Numerical and experimental study of stress and distortion in heat treatment of A356 h-shaped castings considering casting history

To improve the accuracy of stress and deformation predictions during heat treatment, this study investigates the heat treatment behavior of an A356 aluminum alloy H-shaped casting by incorporating the effects of casting history through numerical simulation and experimental validation. First, a finite element model of the casting stage was developed using ProCAST to obtain the residual stress and deformation at the end of cooling; these results were then used as initial conditions for the subsequent heat treatment simulation. This fully coupled casting-heat treatment simulation framework was employed to analyze the evolution of thermal stress and deformation throughout the post-casting heat treatment process. Subsequently, precision investment casting and heat treatment experiments were conducted on the H-shaped casting, and the simulation results were validated through coordinate measuring machine (CMM) inspections and residual stress testing. The results indicate that the residual stress and deformation inherited from the casting stage have a significant effect on the final stress state and deformation behavior during heat treatment. Moreover, the good agreement between simulation and experimental data confirms the reliability of the proposed approach. This research provides valuable theoretical support for optimizing heat treatment processes and improving quality control for complex aluminum alloy castings.