Casting Analysis

Precision Castings for the Most Complex Engineering Projects

Goodwin Steel Castings employs the latest solidification analysis to ensure that all castings produced are of the highest integrity whilst meeting the customer’s technical specifications.

The casting design process starts with a technical evaluation by a cross functional team in which the customers’ requirements are assessed by competent engineers. A valued engineered design approach is employed to mitigate excessive rectification or non-productive cost. Early engagement with the customer facilitates design for manufacture in which the benefit of castings can be capitalised upon and the overall cost acquisition reduced.

It should be noted that where possible the casting evaluation process is conducted pre tender as it is necessary to have assessed and determined the manufacturing route such that first principal costing is conducted. The agreed manufacturing route is documented with a Manufacturing Inspection Test Plan which can be accompanied by a XXX (PFMEA) at the time of tender.

MagmasoftTM solidification analysis is finite element analysis computer aided design package which assesses the characteristics of castings solidifying from a molten liquid to solid. The software enables engineers to predict the integrity of casing when a method of manufacture is applied by a competent engineer.

Casting solidification packages must be calibrated to a foundry facility through the input of thermal material data sets to obtain confidence in the prediction. Goodwin have established world leading data sets for various material grades derived from the casting of sacrificial components in which thermocouples have been appended to document the cooling characteristics.

This invaluable research work over many years ensures that GSC has a high level of confidence in our ability to predict casting defects associated with solidification.

As a quality foundry which produces nuclear class material we utilise a closed loop design and optimisation process in which the method of castings manufacture is assessed for conformance against the technical specification and every casting maintains 100% traceability. The key performance indicators utilised within the business to assess the effectiveness of our methods of manufacture are average process yields, percentage weld repair and percentage scrap.