Development of a dedicated finite element solver for heat treatment

doi:10.13251/j.issn.0254-6051.2021.08.016

Abstract

Abstract: A dedicated finite element solver is the core technology for realizing simulation and computation for heat treatment process. Though foreign commercial software companies have been taking the lead in this area for a long time, a dedicated finite element solver MetalX for heat treatment is independently developed. After introducing its fundamental mathematical models for physical fields, features and calculation process, the MetalX solver was applied to simulate the carburization process of 18CrNiMo7-6 steel and its result was compared with the result of a mainstream commercial finite element software MSC.Marc. The results indicate that the MetalX solver can realize four-field coupled non-linear analysis of thermo-phase transformation-diffusion-structure, and is used to predict temperature, microstructure, carbon concentration, deformation and residual stress of the component during the whole process of heating, carburization and quenching, with similar calculation accuracy of the mainstream commercial finite element software.

Key words: heat treatment, finite element solver, multi-field coupling, non-linear analysis

CLC Number:

TG156

Chen Zhenhao, Xu Jun, Wang Jing, Gu Jianfeng. Development of a dedicated finite element solver for heat treatment[J]. Heat Treatment of Metals, 2021, 46(8): 77-84.

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