Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Nagendra Palle

Gary Steven Strumolo

Jacob Wesley Zindel

John Edmond Allison

Ravi Vijayaraghavan

William Thomas Donlon

A method for quantitatively predicting and consequently minimizing the amount of critical phases such as eutectic Al,Cu formed during solidification of Al&mdash;Si&mdash;Cu alloys used in a vehicle engine component comprises developing a micromodel to simulate microstructure evolution in cast Al&mdash;Si or Al&mdash;Cu alloys. The micromodel is calibrated using experimental thermal analysis cooling curves and an optimization process. Microstructure evolution and cooling curves are simulated for a casting using the calibrated micromodel. Precipitation of critical phases such as Al,Cu in the casting is predicted as a function of solidification conditions. The model allows casting process variables to be varied with predictable results so that the casting process can be controlled via the micromodel.

Method for optimizing mechanical strength of a casting using microstructure predictions

Meshes for finite element analysis are formed by characterizing two or three dimensional bodies as passages for fluid flow. For a two dimensional body, the body perimeter is discretized and two portions of the perimeter are selected as inlet and outlet ends; the remainder serves as solid walls through which fluid cannot flow. A potential flow problem is solved for streamlines extending from inlet nodes to the outlet. Intersections of grid lines and streamlines determine interior inlet nodes on the surface. Quadrilaterals covering the surface are formed by connecting the nodes. For a three dimensional body, bounding surfaces are selected: one of the surfaces being an inlet surface and another of the surfaces being an outlet surface. The inlet is processed as described. A three dimensional potential flow problem from the inlet to the outlet is then solved. A series of grid planes are formed generally transverse to the three dimensional streamlines and progressing from the inlet to the outlet. The point of intersection of each streamline with the grid planes define flow nodes. For three dimensional meshes, neighboring nodes are connected to form quadrilaterals on each grid plane and these quadrilaterals are connected to quadrilaterals on neighboring grid planes to form hexahedra until the entire three dimensional body is filled.

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Nagendra Palle