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Over the past several years, metal casters have made a strong commitment to better process understanding, optimization, and shortened lead times through the use of advanced technologies. Computer Aided Design and Engineering tools (CAD/CAE) are extensively utilized in the industry. Castings and production equipment are designed at the computer and these models are used as input into simulation tools. The machined and assembled components are checked for work load, strength and noise ratios. Furthermore, raw part characteristics, resulting from the production process, which have a big influence on the achievable quality, can be simulated before the final production process is released. Filling and solidification patterns, outside cooling effects, cycle times, residual stresses, and microstructure can be simulated and evaluated. Doing simulations of alternative casting processes allows for the choice of the right production process to meet component design requirements.

Today's leading casting manufacturers employ many new technologies to produce high quality engineered castings. Foremost among these technologies is casting process simulation. With casting process simulation, casting designers and process engineers use sophisticated physical models to optimize casting filling and solidification patterns, microstructure and mechanical properties distributions, and residual stresses and distortion. Using casting process simulation early in the development cycle leads not only to higher quality castings, but also to shorter product development times, more castable designs, higher productivity, and castings that go well beyond what were once considered to be the limits of the casting process. This paper illustrates through case studies how both designers and producers of castings are using simulation to meet the increasing demands being placed on castings by the automotive and transportation industries.