International Journal of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering

Volume 1, Number 1 (2015), pp. 41-46

© International Research Publication House
http://www.irphouse.com

Casting Simulation of Automotive Wheel Rim Using

Aluminium Alloy Material

K. Shailender Kumar1 and Dr. K. Srinivasulu Reddy2

1
PG Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SNIST, Hyderabad, India
2
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SNIST, Hyderabad
E-mail: 1shailkumar021@gmail.com, 2k.srinivasulureddy@gmail.com

Abstract

Aluminium wheel rims used in transport vehicles are commonly

produced by gravity die casting. In Industries it is been a research issue
for improving the quality product and to predict the mechanical
characteristics, shrinkages, porosity. It has observed that various type
of simulation software has been used in foundry, out of which FEM
and VEM based casting simulations are widely used in foundry. To
solve the problems in the trial and error method that we followed new
simulation software has been introduced. This paper discusses about
the casting simulation software ProCast and its utilization on the
solidification behavior of material and detection of hot spots in
castings of automotive aluminium wheel rim.

Keywords: Aluminium alloy wheel, casting simulation, ProCast

software.

1. Introduction
Wheel rims are the most used in general vehicles. These are manufactured by either
casting or forging. Forged components were of high cost and low strength mechanical
properties compared to the alloy based wheel rims.
Aluminium alloy based wheel rims were later come in to the focus cause of high
strength mechanical properties, light in weight and flexible to repair compared to
forged rims. ProCAST is a three dimensional solidification and fluid flow package
which is developed to perform numerical simulation of molten metal flow and
solidification phenomena in various casting processes, primarily die casting (gravity,
low pressure and high pressure die casting) and sand casting. It is particularly helpful
for foundry applications to visualize and predict the casting results. ProCAST
42 K. Shailender Kumar & Dr. K. Srinivasulu Reddy

extensively prior to create sand casting and die casting models for the simulation of
mold filling and solidification. We prefer to use die casting rather than sand casting for
better properties. The cast and mold design of the experiment is transformed into a 3D
model and imported into ProCAST to conduct the casting process simulation. In the
present work, simulation of mold filling and solidification of alloy steel castings are
carried out.

1.1Casting Process Modeling

Generally the simulation software has three main parts shown in Figure1.
Pre-processing: the program reads the CAD geometry and generates the mesh,
Main processing: adding of boundary conditions and material data, filling and
temperature calculations,
Post processing: solver, evaluation.

Fig. 1.1 (a) System of simulation Fig. 1.1(b)3D model of wheel rim

Fig.1.1(c) 3D model of initial Fig. 1.1(d) 3D model of modified

gating system gating system

Fig. 1.1(a) is the tree diagram for system of simulation &Fig. 1.1(b) shows 3D
model of wheel rim CAD model and for which simulation tools are utilized to improve
the casting process design. Computer simulation based on the design procedures
described above have been implemented with one example. Let's consider automotive
Casting Simulation of Automotive Wheel Rim Using Aluminium Alloy Material 43

wheel casting for the present study (Figs. 1.1(c)& 1.1(d) Shows the 3D model of initial
& modified gating systems).Used in automobile industry made of Aluminium
alloy(Al95.5-Cu4.5). During simulation of the casting process, mold filling and
solidification are examined and gravity casting process is optimized.

2. Methodology
The purpose of this paper is to simulate the solidification of aluminium alloy castings,
and analyze the results obtained for component after solidification, and to optimize the
casting parameters in order to achieve better properties of aluminium castings. The
procedures were mainly divided into three stages. They were Simulation Preparation,
Computer Aided Simulation on ProCAST, and Analysis. Each stage contained several
steps. Researcher followed this operation flow to try and examine different influencing
factors, such as molten metal temperature, mold material, inlet velocity, and substrate
pre-heating temperature. Fig. 2.1 is the procedure graph showing the entire
methodology followed for the present work.

Fig. 2.1: Methodology.

3. Material
Aluminium Alloy (AL95.5-CU4.5) Composition

Aluminium 95.5%
Copper 4.5%

4. Results and Analysis

4.1 Mold Filling
The Mold filling part is carried out by the software based on the given inputs to it in
boundary conditions menu. The velocity of the molten metal can be regulated by the
user of ProCast as per the material of the component. The Procast simulation solved
for mold filling and solidification processes at the same time. The discussion about
44 K. Shailender Kumar & Dr. K. Srinivasulu Reddy

mold filling is based on ProCAST simulation results. The mold filling processes of the
initial and modified gating systems are able to be visualized from Figs. 4(a) & 4(b).
It is found that for every succession of one second fraction of solid and
temperatures are changing (encompasses pouring basin, sprue and runner system,
gatings, casting and feeder) will be filled up.Figures.4(c)& 4(d). It can be seen that
down sprue and feeder were filled up simultaneously since their dimensions and
shapes are very similar. Though the down sprue is the entrance of the molten metal, it
was not filled up or completely wetted during the mold filling of cavity. Generally, the
mold filling is successful as a result of proper design of straight runner system. It can
be seen that the straight runner and gatings were filled up with in the first few second.

4.2 Solidification & Various Gating Systems

Temperature contour of solidification and solid fractions:
For the cast material (AL95.5 CU4.5) aluminium alloy, solidification will start
when the temperature drops below 660°C, and fully completed beneath 250°C.
Solidification is a result of heat transfer from internal casting to external environment.
The heat transfer from the interior of the casting has to go through the routes of (C.W
Hirt. et al, 2007)

1. Internal liquid convection above liquidous temperature during mold filling.

2. The solidified metal conduction after complete solidification achieved
throughout the bulk of casting.
3. The heat conduction at the metal–mold interface.
4. Heat conduction within the steel mold.
5. Convection and radiation from mold surface to the surrounding.
In the present case we compare the solidification simulation results of the
automotive wheel rim castings at different time intervals and different gating systems
as shown in the Figures 4(a)&4(b) Solidification time is proportional to volume to
surface area ratio (modulus of casting) [4], therefore the faster solidification rate at the
runner tip is expected.
Since there are long list of possibilities for a gating system of a particular casting,
various gating systems were tried and tested in the ProCAST software. One of those
gating system with ingates settling all around the casting can be seen in the Fig. 4(a)
Molten metal is poured at a temperature of 680°C with a yield of 60%. A defect
usually seen in plate castings is the free end distortion which is avoided through an
improvised gating system. The main defect with this gating system is that the ingates
solidify before the molten metal reaches the Mold thereby providing no inlet to the
mold and leading to a partial filling for the casting.
Moreover with such a gating system high turbulence is seen as in the figures 4(a) &
4(c). Hence, a remedy for such defect would have been to increase the temperature of
the pouring molten metal so that the molten metal reaches the cavity and then
solidifies. A Simulation is done at 700°C and a defect free casting is obtained during
the simulation processes. Accordingly, the turbulence levels are quite high in the initial
gating system and the stresses in the casting are quite high after the solidification. A
modified gating system is prepared and gating calculations performed with a yield of
Casting Simulation of Automotive Wheel Rim Using Aluminium Alloy Material 45

80%. The molten metal is poured at 680°C with the temperature and solidification
behavior of the molten metal as shown in the figures 4(a) & 4(b).Once simulation is
complete, a defect free casting is obtained with a yield of 80%. (which is shown in
comparison table.2).On comparison of the entire defect free castings yield, turbulence,
flow, etc are to be taken into consideration such that a sound casting could be provided
to the user.

Fig. 4(a): Mold filling and Temperature Fig. 4(b): Mold filling and Temperature
variations of initial gating system at variations of modified gating system at
various stages resp. various stages resp.

Fig. 4(c): Shrinkage Porosity in initial Fig. 4(d): Shrinkage Porosity is

gating system at various spots eliminated in modified gating. System.

4.3 According to the result analysis obtained from the simulation

Control points temperature time tracking
The Fig. 4(a) &4(b) shows the temperatures changes for the casting points. The
fraction of solids and liquid metal in the mushy zone is a function of time and
temperature. When the last drop of liquid metal is crystallized into solid, the
solidification process is considered. Therefore the ProCAST simulation and
experiment obviously differ from each other however, compared with other casting
points. In a way the temperature range at the start of mold filling to the end is same in
46 K. Shailender Kumar & Dr. K. Srinivasulu Reddy

initial gating system. In the modified gating system the temperature variation between
nodes at the start seems to be non-uniform but at the end of solidification it is uniform.

5. Conclusions
The main conclusions that can be drawn from this study are:
1. By replacing the trial and error with simulation software which involves a
virtual process can be able to utilize our resources efficiently.
2. Simulation tool used has a flexibility of visual and analysis of mold filling and
solidification at a time in a high resolution.
3. The simulation tool was used to identify critical locations and filling pattern
and solidification related problem areas in the casting.
4. By moving the trial and error process into the virtual world and can determine
the cost, time, scrap rate, and the quality of different design and process
options.
5. Simulation tool identifies the defects after solidification like shrinkage
porosity, distortion, warm holes etc.
6. These defects can be shown in numerical values or in line diagrams at specified
nodes.

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