During the casting process, gases form and expand in cores and molds amongst others due to the decomposition of binder components and other volatile components. This is closely related to the basic sand binder mixture used and its compaction as well as its specific gas permeability. Different volumes of gas are produced at different times depending on the type and quantity of the volatile components, the thermal exposure and the respective decomposition behaviour. Relatively high gas pressures at the interface to the melt can result in gas inclusions in the casting. In the cases of complex cores or even core packages, it is difficult in practice to determine if core gases are the cause of defects due to the numerous and diverse influencing factors.
Newly developed simulation models in Magmasoft virtually depict gas formation, gas flow, and venting through core prints or the penetration into the melt. This functionality enables accurate prediction of the risk of defects due to gases from cores and molds. The availability of practical quantitative data already during simulation-based design of castings and cores therefore contributes significantly to the prevention of defects.
ASK Chemicals and Magma have agreed on a collaboration as part of a development project to quantify the decomposition behaviour and gas formation of different ASK binder systems. To this end, ASK Chemicals will carry out extensive research in their laboratories and Technical Center. Respective laws of decomposition behaviour and resulting gas formation will be quantitatively determined for different binder systems and heating characteristics. Product-dependent kinetic models will be derived from these data that will make the formation of gas volumes and the resulting effects in Magmasoft quantitatively predictable.
_{(Source: MAGMA Gießereitechnologie GmbH, ASK Chemicals GmbH)}