Virtual Die Casting Simulator Development Reaches Final Stages

Beau Glim, Project Manager at North American Die Casting Association (NADCA), visited CIVS on January 25th to provide feedback to students Cristina Cabascango and James Dunlap, as well as CIVS researcher John Moreland, who are putting the finishing touches on the Virtual Die Casting Simulator. CIVS and industry collaborators are finalizing the last stages of development on the 5-year project, which will be distributed to die casters through NADCA to improve the capabilities and understanding of the die casting workforce.

The simulator uses virtual reality to improve operator understanding of what is happening inside die casting machines and melting furnaces. It allows operators to practice common and abnormal situations for operation and maintenance in a controlled environment. This innovative learning tool results in improved casting quality, energy and cost savings, accelerated onboarding of new operators, and improved safety.

One of the highlights of the project is a new learning mode that lets operators see into transparent parts of the machine and view how liquid metal is injected and distributed inside the casting cavity. This feature has been combined with a quiz system that verifies operator understanding of how machine parameters can affect the castings being produced.

NADCA is a trade association advancing the North American die casting industry by providing resources to help members solve technical, operational and business challenges, while raising overall awareness of the industry’s critical role in manufacturing. NADCA educate key audiences on the die casting industry’s importance and benefits as well as technologies to support our membership’s business initiatives – stability, growth, talent acquisition, fair global competition and awareness.