Systems and methods for computationally developing manufacturable and durable cast components

A method of computationally simulating a casting process for a lightweight metal-based component, said method comprising:

• configuring a computer to comprise a data input, a data output, a processing unit, a memory unit and a communication path configured to establish cooperation between said data input, said data output, said processing unit and said memory unit;
• inputting into said computer geometric and property requirements corresponding to said component;
• operating a casting design module to determine a casting geometry and gating/riser model with material and process recommendations, said casting design module configured to utilize at least one of material selection, casting process selection, casting design rules, component design and casting parameter selection during said casting design module operating;
• transferring information pertaining to said material and process recommendations to a process modeling and optimization module;
• operating said process modeling and optimization module to determine at least one of process improvement opportunities, optimal process practice and residual stress and distortion prediction, said process modeling and optimization module configured to utilize at least one of materials database, mold/die design and process control, melt quality control, mold filling practice and solidification control, heat treatment modeling and optimization and machining optimization and control during said process modeling and optimization module operating;
• transferring information pertaining to said at least one of process improvement opportunities, optimal process practice and residual stress and distortion prediction to a multiscale microstructure prediction module;
• operating said multiscale microstructure prediction module to determine microstructural constituents, said multiscale microstructure prediction module configured to utilize at least one of materials database, boundary conditions, multiscale phase prediction, defect predictions, microscale second phase particle prediction and nanoscale precipitate prediction during said multiscale microstructure prediction module operating;
• transferring information pertaining to said microstructural constituents to a structure performance module;
• operating said structure performance module to determine a performance prediction, said structure performance module configured to utilize at least one of materials database, tensile failure analysis, creep resistance analysis and multiscale fatigue analysis;
• and
• comparing said performance prediction against predetermined criteria such that upon satisfying said predetermined criteria, said simulated casting process defines an optimized process, or upon not satisfying said predetermined criteria, a product geometry redesign is submitted to at least one of said casting design module, said process modeling and optimization module, said multiscale microstructure prediction module and said structure performance module for generation of an updated performance prediction.

An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for simulating a casting process for a lightweight metal-based component, said computer readable program code in said article of manufacture comprising:

• computer readable program code portion for causing said computer to accept data pertaining to said lightweight metal-based component;
• computer readable program code portion for causing said computer to perform an iterative casting design analysis based on said accepted data;
• computer readable program code portion for causing said computer to perform a process optimization analysis based on an output produced by said casting design analysis;
• computer readable program code portion for causing said computer to perform a microstructure analysis based on an output produced by said process optimization analysis;
• and
• computer readable program code portion for causing said computer to perform a structure performance analysis based on an output produced by said microstructure analysis such that an output produced by said structure performance analysis defines a performance indicia of said simulated casting process.