Available Options with the Precipitation Module

The Precipitation Module, previously referred to as TC-PRISMA, is an Add-on Module to the core Thermo‑Calc software.

A separate license is required to perform calculations for more than three elements. Without it you are able to use the module in Demo Mode.

A Precipitation template under Non-Equilibrium Calculations is available to all Thermo‑Calc users when in Graphical Mode. If you are in DEMO mode then this is indicated by the addition of DEMO text.

Using the Template

After opening Thermo‑Calc in Graphical Mode, in the templates section under Non-Equilibrium, click the Precipitation button to add a System Definer, Precipitation Calculator, and Plot Renderer to the Project tree.

An example of where the Precipitation Calculator is in the Project tree.

Creating a Project from a Template

A Precipitation Calculator allows you to set the conditions for, and perform, a precipitation calculation. Details about this activity are described in Precipitation Calculator.

Both a thermodynamic and mobility database are required to run the Precipitation Module simulation. If you have a Precipitation Module (TC-PRISMA) license you can run all the examples as the demonstration database packages are included with your installation. Select the database packages from the System Definer → Configuration window to run a simulation.

Example choosing a database package

The Precipitation Module, and some examples, are available to all Thermo‑Calc users but only for simulations of alloys with up to three elements. If you do not have a license for the Precipitation Module then you are in Demonstration Mode when using the Precipitation Calculator or Precipitation Simulation template.

Network License Restrictions

A Precipitation template under Non-Equilibrium Calculations is available to all Thermo‑Calc users when in Graphical Mode. If you are in DEMO mode then this is indicated by the addition of DEMO text.

Precipitation Calculator

If you are experimenting with the Precipitation Calculator in Demo Mode, you may have access to a variety of databases based on your license. However, you can only define up to three elements for a demo simulation.

If you define more than three elements on the System Definer, when you go to the Precipitation Calculator, the Perform button is unavailable and the tooltip explains why. In this case one of the chosen elements needs to be removed and then the Perform button is made available.

Example of the tooltip that displays when in Demo mode

Even if you have more than three elements, the Plot Renderer or Table Renderer Perform button is still available. However, if you click the button and try to run the simulation the Event Log displays an error message.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) Module

There is connectivity between the Diffusion Module (DICTRA) or the Precipitation Module (TC-PRISMA) and the Additive Manufacturing (AM) Module when you have full licenses available for all relevant Add-on Modules and databases.

You can add a Diffusion Calculator or Precipitation Calculator as a successor to the AM Calculator and then when probes are included with the AM Calculator this data can be further used with the thermal profile.

Details are in the AM Module documentation. See AM Calculator: Working with Probe Data.