Інженерне моделювання та проєктування процесів одержання виливків відповідального призначення методом лиття з кристалізацією під тиском

• Date: 2026
• Main Authors: Євтушенко, С.Д., Акімов, О.В., Альохін, В.І.
• Format: Article
• Language: Ukrainian
• Published: Physico-technological Institute of Metals and Alloys 2026
• Subjects: лиття із кристалізацією під тиском; інженерне моделювання; якість; тиск пресування; термічна обробка
• Online Access: https://www.metalsandcasting.com/index.php/mcu/article/view/317
• Journal Title: Metal and Casting of Ukraine

The article presents the results of research on the implementation of Industry 4.0 digital technologies in the production of critical cast components. Foundry production is the main supplier of castings for mechanical engineering. The quality of the resulting castings depends on many technological factors. When addressing these tasks, specialists involved in the prepara- tion of technological processes for casting production are forced to make decisions under conditions of limited information about the physical regularities underlying these processes. This necessitates the use of modern approaches to analysis and forecasting. Therefore, one of the key stages in creating a highly efficient technological process for producing cast parts is engineering simulation and the design of casting processes using specialized software systems, which allow highly accurate reproduction of the physical and technological processes occurring during casting formation. The aim of this study is to improve the quality of critical castings produced by the squeeze casting method through the application of engineering simulation and advanced casting process design. Based on the results of numerical simulation of the casting cooling process and analysis of temperature field distribution, the behavior of liquid, semi-solid, and solid phases within its volume has been determined. This made it possible to analyze in detail the sequence of cooling and solidification of the casting. The obtained results indicate the presence of critical solidification zones in which the last volumes of liquid metal are isolated from feeding, which directly indicates the need to adjust technological casting parameters or pressing pressure to prevent the occurrence of gas-shrinkage defects. It was established that castings produced without applied pressure and at a pressure of 5.0 MPa contain casting defects, including isolated and clustered cavities up to 3 mm in size. At a pressure of 15.0 MPa, looseness and isolated cavities up to 1.5 mm were observed. At pressures of 40.0 MPa and higher, no casting defects were detected. Both modeling and experimental studies confirmed that for a dimensional range of pistons with diameters of 150–210 mm produced from aluminum alloys AK12M2MgN and AK21M2.5N2.5, a pressing pressure of 40.0 MPa is sufficient to obtain defect-free castings. During the industrial experiment, the influence of heat treatment on the microstructure of samples made from alloy AK12M2MgN was also investigated. The following types of heat treatment were applied: 1) aging at 200 ºC; 2) quenching at 495 ºC followed by aging at 195 ºC; 3) aging at 220 ºC; 4) quenching at 510 ºC followed by aging at 250 ºC. The study of sam- ples in all variants revealed that their microstructure consists of dendrites of the α solid solution containing eutectic inclusions in the form of colonies and silicon-based particles. Samples produced without the application of pressure and subjected to all types of heat treatment exhibited a somewhat coarser microstructure (the eutectic showing a more pronounced needle-like morphology, with silicon distributed in clusters) compared to the other variants, where a fine-dispersed microstructure with a more clearly defined preferential orientation of α-solid-solution dendrites along the axes was observed. When a pressure of 40.0 MPa was applied, significant coagulation of eutectic inclusions and their more uniform distribution throughout the polished section were noted.