This article focuses on the necessary basics for thermomechanical fusion welding simulations and provides an overview of the specific aspects to be considered for a simulation project. These aspects include the required material properties, experimental data needed for validation of the simulation results, simplifications and assumptions as a prerequisite for modeling, and thermomechanical simulation. The article concludes with information on the sensitivity of the material properties data with respect to the simulation results. It also provides hints on the central challenge of having the right material properties at hand for a specific simulation task.

Integrated computational materials engineering refers to the use of computer simulations that integrate mathematical models of complex metallurgical processes with computer models used in component and process design. This article outlines an example of a computer-aided engineering tool, such as virtual aluminum castings (VAC), developed and implemented for quickly developing durable cast aluminum power train components. It describes the procedures for the model development of the VAC system. These procedures include linking the manufacturing process to microstructure, linking microstructures to mechanical properties, linking material properties to performance prediction, and model validation and integration into the engineering process. The article discusses the benefits of the VAC system in process selection, process optimization, and improving the component design criteria.

This article provides guidelines for the assessment of model quality in materials science and engineering. It discusses the fundamentals of model quality assessment and the calibration of mechanistic material models. The article reviews the considerations for the model verification during software implementation planning to identify suitable programs, software components, and programming languages. It describes the validity tests used in model validation, including boundary-value tests, degenerate problem tests, sensitivity tests, and benchmarking. The article also presents an example of model calibration, verification, and validation for the prediction of martensite start temperature of steels.

This article summarizes some issues and approaches in performing computational analyses of mechanical behavior, distortion, and hot tearing during solidification. It presents the governing equations and describes the methods used to solve them. The article reviews the finite element formulation, multidomain approaches, and arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian method in solidification modeling. It illustrates the sand casting of braking disks and continuous casting of steel slabs.

Fusion welding processes involve four phase changes, namely, solid-solid state, solid-liquid, liquid-vapor, and vapor-plasma. Each has its own thermal, momentum, and stress history. This article discusses some important techniques to validate temperature, momentum, stress, and residual strain history observed in the heat-affected zone of fusion welded materials.