produce castings consistent with specifications, free from defects.
Article in Italian

The 2M Project: part 2 – LPDC simulation

28/12/2021

Success stories

The aim of the project is to produce automotive structural components with thicknesses reduced from 4 to 2 mm through the use of innovative LPDC and gravity casting systems and vacuum dies, real-time monitoring and closed-loop logic management.

Similor Kugler Faucet: low pressure simulation brass faucets

28/12/2021

Success stories

Similor Kugler Faucet was able to solve shrinkage porosities thanks to simulation with ProCAST

ProCAST shows the stress and microstructure of an alloy wheel

28/12/2021

Newspapers & Magazines

The mesh, to Finite Elements, it is automatic and, in a few minutes, it allows the operator to set the foundry parameters. It is important to underline that ProCAST is based on technology constructive to the Elements finished. Indeed, this technique is the only one that guarantees the best accuracy and correspondence between the foundry and the simulation.

Method for making a upright holder: from gravity casting to LPDC

28/12/2021

Success stories

This thesis work has the purpose of providing a methodology of comparison between two different casting technologies, for the realization of a hub holder of a car suspension unit, both from the point of view of the mechanical characteristics of the piece obtained, and from the economic point of view, through:
1) analysis of the industrialization of the upright holder obtained by gravity casting;
2) the formulation of hypotheses to adapt the piece to the design constraints of low pressure technology, resulting in the performance of casting tests using a casting simulation software.

Optimization of the straightening production process using ProCAST

28/12/2021

Success stories

Case study of a motorcycle swingarm produced by the Fonderia Scacchetti Leghe Leggere. It is important that the designer is aware of the residual stresses present in each area of the component.
Article in Italian

For Nissin Kogyo, ESI ProCAST is an Indispensable Tool for Assuring Production Quality

28/12/2021

Success stories

”Before the introduction of ESI ProCAST, the percentage of defects was relatively high, leading to a smaller yield. It was impossible to accept this with an increase in production and the diversification of products. We were able to reduce the percentage of defects to a very large extent thanks to a high accuracy simulation tool like ProCAST.”
Mr. Katsuhiko Ashida
Chief Engineer, Development Operations
Nissin Kogyo Co. Ltd

Let’s make future lighter: the “2 mm” project

28/12/2021

Newspapers & Magazines

In the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering of the University of Brescia, in collaboration with the OMR companies (Officine Meccaniche Rezzatesi) and FMB the foundry of the group, a research has recently been carried out, part of the project called “2 mm”, related to the effects of the exposition in temperature on components made in thermal treated aluminum alloy for the automotive sector ...

Gravity Die Casting Process Die Design and Process Optimisation

Newspapers & Magazines

The design of a casting device by integrating traditional sizing and process simulation. Below is an application example of general design guidelines that can be shared for the realization of a technologically and therefore economically valid product.
Filling analysis as the injection curve changes.
Article in Italian

27/05/2021

Success stories

In Brescia, the prize dedicated to young talents in foundry simulation
The three young people that Ecotre Valente Srl, a Brescia-based metallurgical and process specialist, awarded on Thursday 27 May during the webinar dedicated to casting simulation with QuikCAST Light, QuikCAST and ProCAST software are just over twenty years old.
This is Marcello Milesi, a young 21 year old from Bergamo, of GMP Group Srl, leader in the production of alloy wheels; by Pietro Faccondini of Fonderia Morri Snc of Rimini and by Mirko Fiscato of Tecnoform Srl of Longare, Vicenza. An award that recognizes in young people skills, growth objectives in the world of work and which expresses the innovative and competitive potential of the new generations.
"In this period marked by the pandemic, young people have been able to bring innovation, skills and a positive impact into the companies throughout the metallurgical sector - said Lorenzo Valente, CEO of Ecotre Valente - The hope is that more and more young people approach the world of metallurgical process simulation, a fundamental tool in the company for reducing costs, times and scrap. "

Simulation and Foundry Youth Award: GMP Group

27/05/2021

Success stories

Simulation and Foundry Youth Award: Fonderia Morri

27/05/2021

Success stories

The HPDC School: Let’s start the Open Seminars

29/04/2021

Newspapers & Magazines

In parallel to the fifth edition of the training course for technologists of diecasting, the school launches a program of technical seminars free online and open to all. Why the transfer of skills continue, and not just for students! The first online appointment to mark in your diary is May 12 at 10:00 with "Shrinkage porosity defects: casting simulation and tomography ", by Ecotre Valente, in collaboration with AQM, during which it will come treated the issue of defects in diecastings, describing the simulation software able to predict the shrinkage porosity and focusing on tomographic techniques in the diecasting sector.

Stepped Pin – Load & Corner Fill – Software DEFORM

20/02/2021

Success stories

Process simulation was run using DEFORM to study the die fill and load requirements. The designer’s suspicions were confirmed.
The simulation allowed the designer to study the load at various forming steps and compare design alternatives for both die fill and load. The outside corner of the smallest step is the most difficult feature to fill using this process.
A redesigned progression was developed and confirmed using DEFORM to quantify the results prior to making dies.

Simulation of heat treatment of jominy specimen to improve quality of automotive gear components

29/12/2020

Newspapers & Magazines

In order to validate heat treatment cycle, microstructure and mechanical properties, Jominy test has been virtualized into heat treatment simulation software. Real Jominy tests have been transferred inside simulation software for different steel grades used for automotive gear box application.
A model to forecast microstructure and mechanical properties for Jominy specimen is built and benchmarked with experimental data. Alignment between simulation results and reality allows to transfer model definition from Jominy samples to complete real components, improving quality assurance capability for real process thanks to usage of heat treatment cycle virtualization for gear box realized with different steel grades.

The influence of heat treatment on dies

29/10/2018

Newspapers & Magazines

The study, carried out thanks to the commitment of the engineering team of Ecotre-Valente of Brescia, made it possible to quantify, through information technology, what happens in reality, using different extinguishing means on the same mold.
The heat treatment of Quenching and Tempering aims to confer the maximum potential of the mechanical and metallurgical characteristics developed by the chemistry of steel " Article in Italian

Ecotre-Techne: simulation and tomography

16/06/2018

Innovation in the virtual department of ingot casting, forging and heat treatment

02/12/2021

Success stories

Introduction
Thixoforming process
Physical phenomena
Process Simulation
Validation
Applications / examples

The added value of casting and vacuum simulation

29/12/2017

Newspapers & Magazines

Ecotre-Colosio-ESI win the METEF innovation award

29/12/2017

Newspapers & Magazines

Investment Casting Simulation with ProCAST

Investment Casting Simulation with ProCAST

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Pialorsi Stampi: The innovation of the Polini electric motor guaranteed by high-performance die-casting with QuickCast and ProCast

Shot Peening Modeling in DEFORM

Mori 2A: Deep drawing simulation with Deform software