What's New in FactSage 7.2

www.FactSage.com

(February 2018)

The FactSage 7.2 Update/Installation program permits you to upgrade/refresh FactSage 7.1 to FactSage 7.2. Alternatively you can install FactSage 7.2 into a new folder or on to a new computer.

With new additions and extensive modifications, particularly to Equilib and Phase Diagram, FactSage 7.2 is an major update to the FactSage package. The total number of files is now over 13,000.

What follows is a list of the more important programming, database and documentation changes in FactSage 7.2 (2018) with respect to FactSage 7.1 (2017).

1. General:

2. Modules: 3. Databases: 4. Previous FactSage Updates



1. General:

  • FactSage 7.2 News
      Important!
      After installation you should periodically check the latest news about FactSage 7.2 where we immediately report any 'bugs' and other issues as they surface -
      www.FactSage.com > 'FactSage 7.2 ~ News ~'
      FactSage 7.2
      ~ News ~

      The 'bugs' and other issues highlighted in the previous 'FactSage 7.1 ~ News ~' have been resolved.


  • FactSage 7.2 Update/Installation/Menu
    • Download FactSage 7.2 - The FactSage 7.2 Update/Installation program contains the complete 7.2 package of software, databases and documentation. It can be downloaded from the Internet. For details visit www.factsage.com and click on 'Download Service' and then 'FactSage 7.2 Update/Installation '. For certain installations it may not be possible to download the file - for example you may get an error message such as 'webpage cannot be found'. This could be because the security settings on your computer are blocking the transfer of a ".zip" file or the file is too large to be downloaded. Check with your IT group.

    • FactSage Installation The FactSage 7.2 Update/Installation program is a one-stage installation and update program. The program runs a self extractor that automatically performs the extraction operation before starting the installation. You can update FactSage 7.0 or 7.1 (but not FactSage 6.4) that is already installed on the PC or you can install FactSage 7.2 into a new folder or on to a new computer. See below (Update/Refresh FactSage 7.2) for more details.

    • Show Me. For details on FactSage 7.2 Update/Installation refer to the Show Me documentation. FactSage 7.2 may be installed as

      • Standalone Single User- the complete FactSage package will be installed on the computer. The program can not be accessed by other computers. The Standalone computer requires a security key (dongle) attached to a USB port.
      • Network Server- the complete FactSage package will be installed on the computer in a public folder that is 'share read-only' to other computers on the network. The files can be read and copied by other computers (Network Clients). In a small network of several computers the FactSage Network Server can be any computer, but not a virtual machine .
      • Network Client - only the FactSage modules and databases will be installed on the computer. The computer will have access to the documentation, example, figure, etc. files already installed in FactSage on the Network Server.

    • Server/Client Installation - For a client installation on the network, the program FactSageClient enables the Client workstation to locate the Server installation. The program is run prior to the FactSage 7.2 setup program and is well-suited for Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 installations. Details are given in ShowMe which is part of the installation package.

    • Server/Client Update - If the FactSage Client is already running FactSage on a network installation and the Server installation is then updated (for example a new version or new databases), the Client installation will not be updated until a new day. This default action can be overridden - to immediately update FactSage on the Client workstation, in the FactSage Main Menu of the client PC click on 'Tools > FactSage Network > Refresh Client installation ...'.

    • Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 - FactSage 7.2 has been successfully installed and tested under Windows Vista, Windows 7, 8 and 10 operating systems. All programs run as designed including the Solution module (see below). The dongle drivers distributed with FactSage 6.4 (or earlier) are outdated. The latest drivers (see below) are very well suited for installing under Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10.

    • Windows XP no longer supported by Microsoft - FactSage should still run under Windows XP even though Windows XP is no longer supported by Microsoft. According to Microsoft if you continue to use Windows XP now that support has ended, your computer will still work but it might become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses.

    • Sentinel HASP Drivers - FactSage MemoHASP dongles are also referred to as Sentinel Security Keys and more recently Sentinel LDK keys. The dongles are supplied by SafeNet Inc. In FactSage 6.4 (and earlier) it was often difficult to install the drivers especially under Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10. FactSage 7.2 employs installation software from SafeNet Inc. and it is fairly straight forward to install the drivers. For instructions click on 'Tools > Sentinel Security Key > Information ...'

    • FactSage dongle status - When a valid HASP dongle is attached to a USB port on the computer you are able to run a standalone version of FactSage. If FactSage issues an error message about a 'missing or invalid FactSage HASP security key' it goes into the FactSage SetUp mode with a green screen. There are several factors that can cause this to happen.

      This new feature was first introduced in FactSage 7.0 and remains unchanged. It displays the status of the FactSage dongle attached to the computer. This helps you to diagnose the source of the error message.

      • Run FactSage 7.2 and display the FactSage Main Menu Window.

      • Click on 'Tools > FactSage dongle status > Explanation of dongle status... ' and follow the instructions.

      The 'FactSage dongle status' Window shown here is for an installation where a valid FactSage dongle is attached and everything is in order (i.e. 1 - 5. All OK).


  • Update/Refresh FactSage 7.2

    The FactSage 7.2 Installation program enables you to update/refresh FactSage 7.2 software, documentation and databases to the full FactSage 7.2 package.

    You can update/refresh a FactSage Standalone computer or a Network Server. In the case of a network installation it is only necessary to update/refresh the Network Server.

      You can update a FactSage 7.0 or 7.1 installation.

      Do not update a FactSage 6.4 installation - in this case select 'New FactSage installation' and install FactSage 7.2 in a new folder.


    2. Modules:


  • Documentation - FactSage Browser


  • View Data
    • New Composition Tab

      There is a new View Data Composition Tab that displays the moles and weight% of the pure substances (compounds).

      The screenshot shows the View Data Composition Tab for FeAl2O4.

    • .

    • Export to Excel

      You can now export any View Data tabular display to an Excel file (.xls,.xlsx).

      Click on 'File > Save as > Save as type Excel ...'

      The screenshot shows the Excel spreadsheet for the above View Data Composition Tab.

    • .

    • One-Component Solutions

      With FactSage 7.2 it is now possible to list one-component solutions.

      This is important when listing the phases in the SGTE databases where one-component solutions are routinely selected in Equilib and Phase Diagram calculations (in the Reactants/Components Window click on 'Data Search > Options > Limits > Minimum solution components ..').

      It should be noted that for calculations with the FACT databases (FToxid, FTsalt, FTlite, etc.) the recommended minimum number of solution components is 2.

    • .


  • Solution

      In FactSage 7.0 the solution file structures were reformatted to a new solution database format. The old solution files (*.dat, *.sdb, *.sda) were replaced by two new files :

      • *soln.sln files - private text data, e.g. Copysoln.sln, Testsoln.sln
      • *soln.sdc files - protected public data, e.g. FTOxid53soln.sdc (FToxid)

      The new structure has worked well in FactSage 7.0 and 7.1 and requires no fixes.

      In FactSage 7.2 the following additions have been made to the Solution App.

      • Ability to insert species (versus add) on solution sublattices.
        For example, this is useful if you want the species to remain ordered alphabetically.

      • By pressing the Del key after selecting species (Ctrl + Click) on each sublattice of a solution, you are offered four options:

        1. Delete selected species and all related items from solution
        2. Retain selected species and delete all others and related items from solution
        3. Delete selected end-members and all related items from solution
        4. Retain selected end-members and delete all others and related items from solution

        For example, these are useful if you want to produce solution subsets for different customers (options 1 and 2) and if, in addition, you want to keep species relative order unchanged (options 3 and 4).

      • Ability to delete unused functions in a database.


  • Intel Complier

      Equilib and Phase Diagram engage the ChemApp Gibbs energy minimizer which is programmed in FORTRAN.

      In FactSage 7.2 we have changed the FORTRAN complier. We now employ the Intel Compiler which produces optimized code that is more compact and runs significantly faster. In addition the superior error checking features of the new compiler enable us to produce a code that is less likely to contain bugs.

      In the future we plan on employing the parallel processing options available in the Intel Compiler.


  • Equilib
    • Reaction Table

      In the Equilib Reactants Window you specify a set of reactant amounts, for example:

      50 mol SiO2 + 30 mol CaO + 20 mol MgO

      But you may open a Reaction Table and specify multiple sets of reactant amounts.

    • .

      With the Reaction Table you specify various sets of reactant amounts as well as their product temperatures and pressures - each set resulting in a separate equilibrium calculation.

      Here the Reaction Table shows the entry 5 separate equilibrium calculations (rows 1 - 5).

      As new amounts are entered the totals are updated. For example, with the entry of 40 mole MgO on row 5 the display updates the total:
      Row 5: the total reactants = 100 (mole)

      After closing the Reaction Table you open the Menu Window and select the Table option. This causes the original amounts and Final Conditions to be replaced by <table> . The product equilibrium is calculated in the usual manner (click on Calculate >>) and 5 pages of output are displayed in the Results Window

      1 - The Table option is selected in the Menu Window
      2 - Results Window showing the equilibrium calculation for the first set of reactants - row 1 in the Reaction Table.

      In general the Reaction Table is used to specify sets of input amounts with their product temperature and pressure. In FactSage 7.2 it may be possible to change the type of calculation, for example ignore the product temperature, but still employ the Reaction Table to define the input amounts.

      For example, in the above case the initial temperature of precipitation of solids from the slag phase could be calculated by specifying FToxid-Slag as a precipitate target phase (option 'P') and not specifying the final temperature ('blank').

      This causes a conflict with the Reaction Table where the final temperature is defined. The Warning - Conflict with Reaction Table is posted in the Menu Window as shown in the following screenshot. But in FactSage 7.2 the calculation is now permitted and the temperature specified in the Reaction Table is ignored.

      1 - In the Menu Window option 'P' is applied to FToxid-Slag and the final temperature is undefined ('blank')
      2 - In the Results Window the precipitate temperature for page 1 is 1382.45 C



    • New Parameters Window Output Options - 'Equilib > Menu Window > Parameters > Output...'

      In the Equilib Parameters Window the show options in the Output Frame have been enhanced. After the equilibrium has been calculated, you can now display the date and elapsed time (if more than 0.1 sec) for the calculation.

      These values will appear at the top of the page in the Equilib Results Window.

      In the case of a range of values with multiple output pages (e.g. T = 1000, 1100, 1200, ...) the elapsed time for the first page (T = 1000) will tend to be slightly longer than the others since it also includes the time to load the data from the databases.

      .


  • Macro Processing
      PhasEx_Superimpose_Figs.mac is a new macro file in FactSage 7.2.

      This Phase Diagram macro is particularly useful if you wish to superimpose several calculated phase diagrams into one figure.

      .

      Copy PhasEx_Superimpose_Figs.mac to the folder that contains the *.fig files of the type MyName-1.fig, MyName-2.fig, MyName-3.fig ...

      Run 'Phase Diagram' and then 'Phase Diagram - Components Window > File > Macro Processing > Run .... PhasEx_Superimpose_Figs.mac'.

      The macro:

      • asks you to enter the common name of the fig files - e.g. MyName-
      • loads each MyName-*.fig and superimposes it with the others.
      • displays the superimposed figure
      • saves the superimposed figure in MyName-Superimposed.fig

      The screenshot shows four Ag-Au-Bi isothermal sections superimposed into one figure.

      .
      PhasEx_Calc_All_PDs.mac is a new macro file in FactSage 7.2.

      This Phase Diagram macro is particularly useful for database developers who wish to recalculate phase diagrams using revised databases. The macro loads each Phas*.dat that is stored in a folder, calculates the phase diagram and then displays the calculated figures in a web browser (htm) format. If the Phas*.dat contains a stored diagram it is displayed as well. In this manner the developer can compare the newly calculated diagram with the old one.

      Copy PhasEx_Calc_All_PDs.mac to the folder where the Phas*.dat files are stored. Run 'Phase Diagram' and then 'Phase Diagram - Components Window > File > Macro Processing > Run .... PhasEx_Calc_All_PDs.MAC'.

      The macro:

      • loads each Phas*.dat file and calculates the phase diagram
      • the calculated phase diagram is stored in the \BMPs\ folder as a bmp file
      • both the calculated diagram and the previously saved figure are displayed side by side in an htm file (Phas_Calc_All_PDS.htm) as shown in the screenshot
      • the elapsed time to calculate the phase diagram and the total accumulated time are posted

      In order to permanently save a record of all calculated and saved figures use 'Word' to open Phas_Calc_All_PDS.htm and save as a *.pdf file - for example Phas_Calc_All_PDS.pdf.

      .

  • Phase Diagram



    3. Databases:

    In the FactSage Main Menu click on 'Documentation' for detailed information on the public compound and solution databases.

  • ELEM - the FACT Elements Database

    • ELEM is the database of elements using data from FactPS (see next).

    • When using the FactPS or SGPS compound database there is no need to select the ELEM database ('Data Search') in your calculations.

    • The only time you may need to select ELEM is if the elements are missing from your selected compound databases.


  • FactPS (formally Fact53) - the FACT Pure Substances Compound Database

    • FactPS is the compound database for use with the FACT databases (FToxid, FTsalt, etc.).

    • Data for following 2 compounds have been revised in FactPS :

      PbBr4 and Cu(OH)2


  • SGPS - the SGTE Pure Substances Compound Database

    • The following 125 compounds have been added to SGPS :

      Ag5Te3 AgBrCH5N AgBrH3N AgBrH9N3 AgCClH5N
      AgCNO AgCNS AgC2H3O2 AgClH3N AgClH9N3
      AgFH4O2 AgFH8O4 AgIO3 AgN3 Ag2O3
      Ag2SO3 Ag2SeO3 Ag2SeO4 AlB3H12 AlB3H12
      AlCH2NaO5 AlC3H9 AlCl6Fe AlH12N3O15 Al2C6H18
      Al2H12O18S3 Al2Sr Al4Sr Al7Sr8 AmCl2
      AmCl2 AmCl3 AmCl3 AmO AsO6Sb3
      As2O6Sb2 As3O6Sb As4Se3 As4Se3 AuO4Re
      B5Mo3 BCH3O BC2H7O2 BC2H7O2 BC3H9
      BC3H9 BC3H9O3 BC3H9O3 BC4H14N BC6H15
      BC6H15 BCl3H3P B13Mo6 B4S6 BaBr2H2O7
      BaBr2H4O2 BaBr2O6 BaCl2H2O BaCl2H4O2 BaCl2H6O11
      BaCl2O4 BaF6Si BaH18O10 BaH2I2O7 BaH2N6O
      BaH8O12Re2 BaI2O6 BaO3Se BaO4Se BaO4SrTi
      BaSe BeSe BeTe BiNa3O4 Bi2Te
      C3Nb4 C5Pu6 C7Nb8 C7Pu8 C7V8
      CNp CNb C2Th C2U C17U9
      C2CaH2O5 Ca24Cu29O56 Ca10F2O24P6 CaCl2H12O6 CaCl2H8O8
      CaFeO6Si2 CaH12I2O12 CaH4O5S CaH4O6Se CaH6O9P2
      CaI2O6 CaO6P2 Ca12H14O31Si6 Ce4Ru3 Ce7O12
      Ce6O11 Cl7Nb3 Cl8Nb3 CoSb Cr6S7
      FeO FeSe Fe2Se2 Fe3Si7 FeTe
      Mo9O26 NV2 NiSe Ni7Se8 NiTe
      O8Pu5 O19W7 O3W O26W9 S2U

  • FTdemo - the FACT Demonstration Database

    • FTdemo is the name for the old FACT Slide Show database developed around 2001. Although FTdemo is part of FACT Package of Databases, it is for demonstration calculations only. It should be used only for teaching - for example with the Slide Shows.

    • For calculations where the results are important, you must NOT use the FTdemo database. Use the FactPS compound database and the FToxid, FTsalt, etc. databases. For detailed information on the FactPS, FToxid, FTsalt, etc. databases go to the FactSage Main Menu and click on 'Documentation'.

  • FTlite - the FACT Light Metal Alloy Database
      Ca2Sn(s) has been added to the FTlite compound database.

  • FToxid - the FACT Oxide Database

    • (1) SrO

      SrO has been added to the database. The whole SrO-BaO-Al2O3-B2O3-CaO-MgO-SiO2 system has been optimized, including 27 solid solutions and numerous stoichiometric compounds.

    • (2) CaO-MgO-SiO2 system

      Bredigite Ca3(Ca,Mg)4Mg(SiO4)4 solid solution has been added to the CaO-MgO-SiO2 system.

    • (3) Calculated phase diagrams

      Approx. 50 new FToxid phase diagrams have added to the 'list of stored phase diagrams'. There are now 421 phase diagrams (was 372 in FactSage 7.1) including 132 (113) binary systems and 289 (259) ternary systems.

  • BINS - the SGTE free binary alloy database

      The binary BINS database has been updated to be consistent with the new SGTE(2017) database

  • SGTE(2017) - the SGTE 2017 alloy database

      The SGTE(2017) database represents a significant update and revision of the previous SGTE(2014) alloy database.

      The 79 elements included in the database are,

        Ag, Al, Am, As, Au, B, Ba, Be, Bi, C, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Dy, Er, Eu, Fe, Ga, Gd, Ge, H, Hf, Hg, Ho, In, Ir, K, La, Li, Lu, Mg, Mn, Mo, N, Na, Nb, Nd, Ni, Np, O, Os, P, Pa, Pb, Pd, Pr, Pt, Pu, Rb, Re, Rh, Ru, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Si, Sm, Sn, Sr, Ta, Tb, Tc, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, Tm, U, V, W, Y, Yb, Zn, Zr

      From among these elements, there are some 603 completely assessed binary alloy systems, of which 15 are newly assessed systems and 28 others have been revised or amended on the basis of newly published experimental information. The database also includes about 141 ternary and 20 higher-order systems for which assessed parameters are available for phases of practical relevance. The systems now incorporate 318 different solution phases and 1227 compound phases (mainly stoichiometric intermetallics).

      Complete details on SGTE(2017) are given in 'Documentation' in the FactSage Main Menu.

  • SpMCBN - the Spencer Group SpMCBN database for non-oxide refractory carbides, borides, nitrides and silicides.

      Approx. 180 new SpMCBN phase diagrams have optimized and added to the 'list of stored phase diagrams' bringing the total to 633.

    • (1) Amended systems

      B-Fe B-Si Hf-N

    • (2) New binary systems

      B-Re B-Tc B-Y C-Re C-Sc C-Tc Co-Hf Co-Sc Co-Ti Cr-Hf Cr-Re Cr-Sc Cr-Y Fe-Hf Hf-Re Hf-Y Mo-Re Mo-Sc Mo-Tc Mo-Y N-Y Nb-Re Nb-Sc Nb-Y Ni-Re Ni-Sc Ni-Tc Re-Sc Re-Si Re-Tc Re-Ti Re-V Re-Y Re-Zr Sc-Si Sc-Ta Sc-Ti Sc-W Ta-Y Tc-Ti Tc-W Ti-Y V-Y W-Y

    • (3) New ternary systems

      Al-B-C Al-B-Co Al-B-Cr Al-B-Fe Al-B-Mo Al-B-N Al-B-Nb Al-B-Ni Al-B-Re Al-B-Ti Al-B-V Al-B-Zr Al-C-Co Al-C-Cr Al-C-Fe Al-C-Hf Al-C-Mo Al-C-Nb Al-C-Ni Al-C-Sc Al-C-Ta Al-C-Ti Al-C-V Al-C-W Al-C-Zr Al-Cr-N Al-Hf-N Al-Mo-N Al-N-Nb Al-N-Ni Al-N-Si Al-N-Ta Al-N-Ti Al-N-V Al-N-W Al-N-Zr

      B-C-Cr B-C-Hf B-C-Mo B-C-Nb B-C-Ni B-C-Sc B-C-Si B-Co-Cr B-Co-Hf B-Co-Mo B-Co-N B-Co-Nb B-Co-Re B-Co-Si B-Co-Ta B-Co-V B-Co-W B-Co-Y B-Co-Zr B-Cr-Fe B-Cr-N B-Cr-Sc B-Cr-Y B-Fe-Hf B-Fe-N B-Fe-Sc B-Hf-Re B-Mo-N B-Mo-Y B-N-Nb B-N-Ni B-N-Ta B-N-Y B-Ni-Re B-Ni-Sc B-Re-Sc B-Re-Si B-Re-Ta B-Re-Ti B-Re-V B-Re-Y B-Re-Zr B-Sc-W B-Sc-W B-Si-Y B-W-Y

      C-Co-Hf C-Co-Nb C-Co-Si C-Co-Ta C-Co-Ti C-Co-V C-Co-Zr C-Cr-Hf C-Cr-N C-Cr-N C-Cr-Re C-Fe-Hf C-Hf-N C-Hf-Re C-Mo-Re C-N-W C-Nb-Re C-Re-Si C-Re-Ta C-Re-Zr C-Sc-Ti C-Sc-Zr C-Si-Ta

      Co-Mo-Si Co-N-Nb Co-N-Si Co-N-V Co-Nb-Si Co-Sc-Si Co-Si-Ti Co-Si-W

      Cr-Fe-Si Cr-Hf-N Cr-N-Ti Cr-Sc-Si Cr-Si-Y

      Fe-Mn-Si Fe-Mo-N Fe-N-Nb Fe-N-Ti Fe-N-W

      Hf-N-Si

      Mo-N-Ni Mo-N-V Mo-Si-Y

      N-Nb-Si N-Nb-Ta N-Ta-Ti N-Si-Ta N-Si-Ti N-Si-Y N-Si-Zr

      Nb-Si-V

      Ni-Re-Si

      Re-Sc-Si Re-Si-Y

      Sc-Si-Ta Sc-Si-V Sc-Si-W


  • Public Databases

      Screenshot showing the summary of public databases in FactSage 7.2.

  • FactPS, ELEM and SGPS are compounds-only (pure substances) databases.

  • FactPS, FToxid, FTsalt, FTmisc, FTOxCN, FTfrtz, FThelg, FTpulp ELEM and FTdemo are included in the FACT package of databases. FTlite and FTnucl are special databases that are leased separately.

  • FactPS, FToxid, BINS, SGPS, SGTE and SpMCBN have been updated in FactSage 7.2.

  • FTnucl and SpMCBN were new in FactSage 7.0.

  • FSlite, FSnobl and SGSL were dropped in FactSage 7.0

  • For detailed database information go to the FactSage Main Menu and click on 'Documentation'.




  • 4. Previous FactSage Versions


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