In order to overcome the zigzag grids generated by conventional finite difference method on complicated casting boundaries in the simulation of casting process, the generation program for 2-D boundary-fitted coordinate grid has been developed by solving a set of partial differential equations (PDE) numerically. The STL format files were treated as input data for 2-D physical regions. The equipartition method for boundary points was used to improve the self-adaptability of grid according to the characteristic of the STL format files. The program was demonstrated through some examples. The comparison between the conventional finite difference method and the proposed method shows that this program is effective and flexible for generation of boundary-fitted grid in any arbitrary 2-D complex domain, and the grid is in accordance with the variety of boundary curvature finely. The program also provides two types of boundary-fitted grids for double-connected region, O-type and C-type. The limitation of the step-like boundary with the rectangle grid could be avoided effectively. Therefore, the computational accuracy and efficiency would be improved and the computational time would be saved significantly by the application of boundary-fitted grids.
The parameters that describe the complex degree of a certain casting are of some uncertainty. Therefore, a new method based on the fuzzy theory to classify the complex degree of castings has been presented in this paper. The feasibility of fuzzy theory in describing the complex degree of castings has been discussed and the procedure of this method has been specified by analyzing the complex degrees of some typical castings. The element factors that influence the casting complexity, have been summarized, which include the wall-thickness and the number of transition surface, etc. The results show that it is reasonable and practicable to classify the complex degree of castings with the fuzzy theory.
