| |
Software for Die Casting | HotFlo! | |
Released 4th April 2009
In this release, a new worksheet for Vacuum Venting of Die Casting dies was added.
This enables all the important calculations in relation to vacuum Die Casting die design to be established. It provides for different types of fixed vacuum vents (straight vents, zig-zag vents, square wave vents, ripple vents and chill vent inserts) as well as moving vacuum vents. Vacuum ducts can be specified.
DC-CALC will calculate the cavity evacuation time and the vacuum level for any combination of vents and enable the optimum configuration to be established.
Released 19th May 2006
Vesion 4.0 is a major release of the software, incorporating the changes which users have suggested over the past two years.
Runners and Gating: Each of the different parts of the runner system are now represented diagrammatically. So, Fan Gates, Shock Absorbers, Tangential Gated Runners, Feed Runners and Sprue Systems can now be visualised, and the important output data appears on the diagram. This greatly helps users in developing the model of their parts, as well as for communication to technical and tooling staff.
Language Database: DC-CALC now has full multi-lingual capability. By selecting the "Language" cell at the very top of the first page, all text will instantly display in the chosen language. This is especially useful for organisations with staff from different countries. This release has four languages in the standard database : English, Chinese, French and German, but there is no limit to how many can be added. With help from our userbase, we expect this to continue to grow. Please let us know if you can help with translating into your language.
Machine Database: Standard data for another 24 Die Casting machines were added to the database.
Released 16th June 2004
Thermal Analysis: Additional functionality was added to enable calculation of die segment temperatures using oil and air as coolants, as well as water. Under the section headed "Fluid Cooling", the user has to specify, for each thermal segment, whether water, oil or air will be used as the coolant. DC-CALC will display a default value for the coolant temperature, which the user can override. Since more and more die casting dies are being manufactured with hybrid cooling systems, using for example both oil and water, this new feature impoves the die design capability of Die Casting engineers and technicians.
Data: There has been a large increase in the number of standard Die Casting machines whose data is stored in the database section of DC-CALC.It now contains data from over 230 machines, from 18 manufacturers including Frech, Italpresse, Hishinuma, UBE, Buhler, LK, Upre, Jeng Fong, Chen Fong, Shinozuka, Kawaguchi, Producer, National, Vihorlat Polak, Agrati, Oleopresse, Colosiopresse and IDRA.
Released 4th February, 2003
Thermal Analysis: A whole new section "Thermal System Measurements", was added in this version. This enables the thermal performance to be quantified and compared to the designed parameters. There are two main measurements,
Charts have been added to make data interpretation easier, and the User Manual has been updated to reflect the changes. See Relevent User Manual Pages for full details.
A bug was fixed, where the "Totals" columns in the Heating and Cooling Power Balance, now take up multiple copies of the same segment as entered in the cells "Number of Identical Segments". So, in multi-cavity dies with identical segments, you only need to specify the data once and it adds correctly into the total power.
Data: The data entry for machine Pressure Peak Coefficient was changed in the light of new research and experimental evidence on the relationship between plunger speed and the dynamic pressure peak. The main effect of this is on the Die Opening Force in the worksheet "Machine Lock-Up and Tiebar Loading".
Released 1-Oct-2001
The major new feature added in this version was a Fan-gate calculator. This enables all types of Fan-gates to be designed with smooth transitions from the runner to the cavity, reducing pressure losses and the risk of air entrapment. It covers Fan gates, Chisel gates and Paddle gates. It integrates with the calculations from the Feasibility worksheet. Dies can be designed with a combination of Fan-gates and Tapered Tangential Runner Gates if required.
The 'Extra Casting Mass' in the Venting spreadsheet now comes from the data entered in the Production worksheet.
Further refinement to the calculation of Re-melt Mass in the Production worksheet.
Released 15-June-2001
Fixed a bug in the calculation of Casting Mass in worksheets Production, Thermal and Venting which only occurred when "Volume" was selected in the Feasibility worksheet.
Fixed the calculation of Remelting Mass in the Production worksheet which occurred in multi-cavity dies.
Released 30-December-2000
A minor modification to the equations for calculating the mass of a hot sprue tip to increase the accuracy of the value of the total runner mass.
Released 12-December-2000
This release included a number of minor changes.
Production and Costing: Calculations for the annual Sales Value, Total Cost and Profitability were added to the bottom of the second page.
Machine Lock-Up and Tie Bar Loading: The metal pressure now includes the intensification ratio which can add to the die opening force. The full intensification pressure is applied after the cavity has filled, during the solidification period. However because of the partial solidification of the metal in the cavity, the full effect of intensification does not impact on the metal. The net effect is somewhere between full intensification and no intensification. The DC-CALC User can now adjust this ratio and see the effect it will have on the die opening force.
 |
|
 |