12/13/21, 1:01 PM Casting Simulation Niyama Criterion Procedure Qualification

Casting Simulation Niyama Criterion Qualification

Materials Technology Institute (MTI)

Steel Founders’ Society of America (SFSA)

Site Map:
Summary

The Niyama Criterion and Solidification Shrinkage

Sources of Variability in Simulation Results

Description of Standard Casting Simulation

Qualification Procedure

Step-by-Step Qualification Instructions

Summary

This procedure is designed to demonstrate the

competent use of casting simulation software as a
means to ensure the mitigation
of solidification shrinkage below levels that are normally observed
in
radiographic examination. This is accomplished using a common casting
simulation output
parameter known as the Niyama criterion (described below). Effective
application of casting
simulation is complex, and requires a high level of
expertise by the practitioner. The objective of
this document is to describe a procedure that allows the practitioner to
demonstrate his/her
level of expertise. This is done through the
procedure outlined here, in which practitioners qualify
their sand casting simulation
capabilities for a given alloy by comparing user-generated Niyama
criterion
results to benchmark results for a predefined standard casting simulation. Once
this
procedure is successfully completed, practitioners are qualified to submit
Niyama criterion results
for that alloy, as may be requested as part of a
purchasing specification.

The Niyama Criterion and Solidification Shrinkage

The Niyama criterion is a local thermal parameter that is defined as the thermal gradient
divided by
the square root of the cooling rate, evaluated near the end of solidification (when
solidification shrinkage
typically forms).
Shrinkage porosity is expected to form below some critical minimum Niyama value.
The minimum Niyama value is the lowest Niyama value found in the region of interest.
The relationship between Niyama value and shrinkage porosity is shown schematically in Fig.
1 below.
For large Niyama values, no shrinkage porosity is expected.
As the Niyama value decreases below a certain critical value (Nymicro), micro-shrinkage
begins to form.
Micro-shrinkage: Solidification shrinkage that is not visible on a standard
radiographic film.
As the Niyama value further decreases below another critical value (Nymacro),
macro-
shrinkage begins to form.
Macro-shrinkage: Visible solidification shrinkage that can be detected by
common
radiographic techniques.

https://www.sfsa.org/folio/downloads/MTI/docs/SFSA_Simulation Qualification_Procedures.htm 1/7

12/13/21, 1:01 PM Casting Simulation Niyama Criterion Procedure Qualification

The critical Niyama values shown schematically in Fig. 1 have the following ranges:
Nymacro = 0.1 – 1.0 (°C-sec)1/2 /mm, depending on the
radiographic sensitivity
Nymicro = 2.0 – 3.0 (°C-sec)1/2 /mm
The Niyama criterion, as evaluated in casting simulation software, is known to provide a
robust prediction
of macro- and micro-shrinkage. The Niyama criterion predicts both macro-
shrinkage as well as micro-shrinkage
not detectable via radiography.
The Niyama criterion does not explicitly predict hot spots in a casting, and it does not predict
gas
porosity or other solidification defects. Therefore, it should not be used as the only
method of quality
assurance.
When a purchaser uses casting simulation as a quality assurance requirement, he/she
should bear in
mind that it will usually not be possible to produce a casting with very high
Niyama values throughout
the casting. Specification of high Niyama values should be
assigned to "critical" regions of
the casting. These critical regions may include:

Valve seat
Junction of a flange with the body of a component
Junction of a valve body with the nozzle neck
Junction of foot support with a pump body

For the purpose of preventing leaks, there should not be a “pathway” of predicted Niyama
values less
than Nymicro from the inside to the outside of the wall of a casting. Therefore, it
may be
important to examine the predicted distribution of Niyama values in numerous
“slices”, instead of requiring
all predicted Niyama values in a critical region to be above
Nymicro. In other words, a region
with minimum Niyama values below Nymicro may be
tolerable in a casting section, if it is limited
to the center of that section and does not extend
to the surfaces.

(back to Site Map)

Sources of Variability in Simulation Results

Ideally, for the same casting alloy, mold material, geometry and process, the same Niyama values
should be predicted. However, casting simulation is a complex process that requires much user
input. Variations in casting simulation Niyama results between practitioners using either the same
solidification software package or different software packages occur in practice. These variations
may be caused by several factors:

i. Some software packages may provide inaccurate predictions due to the nature of the
numerical
approximations made internally.
ii. Different software packages may evaluate the Niyama criterion differently:

https://www.sfsa.org/folio/downloads/MTI/docs/SFSA_Simulation Qualification_Procedures.htm 2/7

12/13/21, 1:01 PM Casting Simulation Niyama Criterion Procedure Qualification

Different temperature at which the Niyama criterion is evaluated. Common default

values include:
Solidus temperature (i.e., temperature at which metal is 100% solidified);
TNy =
Tsol
10% of the solidification interval above the solidus temperature;
TNy = Tsol + 0.10*
(Tliq – Tsol)
35% of the solidification interval above the solidus temperature;
TNy = Tsol + 0.35*
(Tliq – Tsol)
Different units used
Common units include (°C-sec)1/2 /mm and (°C-min)1/2/cm
1 (°C-min)1/2 /cm = 0.775 (°C-sec)1/2 /mm
iii. The thermophysical properties of the alloy and the mold material, which are needed in a
casting
simulation, may not be well established.
If different properties are used, the predicted temperatures and, hence, the Niyama
criterion values will be different.
iv. The casting and boundary conditions may not be accurately known or input:
Pouring/initial metal temperature
Mold/metal interfacial heat transfer coefficient
Ambient heat transfer
etc.
v. The accuracy of a filling simulation (if performed) affects the temperature distribution of the
metal in the mold at the conclusion of the pour.
vi. The choice of the numerical grid and time steps will depend on the software user and
available computing power.

(back to Site Map)

Description of Standard Casting Simulation

The geometry for the standard casting simulation consists of a valve with a riser in a
rectangular
mold box (see step-by-step qualification instructions below).
Qualification may be requested for any alloy (benchmark results are currently available for
only a
limited number of alloys).
The mold material in the standard casting simulation is specified to be furan (resin bonded
silica) sand.
It is realized that a different mold material may be used for a production casting.
Variability due to the choice of the mold/metal interfacial heat transfer coefficient is eliminated
by
specifying a constant value of 800 W/(m2K). It is realized that different values may be
appropriate
when simulating production castings.
Variability due to a filling simulation is eliminated by simulating solidification only. A
prescribed initial
superheat of the melt in the mold and a prescribed initial mold temperature
are specified. It is realized that a
filling simulation is typically needed to accurately predict
temperatures, and that the initial melt and mold
temperatures depend on a foundry’s practice.
The choice of thermophysical properties (metal and mold) for this qualification is made by the
person
conducting the simulation. In fact, one purpose of this qualification is to establish that
sufficiently accurate
properties are used.
A sufficiently fine numerical grid must be used by the person conducting the simulation, such
that the Niyama
results are reasonably grid-independent. The time step is typically
determined automatically by the simulation
software and depends on the grid size, among
other factors.
The Niyama criterion must always be evaluated at a temperature that is 10% of the
solidification range
above solidus [i.e., TNy = Tsol + 0.10*(Tliq – Tsol)].
Minimum Niyama values must always be reported in units of (°C-sec)1/2 /mm
https://www.sfsa.org/folio/downloads/MTI/docs/SFSA_Simulation Qualification_Procedures.htm 3/7
12/13/21, 1:01 PM Casting Simulation Niyama Criterion Procedure Qualification

(back to Site Map)

Qualification Procedure
Follow the step-by-step instructions below
in conducting the qualification.
Complete the Simulation Qualification Form.
Submit the signed form, together with the
required attachment, to the person requesting qualification.
The document entitled Benchmark Results
contains benchmark minimum Niyama values for
a number of different alloys, as well as the corresponding
Niyama plots and casting
simulation details. The benchmark minimum Niyama value for the alloy for which
qualification
is requested must be entered in the
Simulation Qualification Form.
If the minimum Niyama value obtained in the qualification simulation is
lower than or
equal to the benchmark value, then the practitioner is
QUALIFIED for that alloy.
Lower Niyama values mean more shrinkage porosity, indicating an
acceptable
(conservative) simulation result.
If the minimum Niyama value obtained in the qualification simulation is
higher than the
benchmark value, then the practitioner is
NOT QUALIFIED for that alloy.
Higher Niyama values mean less shrinkage porosity, indicating an
unacceptable
(non-conservative) simulation result.
The plot of Niyama values included in the benchmark results can be used to
qualitatively compare the predicted distribution of Niyama values.
The table of casting simulation details included in the benchmark results
is intended to
help assess the reasonableness of the simulation parameters used,
and to help identify
the sources of any disagreements with the benchmark results.

(back to Site Map)

Step-by-Step Qualification Instructions

The standard casting geometry to be used for the qualification simulation is the risered valve in the
mold box shown in Fig. 2 below.

https://www.sfsa.org/folio/downloads/MTI/docs/SFSA_Simulation Qualification_Procedures.htm 4/7

12/13/21, 1:01 PM Casting Simulation Niyama Criterion Procedure Qualification

1. To perform the qualification simulation, begin by downloading CAD model files for the
valve geometry,
the riser/riser contact, and the mold box:
moldbox.stl - Mold box geometry
valve.stl - Valve geometry
riser.stl - Riser geometry (including ingate)
valve_and_riser_cf.zip
- IGES file containing the combined geometries of the valve and
the riser in one solid model.
(Compressed in .zip format)
2. Import the CAD files above into your casting simulation software. To ensure that the
files were correctly
imported, compare the dimensions and orientations provided in
Fig. 2 above (dimensions in mm) with the dimensions
of your imported geometry.
Adjust positions if necessary.
3. Set up your qualification simulation using the following settings:
Simulate solidification only (i.e., simulate without filling)
Use furan (resin bonded silica) sand properties for the mold material
Assume hot topping is used on the riser

Set the mold/metal interfacial heat transfer coefficient to a constant value of 800 W/m2-
K
Set the Niyama criterion evaluation temperature for your simulation to a value 10% of
the solidification
range above the solidus temperature
i.e., TNy = Tsol
+ 0.10*(Tliq – Tsol)
Determine the initial metal temperature for your simulation by using a 100°C superheat,
where “superheat” is defined as the difference between the initial metal temperature
specified
in the simulation and the liquidus temperature of the alloy being simulated
Set the initial sand mold temperature to 20°C
4. Run the casting simulation
5. Create the required Niyama contour plot:
Plot Niyama contour values in the top portion of the yz-plane mid-valve cross-section
(location indicated in Fig. 3 below)
Choose your Niyama scale such that the minimum Niyama value can be clearly
determined
from the plot, with a resolution of at least 0.1 (°C-sec)1/2 /mm; see the
example
schematic in Fig. 4 below.
Be sure to include the Niyama scale in your plot (as in Fig. 4)
Be sure to include the Niyama criterion units in your plot (as in Fig. 4)
Save your plot in an electronic format (.bmp, .tif, .gif, .jpg, etc.)

https://www.sfsa.org/folio/downloads/MTI/docs/SFSA_Simulation Qualification_Procedures.htm 5/7

12/13/21, 1:01 PM Casting Simulation Niyama Criterion Procedure Qualification

6. Record the minimum Niyama value:

Determine the range into which the minimum Niyama value falls in the contour plot you
created in
Step 5. Be sure that your minimum Niyama value is in units of (°C-sec)1/2
/mm. If your
simulation software package uses units different from this, you will need to
convert your value to
these units. For the example shown in Fig. 4, the minimum
Niyama value range is 0.1 <
Nymin < 0.2 (°C-sec)1/2 /mm.
Note: Two common sets of Niyama units are (°C-sec)1/2 /mm and
(°C-min)1/2 /cm.
The relationships between these units are: 1 (°C-sec)1/2
/mm = 1.29 (°C-min)1/2
/cm, or 1 (°C-min)1/2 /cm = 0.775
(°C-sec)1/2 /mm
Enter the upper limit of the range into which the minimum Niyama value falls at the
appropriate
location in the Simulation Qualification Form.
For the example shown in Fig.
4, the value to enter on the form is Nymin = 0.2
(°C-sec)1/2 /mm.
Obtain the benchmark minimum Niyama value for the alloy for which qualification is
requested. For
a number of different alloys, benchmark minimum Niyama values are
available in the document entitled
Benchmark Results. Enter the benchmark
minimum
Niyama value at the appropriate location in the
Simulation Qualification Form.
7. Provide required data from your simulation:
Gather the simulation details requested in the table below. Complete the table in the
Simulation Qualification Form.
Notes
Number of computational cells used: along with providing the number of
computational
cells, indicate whether your number is the number of metal
cells (casting and riser) or
the total number of cells (i.e., metal cells plus
cells in the mold)
Mold properties used: indicate the name of the database you used for your
sand mold
properties, along with a description of its origin
Example 1: database ‘PEPSET’, standard database supplied with
casting simulation
software package, version 3.1
Example 2: database ‘green sand’, in-house database developed
based on references
[a, b, c], 8/2005
Metal alloy properties used: indicate the name of the database you used for
your metal
alloy properties, along with a description of its origin
Example 1: database ‘WCB’, standard database supplied with casting
simulation
software package, version 4.2
Example 2: database ‘CD3MN-UI’, developed at the University of Iowa
using
thermodynamic simulation software in conjunction with casting
trial thermocouple
data
Simulation details
Casting simulation software package used
https://www.sfsa.org/folio/downloads/MTI/docs/SFSA_Simulation Qualification_Procedures.htm 6/7
12/13/21, 1:01 PM Casting Simulation Niyama Criterion Procedure Qualification

(indicate version)
Niyama units in your simulation results
Number of computational cells used
(indicate whether your number is number
of metal cells or number of total cells)
Mold properties used (indicate name of
database, source and date)
Metal alloy properties used (indicate name
of database, source and date)
Liquidus temperature, Tliq
(°C)
Solidus temperature, Tsol
(°C)
Solidification range, [Tliq - Tsol]
(°C)
Niyama evaluation temperature, TNy
(°C)

8. Complete the remainder of the Simulation

Qualification Form, obtain signatures,
attach the Niyama contour plot from Step 5, and submit
the form to the person
requesting qualification.

(back to Site Map)

https://www.sfsa.org/folio/downloads/MTI/docs/SFSA_Simulation Qualification_Procedures.htm 7/7