Casting Parameters Research Articles

(212) ASSESSING THE ROBUSTNESS OF SILDENAFIL CITRATE ORODISPERSIBLE FILMS: A MULTI-FACETED STABILITY STUDY

Abstract Introduction Sildenafil citrate Orodispersible film (ODF) is a novel formulation designed to better address the needs and expectations of men with erectile dysfunction (ED). Ensuring the stability of pharmaceutical products is crucial to maintain their efficacy, safety, and quality throughout their shelf-life. Objective This study aimed to perform a stress test on sildenafil ODF by exposing it to elevated temperatures (60 degrees Celsius) mimicking extreme storage conditions and evaluate its physical and chemical stability. Methods This test was conducted in Kyukyu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Toyama Plant, Japan. A thin pale red colored ODF containing 50 mg sildenafil was formulated to dissolve in the oral cavity. Three batches of samples were subjected to a stability study at 60°C stress for three weeks. They were assessed for the amount of active pharmaceutical ingredient assay (95.0% −105.0% of labelled amount), degradation, disintegration, dissolution rate (over 80% for 45 mm) and water content. Results All test items met the specifications and showed negligible differences between the samples. The amount of degradation products demonstrated an increasing trend over time in all conditions, but all met the specification. The purity testing for degradation product (0.2% or less) showed significant (p value <0.05) at initial and 60°C in all the three samples. Conclusions The process was evaluated across a range of manufacturing conditions, and all intermediates and sildenafil ODF showed consistent performance that yields a consistent product meeting all specifications at release and after three weeks of storage under stressed conditions. These results indicate the robust performance of the sildenafil ODF across a range of manufacturing conditions. In addition, the water content stayed in a tight range regardless of the film casting parameters, and this remains true of the packaged product even after 3 weeks at 60°C. Disclosure Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: Kyukyu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Toyama Plant, Japan and Viatris Inc. Clarification: Industry initiated, executed and funded study. Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Viatris Inc.

Study on effect of melt level on heat transfer characteristics and quality of continuously cast Al-Mg2Si composite sheet

Composite sheets fabricated by the Twin roll casting (TRC) process often suffer from quality issues, primarily microporosity resulting from solidification shrinkage. The presence of fabrication defects can be controlled by varying the casting parameters such as casting speed, superheat temperature, rolling force, and the height of the liquid metal in the melt pool. The present study developed a three-dimensional model to analyze the solidification and flow behavior of the melt with increasing melt pool height (4 cm, 6 cm, 8 cm) to see the quality of the fabricated Al-Mg2Si composite sheet. The developed model was validated using the optimized inlet temperature and interlamellar spacing. This model studies the effect of melt pool height on the solidification behavior, optimized inlet temperature, temperature gradient and heat flux. Results show that the increasing melt pool height shifts a solidification temperature above the roll exit and requires a higher inlet temperature for continuous sheet fabrication. Increased melt pool height decreases the heat flux from the roller surface and shows a lesser velocity fluctuation at the top and bottom of the melt pool. Experimental investigation demonstrates that a rise in melt pool height lowers the porosity in the casted sheet from 10.9% to 2.7% due to improved temperature gradient and pressure at the roller exit, enhancing sheet quality within the TRC process.

Optimization of the process parameters for vertical centrifugal casting of A356 by numerical simulation

This paper investigates the influence of critical process parameters on the centrifugal casting of A356 (Al-Si) alloys using a casting simulation tool. Effects of mould rotation, pouring temperature, mould aspect ratio, and heat transfer coefficient on filling and solidification behaviours have been studied. Furthermore, the study employs Grey Relation Analysis, Taguchi, and ANOVA to systematically optimize the casting process parameters, addressing uncertainties and identifying statistically significant factors. Process optimization, supported by numerical simulations, has revealed that the optimal configuration (rotation of 150 rpm, aspect ratio as 2, pouring temperature as 775 °C) minimizes stress and strain (maximum shear stress, average normal stress, principal stress, principal strain) that can be considered to be responsible for the occurrence of defects such as cracks in final castings. Controlling these process parameters will help in reducing overall stresses and in turn reducing defects as well as improvement of overall productivity.

Microstructural and mechanical characterization of Al/Cu interface in a bimetallic composite produced by compound casting

The bimetal set (Al/Cu) with Cu wire with 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 mm diameters were cast at different casting temperatures and solidification times through the compound casting method. The microstructure of solid/liquid diffusion bonding at the Al/Cu interface was investigated, and the shear strength of the Al/Cu interface was measured by punch test. By characterizing the diffusion layer, the optimum parameters of the compound casting, including the casting temperature and the solidification soaking time, as well as the Cu wire diameter, were acquired. The intermetallic compounds (IMCs) such as CuAl2 were observed in the diffusion layer. The types of intermetallic phases and diffusion layer thickness affect the hardness and the shear strength. The result of casting at 680 °C and solidification soaking time of 15 s for 3 mm Cu wire, shows that IMCs increased the micro-hardness of the Al/Cu bimetal up to 328 HV at the Al/Cu interface. Also, increasing the solidification soaking time at a constant temperature resulted in a growth of the interface layer’s thickness, which exhibits a lamellar eutectic microstructure containing IMCs. Furthermore, this action caused an increase in the shear strength.

Effect of wheel speed on the microstructure and magnetic properties of Fe-3.0 wt %Si non-oriented silicon steel ultra-thin ribbons prepared by planar flow casting

Using the planar flow casting method to prepare ultra-thin silicon steel ribbons is an eco-friendly and efficient production method. However, the poor wettability between silicon steel and copper result in difficulties in formability by planar flow casting, which limits its application in production of silicon steel ultra-thin ribbons. The process parameters of planar flow casting are the key factors affecting the formability and magnetic properties of non-oriented silicon steel ribbons, in which the wheel speed determines the solidification rate of the silicon steel melt, which has an important influence on the surface quality and magnetic properties of silicon steel ultra-thin ribbons. Therefore, in this paper, the effect of wheel speed on microstructures and magnetic properties of Fe-3.0 wt %Si alloy are systematically investigated. The results indicate that as the wheel speed increases, the grain size and thickness gradually decrease. When the wheel speed is between 10 and 15 m/s, the surface of the ribbons is relatively flat. As the wheel speed increases, the surface quality of ribbons gradually deteriorates. The ribbons were in fragment with the wheel speed of 35 m/s. Compared with the ribbons before annealing, the magnetic induction B50 increased significantly and the iron losses P1.0/400 decreased sharply at 400 Hz after annealing. The magnetic induction of the ribbons after annealing with the wheel speed of 10 m/s reaches to 1.628 T as the wheel speed is 10 m/s with the corresponding iron loss is 16.171 W/kg. The lower lamination factor and micropores of the ribbons may cause the poorer magnetic properties.

Numerical Simulation and Machine Learning Prediction of the Direct Chill Casting Process of Large-Scale Aluminum Ingots.

The large-scale ingot of the 7xxx-series aluminum alloys fabricated by direct chill (DC) casting often suffers from foundry defects such as cracks and cold shut due to the formidable challenges in the precise controlling of casting parameters. In this manuscript, by using the integrated computational method combining numerical simulations with machine learning, we systematically estimated the evolution of multi-physical fields and grain structures during the solidification processes. The numerical simulation results quantified the influences of key casting parameters including pouring temperature, casting speed, primary cooling intensity, and secondary cooling water flow rate on the shape of the mushy zone, heat transport, residual stress, and grain structure of DC casting ingots. Then, based on the data of numerical simulations, we established a novel model for the relationship between casting parameters and solidification characteristics through machine learning. By comparing it with experimental measurements, the model showed reasonable accuracy in predicting the sump profile, microstructure evolution, and solidification kinetics under the complicated influences of casting parameters. The integrated computational method and predicting model could be used to efficiently and accurately determine the DC casting parameters to decrease the casting defects.

Investigation of the Effects of Filling Speed, Casting Temperature and Metallurgical Quality on Fluidity of Lamellar Graphite Cast Iron at Different Section Thicknesses

AbstractIn this study, the fluidity properties of the alloy were investigated at different casting temperatures, different section thicknesses, and varying casting parameters of lamellar graphite cast iron materials. To achieve our goal, we utilized sand molds that were created with specific parameters including pouring temperature, metallurgical quality, section thickness, and fluidity test model. These molds were used for casting. Thus, the effect of fluidity properties in changing casting conditions and liquid metal advance distances at determined section thicknesses was investigated. Modeling was carried out with FlowCast casting simulation software by determining the liquid metal advance distance depending on the section thickness in the castings made in sand molds under changing casting conditions. The fluidity and advance distance of the liquid metal was determined comparatively with experimental and modeling techniques under the changing casting conditions in the parameters determined in this study. When the outcomes were examined; it was observed that different liquid metal advance distances occur at different cross-section thicknesses depending on the changing conditions.

Estimating Non-Linear Heat Flux in Continuous Billet Casting Process With Limited Sensors

In a continuous billet caster, the heat transfer from the pool of molten steel to the cooling water via the copper mold depends non-linearly upon several casting parameters. A reliable and accurate methodology based on the principle of inverse heat transfer technique has been proposed in this work to obtain the nonlinear heat flux of a continuous billet casting mold. Differential evolution optimization technique has been used, in conjunction with the 2-D and 3-D steady state conduction heat transfer equations to develop the complete algorithm. It has been observed that both the 2-D and 3-D models are able to accurately predict the heat flux for different numbers and locations of temperature sensors. While the 2-D model estimates the 1-D heat flux profile varying along casting direction within a very short time period, the 3-D model offers the advantage of estimating a more accurate 2-D heat flux profile varying along both the mold length and width. The 2-D model has also been used to estimate the heat flux for an industrial continuous casting mold using measured plant data. It is observed that the present methodology accurately estimates the boundary heat flux in the continuous billet caster mold.

Effect of Additives on Heat Hardened Inorganic Solid Foundry Binder

AbstractRenewed interest in inorganic binders for sand molding has also intensified research on different forms of it. In this study, solid inorganic sodium silicate binder was tested with different additives to see how these affected the silica mold quality. The five additives used were: glucose, sucrose, boric acid, aluminum oxide and iron(III)oxide powders. The mold quality was assessed through tests like bending strength, tensile strength, hot distortion, wear resistance, gas evolution and collapsibility tests. In addition, SEM imaging was done on some select mold fracture samples. In the end, a casting trial was carried out followed by a surface roughness and defects analysis. A reduction in mold strength was noticed with glucose and boric acid, while collapsibility was improved by glucose, sucrose and boric acid additives. Casting trials have shown the best surface finish to be obtained with sucrose additive. All the casts in general showed some penetration; however, repeat casts have proven that altering some casting parameters could result in casts with excellent surface finish using solid silicates.

Optimization on stir casting process parameters of Al7050 based composites using Taguchi technique

Aluminium Alloy Metal Matrix Composites (AAMMCs) are broadly used for various applications such as aerospace, military, marine, transport and automobile applications. Aluminium alloys are not sufficient for satisfying the needs of the fastest growing industries. The more combination of properties are needed for fulfil the need of fastest growing countries. The input process parameters of fabrication methods of composites are more important in connection with mechanical and tribological properties. In this research, optimization on stir casting input process parameters of AA7050/4wt.%WC composite was done by utilizing the Taguchi technique. The melting temperature (650, 700 and 750 °C), stirring speed (150, 200 and 250 rpm) and stirring duration (10, 20 and 30 min)were selected as input parameters to optimize the stir casting input process parameters. The chosen response parameter for the investigation was wear loss. The wear test was conducted by using pin on disc setup at the condition of 2500 m sliding distance, 25 N applied load and 1.5 m/s sliding velocity. The optimized input process parameters of stir casting is high level of melting temperature (750 °C), low level of stirring speed (150 rpm) and low level of stirring duration (10 min). The increasing of melting temperature decreases the wear loss and increasing of stirring duration and stirring speed enhances the wear loss due to accumulation of reinforcements in the matrix AA7050. The contribution percentage of melting temperature, stirring speed and stirring duration is 81.02 %, 12.4 % and 6.4 % respectively. The high strength MgZn2 precipitate was formed while using optimized stirring temperature, stirring duration and stirring speed and it was confirmed by XRD. The SEM image of AA7050/4wt.%WC confirmed that uniform distribution of WC in matrix AA7050 material and it caused to offer higher wear resistance. The obtained low wear loss for confirmation test specimen is 16 mg.

Optimization of Process Parameters for 40Cr Steel Continuous Casting Round Bloom with Pulsed Magneto‐Oscillation Treatment

To reduce the solidification structure defects and the macrosegregation of the Φ300 mm continuous casting round bloom, the pulsed magneto‐oscillation (PMO) treatment is added at the secondary cooling zone. A numerical model for calculating the pulsed electromagnetic field, flow field, and temperature field in continuous casting is established, and the coupling simulations of multiphysical fields under different casting parameters and PMO parameters are performed. Their influence on solidification process and the appropriate parameters are discussed. The industrial experiments conducted under the recommended parameters yield good results. Industrial experiments show that when the peak current is increased from 1350 to 1550 KIA and the casting speed is increased from 0.75 to 0.90 m min−1, PMO can increase the equiaxed grain zone and reduce the carbon macrosegregation of the bloom. Moreover, at high casting speed, PMO treatment can significantly promote columnar‐to‐equiaxed transition and increase the width of mixed grain zone.

Study on the Consumption Mechanism and Lubrication of Mold Powder Based on Non-Sinusoidal Oscillation Mode

A two-dimensional mold model coupled multiphase flow, heat transfer, solidification and mold oscillation was established based on the casting parameters of the mold of plant. The accuracy of the model was verified by comparing the measured by plant and calculated mold powder consumption under the same casting conditions. The mechanism of mold powder consumption and lubrication was analyzed based on the non-sinusoidal oscillation mode, and the effect of non-sinusoidal oscillation parameters on mold powder consumption was discussed. Mold powder consumption was determined by the downward flow velocity of liquid mold powder and the thickness of liquid mold powder film, the liquid mold powder consumption decreased with the decrease of those. When the mold moved downward, the mold powder thickness and downward flow velocity decreased, the minimum mold powder consumption reached at the middle of the negative strip time, and the variation was to opposite when the mold moved upward, the maximum mold powder consumption appeared during the positive strip time. With the decrease of casting speed and modification ratio, and increase of oscillation frequency and oscillation amplitude, the mold powder consumption had the tendency to increase. The nonlinear regression equation was fitted by the Levenberg–Marquardt method combined with the universal global optimization method to evaluate mold powder consumption.

Exploring the Impact of Sustainable Stir Casting Process Parameters on the Tensile Strength of AA2017-AlNp Composites: A Taguchi Technique Approach

By integrating sustainable materials and practices into the fabrication process of the AA2017/AlN composites, you can enhance their environmental performance and contribute to a more sustainable future for materials engineering.An attempt was made to investigate the impact of stir casting parameters on the tensile strength (TS) of AlN particles reinforced AA2017 matrix composites. The composites containing 0, 5, 10 and 15 wt.% AlN incorporated AA2017 matrix developed via stir casting route. Taguchi’s L16 orthogonal design layout consisting of four input parameters and four levels were chosen to fabricate the composites. The selected process parameters were stirring time (min), stirring speed (rpm), reinforcement (wt.%) and melting temperature (oC). Similarly, the output response was considered as tensile strength (TS) and the test was performed by universal testing machine (UTM). Taguchi approach was engaged to predict the finest setting of casting parameters to achieve the superior TS of the proposed AA2017/AlN composites. The statistical results revealed that the maximum TS was produced by stirring time of 8 min, stirring speed of 500 rpm, reinforcement content of 15 wt.% and melting temperature of 700oC. ANOVA results found that reinforcement (53.95%) was the notable factor for affecting the TS, next by stirring time (37.20%). By leveraging sustainable materials and manufacturing practices, this study contributes to the advancement of environmentally friendly materials engineering practices, paving the way for a more sustainable future in the field.

Thermodynamic databases of Ti-Al-Fe-V quaternary alloy systems and its application

Pandat software based on Calculations of phase diagram (CALPHAD) was used in this study. Six binary systems and four ternary systems in the Ti-Al-Fe-V system were evaluated, compared, and optimized. A thermodynamic database of Ti-Al-Fe-V titanium alloys was established by selecting the most recent, accurate, and self-consistent thermodynamic parameters. The database was used to simulate the organization of equilibrium solidification and non-equilibrium solidification alloys of Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al, Ti-10V-3Al-1Fe and Ti-10V-3Al. The precipitated phase fractions of Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al at different temperatures were calculated using the database. The effect of different Fe contents and aging temperatures on the phase composition of the Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al alloy is given in conjunction with the calculated results. There is good agreement with the experimental results for the heat treatment regimens given by the calculations. The above results show that thermodynamic calculations based on phase diagrams can guide the formulation of process parameters for alloy casting and heat treatment. The established thermodynamic database for Ti-Al-Fe-V titanium alloys is accurate and reliable.

Smart-Cast: An AI-Based System for Semisolid Casting Process Control

To satisfy the rising demand for higher product quality and giga-casting requirements, the casting process is undergoing significant changes. However, current control methods rely significantly on human expertise and experience, making process availability and stability difficult to ensure. The semisolid casting process is more complicated than conventional liquid casting due to the additional casting parameters incorporated during the slurry preparation, which can have an effect on the quality of the final product. Therefore, an efficient tool is required to simplify the complete process of semisolid casting. The introduction of an AI system to aid in the supervision of the casting manufacturing procedure is one potential solution. This paper introduces a new casting system named ”Smart-Cast” developed for this specific purpose. The paper describes the functions of the system and its current development process. Using an AI system as an assistant can help to achieve the goal of enhancing the efficacy of casting process control, and it can also help foundries step into the Industry 4.0 era.

Optimization of stir casting parameters for the tensile behavior of nano Al2O3 and ZrO2 reinforced Al-Mg-Si alloy metal composites

Stir casting is a frequently used method in the metallurgical process of casting aluminium composites. The microstructure and performance of the composites are influenced by the stirring casting parameters. The majority of research conducted in this area focused on producing composites using stir casting parameters that were predetermined, without utilizing an optimization method. This work aims to optimize the stir casting parameters for the manufacturing of Al-Mg-Si (Al6061) alloy reinforced with hybrid nano Al2O3 and nano ZrO2 in order to enhance its performance. The Taguchi optimization technique was employed to analyze the important effects of stir casting parameters on the ultimate tensile strength of a hybrid metal matrix composite. The composites were produced by the ultrasonic aided stir casting method, employing a set of process parameters determined by the Taguchi L16 orthogonal array. The S/N (Signal to Noise ratio) and Regression model were utilized to determine the optimal values and assess the influence of process parameters on the tensile qualities. The Minitab 21 software was utilized to perform simultaneous optimization of the attributes. The findings indicated that the composition of the nano reinforcement, stirring temperature, stirring speed, and stirring time all had a substantial impact on improving the UTS (Ultimate Tensile Strength) of the material.

Mechanical Property Evaluation of Stir-Squeeze Cast Al-Based Nano SiC Composites

This study focuses on the production of stir-squeeze cast hybrid composites made of aluminium with reinforcements. Base metal AA6105 is combined with SiC/TiC. TiC is changed from 3 to 9 wt% while SiC is kept constant (3wt%).Nine specimens are created using the deviation of the stir casting parameters of Stirrer speed (SP) 350-550rpm, Stir-time (TI) 15-25 min, and Reinforcement (RE) 3-19 w.t% in accordance with L9 Taguchi's design. By applying pressure of 60 MPa during squeeze casting, reinforced composites are created. Both stir casting and squeeze cast specimens are examined for their mechanical characteristics, such as tensile strength (TS) and hardness (BHN). Based on elongation, tension, and strain, TS was assessed for both processes. The outcomes showed that SQC sample L6 obtained the maximum TS of 303.19 MPa while STC specimen only managed to reach 269.88 MPa. The STC method produced a hardness value of roughly 83.56 Hv, whereas the greatest hardness value of 94.73 Hv was obtained with SQC sample L9 (SP-550 rpm, TI-25 min & RE-6%).

Reduction of surface defects by optimization of casting speed using genetic programming: An industrial case study

Štore Steel Ltd. produces more than 200 different types of steel with a continuous caster installed in 2016. Several defects, mostly related to thermomechanical behaviour in the mould, originate from the continuous casting process. The same casting speed of 1.6 m/min was used for all steel grades. In May 2023, a project was launched to adjust the casting speed according to the casting temperature. This adjustment included the steel grades with the highest number of surface defects and different carbon content: 16MnCrS5, C22, 30MnVS5, and 46MnVS5. For every 10 °C deviation from the prescribed casting temperature, the speed was changed by 0.02 m/min. During the 2-month period, the ratio of rolled bars with detected surface defects (inspected by an automatic control line) decreased for the mentioned steel grades. The decreases were from 11.27 % to 7.93 %, from 12.73 % to 4.11 %, from 16.28 % to 13.40 %, and from 25.52 % to 16.99 % for 16MnCrS5, C22, 30MnVS5, and 46MnVS5, respectively. Based on the collected chemical composition and casting parameters from these two months, models were obtained using linear regression and genetic programming. These models predict the ratio of rolled bars with detected surface defects and the length of detected surface defects. According to the modelling results, the ratio of rolled bars with detected surface defects and the length of detected surface defects could be minimally reduced by 14 % and 189 %, respectively, using casting speed adjustments. A similar result was achieved from July to November 2023 by adjusting the casting speed for the other 27 types of steel. The same was predicted with the already obtained models. Genetic programming outperformed linear regression.

A new generation of metal chillers to control the solidification structure of Al-4.5 wt%Cu alloy

This paper introduces and examines a new generation of chillers for judicious control of the solidification structure of cast metals and alloys. This innovative chiller makes use of the absorption of the latent heat of melting of a Phase Change Material (PCM) incorporated in the chiller. In this work, Al-4.5 wt%Cu melt was cast in sand molds fitted with a traditional solid steel chiller as well as this new type of chiller consisted of a steel container filled with a given amount of pure zinc as PCM. Effects of the PCM fitted chiller on the thermal history, solidification and structure of the castings were studied by experimental and computer simulation investigations. The optimum casting parameters and mold and chillers dimensions were selected using ProCast simulation software. Use of the PCM fitted chiller resulted in faster columnar-equiaxed transition, 27 %, 54 % and 40 % reduction in the length of the columnar zone and the primary and the secondary dendrite arm spacings, respectively, and about 30 % improvement in the hardness. Thermal gradients and cooling rates at different points of the PCM fitted casting were generally more than those in the traditionally chilled casting. Use of the PCM fitted chiller eliminated the formation of the feathery grains and reduced the formation of the undesired Fe-rich phases close to the chiller due to different thermal history of the castings. Segregation pattern and change of Growth Restriction Factor (GRF) along the castings were studied and related to the cooling and growth conditions experienced by each casting.

THE EFFECT OF CASTING PARAMETERS ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE AND CORROSION BEHAVIOR OF SAE 430B ALLOYS FOR TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY

SAE 430B is a Cu-based alloy, which, due to good properties qualify the alloy in special bronzes category. In this paper, the influence of the casting parameters on the properties of the SAE 430B cast in two types of moulds: (i) temporary (based on quartos sand) and (ii) permanent (metallic mould). Samples in as-cast condition were cut and prepared for chemical and microstructural analysis. The chemical composition was determined via spectroscopic analysis, the structural characterization was carried out by optical and electronic microscopy. EDS chemical analysis was used to identify the compositions of phases and compounds in the material. The corrosion behaviour was analysed in seawater by a linear potentiodynamic polarization test. The microstructure of as-cast samples presents a β phase structure with intermetallic precipitates with various morphologies. With the increase in cooling rate, corrosion potential values become more negative and current density increases.