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Thermo-Calc 2017b Release Preview

Thermo-Calc 2017b is scheduled for release late fall 2017. The release includes many exciting upgrades and new features, such as:

  • Several new databases
  • Many upgrades to the graphical mode Diffusion module (DICTRA)
  • New features in the Precipitation module (TC-PRISMA)
  • Improvements to the Scheil calculator
  • Many bug fixes and usability improvements

New and Updated Databases:

Thermo-Calc 2017b includes several new databases. TCNOBL1 is a noble metal alloys database being offered for the first time this release.

We will also be offering two new titanium databases. TCTI1 is a brand new Titanium database, covering both Ti and TiAl alloys, and has been developed by TCS AB in collaboration with a project with industrial partners. MOBTI2 is the second edition of the titanium mobility database and will be compatible with TCTI1.

The 2017b release includes updates to two other databases: the aluminium database TCAL5 and the general alloys database and SSUB6, as well as an upgrade to TCHEA2.1.

New Features in the Diffusion Module (DICTRA)

The graphical mode version of DICTRA, known as the Diffusion module, includes several new features that extend the functionality and flexibility of the program and make it more user friendly.

  • It will be possible to set boundary conditions.
  • A new advanced mode gives users more control over the plots and allows you to plot additional combinations, such as the composition at a specific time. You can now also plot user-defined functions, giving you a lot of flexibility in the plotting.
  • All regions are now visible in the Configuration window. Small regions that would be too small to see are now represented with a dashed line, as shown in the image below.
  • A tool tip appears when you hover over a region which shows the name of the region, the width of the region and the number of grid points, as shown below.
Visable-regions

In the Diffusion Module (DICTRA) small regions which were previously not shown are now visible with a dashed line. Additionally, a tool tip appears when you hover over a region which shows the name of the region, the width of the region and the number of grid points.

  • Composition profiles are now visualised before you plot the results. A useful tool tip explains how each one works and how to set them, as shown below.
  • User defined functions (using Python) can be added in the new composition profiles feature, allowing you to see if there are any mistakes before you plot the results.
Composition-Profiles

Composition profiles are now visualised before you plot the results and a tool tip helps users set the composition profile.w

New Features in the Precipitation Module (TC-PRISMA)

  • Elastic strain energy effect on precipitation can now be taken into account. Default values will be offered for each type of alloy or users can provide their own data. An elastically homogeneous system is assumed.
  • Non-spherical morphology of precipitate particles can be treated. If desired, the evolution of the shape factors for cuboids, plates or needles can be predicted together with the size.
  • A bug that sometimes led to a sudden stop of a simulation because of the “negative matrix composition” error has been fixed.

3D Plotting

Thermo-Calc 2017b includes 3D plotting for Grid calculations in the Property Model Calculator and the Equilibrium calculator.

 

Thermo-Calc-3D-plot_solidus-and-liquidus

A 3D plot of the solidus and liquidus temperature for a 6 component Ni alloy made with the new 3D plotting feature in Thermo-Calc.

Improvements to the Scheil Calculator

The Scheil calculator has improved auto scaling which removed a bug that showed negative phase fractions when simulations were plotted. The calculator has several other bug fixes.

Usability Improvements and Bug Fixes

  • Users can now enter custom contour values in contour plots.
Custom-Contour-Values_03

  • Using the tab key to jump to a text box now auto-selects all text in the box.
  • The periodic table has higher contrast colours for selected/deselected elements.
  • A bug was fixed that caused the graphical mode of Thermo-Calc to scale oddly on high resolution screens.
  • Many other bug fixes

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