MAGMA Gießereitechnologie GmbH

The continuous casting process is of crucial importance for the manufacture of semi-finished products. Liquid metal is introduced into a short, intensively cooled mold, which may include graphite inserts, from a tundish or launder. At the same rate, metal is withdrawn from the mold, where the presence of a stable solidified shell at the end of the mold needs to be assured. In the start-up phase, a starting ingot is positioned in the mold, and after reaching the desired filling level, the starting ingot is removed and the metal inflow adjusted accordingly. The primary cooling in the mold is of decisive importance for the formation of a stable solidified shell. Further cooling of the strand takes place in the so-called secondary cooling zone. For process design and optimization, MAGMA CC, is a fully integrated and practically relevant turn-key solution providing meaningful information for the simulation based optimization of vertical and horizontal continuous casting processes.
 
MAGMA CC supports continuous casters to reach the following objectives:

Layout and optimization of launders and tundishes to improve flow conditions
Layout and optimization of immersion nozzles for minimizing inclusions
Design and optimization of the mold (e.g. conicity, cooling performance, materials)
Optimization of the process (e.g. optimal casting speed, adapted secondary cooling)
Determination of temperature distributions during start-up and quasi-stationary operation for various process conditions to ensure the required quality
Optimization of quality-relevant flow phenomena both during start-up and quasi-stationary operation, caused by the inflowing metal and by natural convection
Calculation of the stress distribution in the strand and mold as well as stress-relevant quality criteria
MAGMA CC can be used for the casting of copper and copper alloys, aluminum alloys and steel. The program can be used to improve product quality before start of production as well as for continuous improvement during production. With the help of virtual Design of Experiments and autonomous optimization, the process and product-specific limits of the relevant process variables are determined for a safe production of high quality products. MAGMA CC includes the calculation of flow, solidification and stresses, taking into account primary and secondary cooling. Thus, the interactions between the inflowing melt, the solidified shell of the strand and the mold can be judged.

MAGMASOFT  ® is the comprehensive and effective optimization tool for improving metalcasting quality, optimizing process conditions and reducing production costs. Consequently utilizing the methodology of virtual Design of Experiments and Autonomous Optimization, robust process parameters and optimized casting layouts can be established for all cast materials and processes including heat treatment and melt metallurgy – efficiently and comprehensively at the same time.

By means of Autonomous Engineering™, simulations with MAGMASOFT  ® can be used in an automated virtual test plan to pursue different quality and cost objectives simultaneously. Broad knowledge and tangible hands-on instructions/measures are generated considering design and process conditions for mold filling, solidification and cooling. The range of results comprises residual stresses and distortion, microstructure formation and local properties.
Temperature distribution in the melt during pouring
 
A modular software design covers the complete process chain of cast components. The software can be applied for optimized process robustness and part quality from conceptual to final component design, during the tooling layout and prototyping, all the way through to the production and heat treatment processes.

MAGMASOFT  ® offers the following main benefits:

Supports all cast materials and all aspects of casting manufacture including melting and metallurgy, pattern and coremaking, cleaning and repair
Offers a virtual test field for the reduction of metalcasting defects with high degrees of freedom without production risk
Establishes optimized operating points for quality, yield and cost
Identifies optimal process conditions for robust process windows early and reliably
Allows faster decision making to establish saving time for all parties involved
Empowers quality management by generating systematic understanding how process variability affects quality
Improves communication and confidence within your company and in cooperation with customers
Offers reliable and early information to designers for robust product and process development

The quality and profitability of iron castings are driven by the metallurgy of the melt, the design of the pattern, the productivity of the process, reproducible manufacturing conditions and the resulting properties of the cast iron material after casting and heat treatment.

MAGMASOFT  ®, with the latest version and its related modules, are capable of autonomously establishing robust process conditions and optimized solutions for the pouring, solidification and heat treatment of all cast iron alloys. The integrated tools to statistically set up virtual Designs of Experiments and automatically assess results support foundrymen in determining optimal design and process conditions, for example regarding:

optimization of gating design for improved cast iron cleanliness and surface quality
positioning and size of feeders/risers eliminating shrinkage and porosity while maintaining high yield levels
optimum cast iron chemistry, metal treatment and inoculation for prevention of critical phases during solidification and further metal cooling
set-up of robust process conditions for reaching the required mechanical properties
casting design features such as minimized risk of cold cracks and dimensional tolerances
resource conserving heat treatment processes tuned to achieve the desired microstructure and the required properties
Mold filling of gray iron brake discs
 
MAGMASOFT  ®’s unique integrated methodology of virtual experimentation and autonomous optimization lets the software automatically run through various iron casting design and parameter combinations. MAGMASOFT  ® helps identify a set of process conditions best meeting the specified requirements. This is done quickly and comprehensively, matching different objectives considering all driving forces decisive for iron casting quality.

This makes MAGMASOFT  ® key for casting designers, pattern makers and foundrymen to lay out optimal cast component designs, implement reliable production processes, minimize quality risks, set up reliable process windows and realize the full potential of cast iron materials.