Thermal Problem Set-up in Visual-Cast Page 1 sur 1

Thermal Problem Set-up in Visual-Cast

In order to get started, a very simple thermal problem will be set up in a step-by-step procedure. To do so, a
very simple prefix.vdb file (CAD data) located in the installation directory will be used. Please note that the
meshing explained in Visual-Mesh (Cast) during the case set-up is general procedure. For more detailed
information, please refer to help on Visual-Mesh (Cast) available under Help menu.
The mesh can be found in the following directory:

Test.vdb contains CAD information. One can very well start from any CAD/.mesh/.stl/.sm formats
supported in Visual-Mesh (Cast).

This section consists of the following steps:

z Step 1: Launching Visual-Mesh
z Step 2: Loading File
z Step 3: Repair, Assembling & Intersection
z Step 4: Visual-Cast
z Step 5: Volume Manager Menu
z Step 6: Interface HTC Manager
z Step 7: Process Condition Manager
z Step 8: Gravity Definition
z Step 9: Simulation Parameters
z Step 10: Surface Meshing & Solid Meshing
z Step 11: Start Simulation
z Step 12: Analyzing Results in Visual-Viewer
Step 1: Launching Visual-Mesh Page 1 sur 1

Step 1: Launching Visual-Mesh

Launch Visual-Mesh as explained in the Software Launch section.
Step 2: Loading File Page 1 sur 2

Step 2: Loading File

Open file option in Home page can be used to open test file. Set the file format to *.vdb. Select the Test.vdb
file and click on Open.

Example of GUI
Step 2: Loading File Page 2 sur 2

1. Different modules/contexts of Casting Trade (Visual-Mesh, Visual-Cast and Visual-Viewer) can be

accessed from Application menu, and Main menus are also available in the same row.
2. Explorer: Model related information is displayed in tree structure. Various operations related to display
operations can be performed in this tree structure.
3. Model Window: Window where model is displayed. On right-clicking, various options are available to
perform display management.

Quick access: Press S on the keyboard and move the mouse to translate the model. Press A on
the keyboard and move the mouse to rotate the model. Press D on the keyboard and move in and out to
zoom in and out on the model. Press Ctrl+A to select the entire model based on the Selection toolbar
settings and Shift+A to select only the visible parts of the model.
4. Console window: In this window, information about the model and its saved path are shown.
5. Cast Toolbar: This is the general Casting toolbar arranged in workflow which brings easy and effective
usage.
6. Help: User manual, Release notes with respect to individual contexts, for example Visual-Mesh (Cast)
and Visual-Environment, and version information can be found.
Step 3: Repair, Assembling & Intersection Page 1 sur 3

Step 3: Repair, Assembling & Intersection

1. Repair: Click on detect and repair surface connectivity problem icon ( ) to find out the problems
that might be there in CAD model. Click on Check button to view any surface connectivity problems in
the CAD model. If there are any connectivity problems, a message is posted at the bottom of the
window. In this case, there are no connectivity problems.

2. Assembly: Click on detect and merge overlaps between volumes icon ( ) in Casting toolbar to
merge the overlapped surfaces between two volumes. For the test model, there is one overlap region
which is shown in blue contour. Click on Assemble All for confirmation, or go with Next option to see
each one of the volumes.
Before Assembly
Step 3: Repair, Assembling & Intersection Page 2 sur 3

After Assembly

3. Intersection: Click on detect and split at (name appears as such in Visual-Mesh (Cast) toolbar)

intersectionbetween volumes icon ( ) in Casting toolbar to open up the Intersection GUI and then
click Check. This will identify whether there are any intersections between volumes (i.e., check to verify
whether one volume is penetrating inside another volume). For the case considered, no intersections
are found and the message is also displayed for the same.
Step 3: Repair, Assembling & Intersection Page 3 sur 3

Surface and solid meshing (please refer to Step 10) can be done prior to pre-processing
operations. This is up to the user's workflow choice.
Step 4: Visual-Cast Page 1 sur 1

Step 4: Visual-Cast
Change the context from Mesh to Cast in Applications menu to launch Visual-Cast module of ProCAST.

Generic information as mentioned in Step 2 after file loading information regarding Visual-Mesh is
applicable to Visual-Cast.
Model and Screen Coordinate Systems can be toggled on from View main menu.
Step 5: Volume Manager Menu Page 1 sur 8

Step 5: Volume Manager Menu

In Volume Manager, various details about the Manager are explained, as follows:
Display type can be set to transparent in View toolbar.

Volume Manager can be accessed from Cast Menu, or by double-clicking on Volumes in the explorer, or by
using shortcut keys assigned for the particular options.
Procedure for assigning shortcut keys is shown as an example for Volume Manager:
1. Right-click on toolbar and select Customize.
Step 5: Volume Manager Menu Page 2 sur 8

2. Click on Keyboard tab, select Cast from Category then, activate Volume Manager, go to 'Press new
shortcut key', then press "V", for example, on the keyboard, click on Assign and Close.

So, from now on, Volume Manager can be accessed by pressing "V" on the keyboard.
Step 5: Volume Manager Menu Page 3 sur 8

Now open Volume Manager from Cast menu to set up the case, or by double-clicking on Volumes
folder in Explorer, or by right-clicking on Volume Manager in explorer and selecting Edit, as shown
below.
Step 5: Volume Manager Menu Page 4 sur 8

Volume Manager Usage Detailed

1. Volume names are renamed appropriately as required by user by double-clicking in the corresponding
cell.
On right-clicking in the Name column, following options are displayed.
Step 5: Volume Manager Menu Page 5 sur 8

a. Extract: For Extracting and Mapping the Results.

b. Show, Hide, Locate: To Show, Hide and Locate volumes in the model window.
c. Compute Mass and Yield: To Compute Mass for Alloy, Non Alloy.
d. Define Pouring Cup Control: To control the flow rate with maximum, target and minimum
heights in the pouring cup.
e. Semi-Solid Material: For Semi Solid case setups.
f. CAFE: For CAFE case setups.
2. Different material types like Alloy, Mold and many others can be set by right-clicking and selecting the
option in the corresponding cell.

3. Materials can be assigned by right-clicking in the corresponding cell as per the different databases
(please refer to the Database section for more details) available, as shown in (4).
4. Different Materials can be accessed as shown in (4). Clicking on the drop-down menu will list
different types of Databases like Public: Readable, User which can be edited. Clicking on Edit icon
( ) will open up the assigned material for editing.

Various Types of Materials are grouped together for user convenience, as shown below. Material
Database entities will be grouped together and only materials of such categories can be accessed.
Step 5: Volume Manager Menu Page 6 sur 8

For example, if we set to Al category, Aluminum materials are displayed, as shown below.

Materials under set type are also accessible from the right-click option in Material column, as
shown below.
Step 5: Volume Manager Menu Page 7 sur 8

5. Percentage fill of molten metal in volume can be specified as zero/required percentage (like 20, 30,
50...) or 100% by clicking and entering a suitable value.
6. Units are set for Temperature with the drop-down menu.
7. Initial Temperature of the Volumes with respect to the unit set in (6) is defined by clicking in the
corresponding cell. This defines the initial conditions of casting setup.
8. Stress types like Vacant, Rigid, Linear Elastic, ..., are set with the right-click option, provided the
materials have all the properties corresponding to the user expectation.

After we have updated all the values in Volume Manager, click on Apply ) or in model
( window to accept the input values.
Step 5: Volume Manager Menu Page 8 sur 8

If one forgets to click the Apply button, a warning message is displayed to save or to exit the
GUI.
Step 6: Interface HTC Manager Page 1 sur 3

Step 6: Interface HTC Manager

In Interface HTC Manager, one should create interfaces (EQUIV, NCOINC and COINC) between material
domains and assign heat transfer coefficients.
Interfaces are automatically computed if volumes are perfectly recognized.
Interface HTC Manager can be opened from Cast main menu, or by double-clicking the Interface HTC
Manager in explorer, or by clicking on Interface Manager icon in the toolbar. Interfaces are shown only on
clicking in the Interface cell of Interface Manager.

Sometimes, if interfaces are not updated, one has to right-click on explorer and select Update
Interface. Non Coincident Interfaces should be computed with Update NCOINC Interface option
available on right-click, as shown below.
Step 6: Interface HTC Manager Page 2 sur 3

Interface Usage Detailed

1. Interfaces between volumes are shown in Name column.

On right-clicking in the Name cell, various options of adding, swapping interface and updating NCOIN
interface are available, as shown below.

2. Different types of interfaces can be accessed by right-clicking in Type column, and assigned.
3. Interface Condition can be assigned by right-clicking in the corresponding column.
4. Different databases are available for giving flexibility to user to create their own conditions.
For the case considered right-click in cell of Type column and select COINC, as shown below.
Step 6: Interface HTC Manager Page 3 sur 3

For the case considered assign Heat Transfer Coefficient by right-clicking in the cell of Interface
Coefficient, for example 500W/m^2k, as shown below.
Step 7: Process Condition Manager Page 1 sur 6

Step 7: Process Condition Manager

The cooling of the outside of the mold with the air, as well as the top surface of the casting should be defined in
the Process Condition Manager menu.
Process Condition Manager is organized in 5 main categories based on their physical significance in the usage,
as shown in explorer.

For the above case, Heat Condition will be detailed. The rest of the conditions will be explained in Process
Condition Manager chapter.

Right-click on the Heat Exchange folder in explorer -> Select New.

Process Condition Manager GUI

Step 7: Process Condition Manager Page 2 sur 6

1. Name column: Process Condition name which can be edited and renamed by user. Editing is by double-
clicking in the respective name cell.
2. Type is automatically set to respective condition. For the case considered, it is Heat.
3. Entities can be selected in two ways:
a. Selection based on the available external or internal region or volume. These are automatically
calculated during volume, interface computation and are available in the selection lists ( ) of
Volume/Region tabs.
Step 7: Process Condition Manager Page 3 sur 6

For the above case, there are 4 regions which can be viewed in selection lists ( ).

Regions can be external or interface areas, automatically created from the geometry. New
regions can be added by the user (CAD surfaces are preferred to not link the setup to the mesh or
nodes).

b. Customized region creation ( ) which will be explained in detail in

Define Region chapter.
4. Entities are available in entity column soon after selection.
5. Boundary Condition assigned from its database is shown in this column.
6. Area of the regions is shown in this column.

Area is shown only for elements.

Heat Process Condition Setup for the Case

1. Click in the first cell of Entity Column or use Tab three times on keyboard. Click on selection list ( ) in
Region to open up the Selection GUI and select EXT_Cast and EXT_Mold. Press OK or middle mouse

button (or even update button ( )) for confirmation, as shown below.

Step 7: Process Condition Manager Page 4 sur 6
Step 7: Process Condition Manager Page 5 sur 6

Press and hold left mouse button to go for multiple selection in the list.
2. Right-click in Boundary Condition and select Air Cooling, and click on Apply for confirmation. The selection
is also possible by picking the options in Name drop-down box after highlighting in the Boundary Condition
cell, as shown below.

Warning message is issued if user tries to close the GUI without clicking on Apply ), as
( shown below.
Step 7: Process Condition Manager Page 6 sur 6
Step 8: Gravity Definition Page 1 sur 1

Step 8: Gravity Definition

The gravity should be defined in the Gravity Vector/Tilt dialog, if not already defined from gravity window at
the opening of the case. To do so, click on the menu "Cast" and select the "Gravity Vector/Tilt" sub-menu.
This will open the Gravity panel, as shown below. A gravity in the -Z direction is set, and clicking on Apply
confirms, and clicking on Close button closes the panel.

If gravity is not already defined when case is opened, the menu pops up directly.
Step 9: Simulation Parameters Page 1 sur 1

Step 9: Simulation Parameters

Finally, the calculations parameters should be specified in the “Simulation Parameters".
In this example, all the default values can be used with default as Gravity Thermal, as shown
below.
TSTOP value is taken as 500 degree centigrade. Click on Apply ( ) for confirming all parameters.
Step 10: Surface Meshing & Solid Meshing Page 1 sur 5

Step 10: Surface Meshing & Solid Meshing

Surface and solid meshing can be done prior to pre-processing operations. This is up to the user's
workflow choice.
1. Change context to Mesh in Casting trade from Application Menu.

2. Right-click on Volume Manager folder in explorer to set the Shell element size for volumes in explorer,
as shown below.

Set the element size as required by the user. In this case, Cast is set with 10 and Mold with 10 element
size, as shown below.
Step 10: Surface Meshing & Solid Meshing Page 2 sur 5

3. Click on Create Surface Mesh in Casting toolbar. This creates linear tet elements for the model, as
shown below.

4. Click on Check Surface Mesh and on tab check to verify the quality parameters.

For the above model, surface mesh check is OK, which is shown in console window:
Step 10: Surface Meshing & Solid Meshing Page 3 sur 5

5. Solid Meshing:
a. Click on Volume Meshing to create 3D Elements.

6. Progress bar of tetra mesh creation is shown in the model window.

Step 10: Surface Meshing & Solid Meshing Page 4 sur 5

Solid Elements are soon created.

Quality Check for solid elements ( ) is checked by clicking Check button in Casting toolbar.

Message of Quality is shown in Console window

Step 10: Surface Meshing & Solid Meshing Page 5 sur 5

Data Checks under Cast Menu to be used to check warnings and errors.
Step 11: Start Simulation Page 1 sur 3

Step 11: Start Simulation

Change the context from Mesh to Cast in Application menu for solver submission.

Open Start Simulation panel from Cast menu.

Click on Run. ProCAST Solver starts soon after saving and DataCAST is run successfully, as
shown below.
Step 11: Start Simulation Page 2 sur 3

Clicking on Monitor in Start Simulation panel will post the status panel.
Step 11: Start Simulation Page 3 sur 3
Step 12: Analyzing Results in Visual-Viewer Page 1 sur 1

Step 12: Analyzing Results in Visual-Viewer

Once the calculation is finished, or any time during the calculation, one can view the results in the
post-processor Visual-Viewer by changing the context to Viewer from Application menu of Casting Trade.