What Can the Metal Processing Module Do?
The Metal Processing Module can be used to model different physical phenomena related to heat treatment of metals. Using this module, you can study how metallurgical phase transformations change the microstructure of a metallic material during a heating or cooling process. One example is the quenching of automotive steel transmission components, where the resulting microstructure is tailored to meet specific demands on strength and durability. Other examples include the study of phase transformations that occur during additive manufacturing of metal components and phase transformations in the heat-affected zone during welding.
There are several physics interfaces in the Metal Processing Module:
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The Metal Phase Transformation interface for studying diffusive and displacive metallurgical phase transformations in materials like steels.
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The Austenite Decomposition interface for specifically studying the cooling of steel from an austenitic state.
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The Austenite Decomposition, Kirkaldy–Venugopalan interface for studying the cooling of steel from an austenitic state, using the phase transformation modeling framework of Kirkaldy and Venugopalan.
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The Austenite Decomposition, Li–Niebuhr–Meekisho–Atteridge interface for studying the cooling of steel from an austenitic state, using the phase transformation modeling framework of Li, Niebuhr, Meekisho, and Atteridge.
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The Alpha-Beta Phase Transformation interface for specifically studying thermal transients in α-β titanium alloys.
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The Carburization interface for studying the heat treatment process of carburization.
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The Heat Transfer with Phase Transformations interface for modeling thermal processes involving metallurgical phase transformations.
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The Steel Quenching interface for modeling coupled thermal and mechanical processes involving metallurgical phase transformations.
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The Induction Hardening interface for modeling coupled thermal, mechanical and electromagnetic processes involving metallurgical phase transformations.
Throughout the Metal Processing User’s Guide, the Metal Phase Transformation, the Austenite Decomposition physics interfaces, and the Alpha-Beta Phase Transformation physics interfaces are collectively referred to as phase transformation physics interfaces.
The physics interfaces in the Metal Processing Module can be added from the Model Wizard’s Select Physics page under Heat Transfer > Metal Processing. The physics interfaces can also be added by right-clicking a Component node and selecting Add Physics.