The validation of each simulation code used in foundry domain requires individual approach due to its specificity. This validation can by

elaborated on the basis of experimental results or in particular cases by comparison the simulation results from different codes. The article

concerns the influence of grey cast iron density curve and different forms of solid fraction curve Fs=f(T) on the formation of shrinkage

discontinuities. Solid fraction curves applying Newtonian Thermal Analysis (NTA) were estimated. The experimental and numerical

simulation tests were performed on the castings, which were made with Derivative Thermal Analysis (DerTA) standard cups. The

numerical tests were realized using NovaFlow&Solid (NF&S), ProCast and Vulcan codes. In this work, the coupled influence of both

curves on the dynamics of the shrinkage-expansion phenomena and on shrinkage defects prognosis in grey cast iron castings has been

revealed. The final evaluation of the simulation systems usefulness should be based on validation experiment, preceded by comparing the

simulation results of available systems which are proposed in given technology.

What is the limit of improvement the structure obtained directly from the liquid state, with possible heat treatment (supersaturation and aging)? This question was posed by casting engineers who put arbitrary requirements on reducing the DAS (Dendrite Arm Spacing) length to less than a dozen microns. The results of tests related to modification of the surface microstructure of AlSi7Mg alloy casting treated by laser beam and the rapid remelting and solidification of the superficial casting zone, were presented in the paper. The local properties of the surface treated with a laser beam concerns only a thickness ranging from a fraction to a single mm. These local properties should be considered in the aspect of application on surfaces of non-machined castings. Then the excellent surface layer properties can be used. The tests were carried out on the surface of the casting, the surface layer obtained in contact with the metal mould, after the initial machining (several mm), was treated by the laser beam. It turned out that the refinement of the microstructure measured with the DAS value is not available in a different way, i.e. directly by casting. The experimental-simulation validation using the Calcosoft CAFE (Cellular Automaton Finite Element) code was applied.

Simplifications used in simulation program codes require the use of substitute parameters in the material databases (also called apparent or substitutive). On the one hand, they formally fit into the records used in the heat flow model, porosity, properties etc. and on the other hand they should be determined in conditions most similar to the real casting-mould system.

The article presents results of a research on thermophysical parameters of gypsum mould used for precision casting moulds. Experiments were carried out on a cylindrical mould made of Plasticast gypsum, in which the heat source was a cylinder filled with liquid aluminium alloy of the temperature of 655°C. Energetic validation was carried out by using the NovaFlow&Solid ver. 6.3 simulation code. As a result of validation tests, substitute thermophysical parameters of gypsum were determined. For determined parameters, best-fit of solidification time from the experiment and simulation was obtained and the curves of gypsum mass heating were satisfactorily recreate.

The paper includes validation studies of the flow module of the NovaFlow&Solid simulation code. Experiments of ductile iron and gray iron casting in a spiral test of castability were carried out. Casting experiments were then carried out in industrial conditions in the Ferrex Foundry in Poznań and the results are the castability spiral length and local cast iron rate during mould cavity pouring. Simulation tests using NovaFlow&Solid Control Volume code were made. The technological castability test was used to determine thermal-physical data through simplified inversion problem. Influence of physical parameters in the database of simulation code on the spiral length obtained as the result of simulation was analyzed. It was found that critical fraction of capillary flow CLFdown has the biggest impact on cast iron castability in the simulation code. The simulations resulted in defining parameters of gray iron GJL 250 and ductile iron GJS-400-15. For the parameters set, the length of castability spiral in simulations was in accordance with casting experiments.

ZnO thin layers were deposited on p-type silicon substrates by the sol-gel spin-coating method and, then, annealed at various temperatures in the range of 573–873 K. Photoluminescence was carried out in the temperature range of 20–300 K. All samples showed two dominant peaks that have UV emissions from 300 nm to 400 nm and visible emissions from 400 nm to 800 nm. Influence of temperature on morphology and chemical composition of fabricated thin layers was examined by XRD, SEM, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy. These measurements indicate that ZnO structure is obtained for samples annealed at temperatures above 573 K. It means that below this temperature, the obtained thin films are not pure zinc oxide. Thus, annealing temperature significantly affected crystallinity of the thin films.