NovaCast Systems AB

What NovaCast Systems AB does

NovaCast Systems AB, headquartered in Ronneby, Sweden, develops and sells specialized software for foundries, with a portfolio anchored by two product families: NovaFlow&Solid (casting process simulation covering mold filling and solidification across gravity sand, die casting, lost wax, and other methods) and ATAS MetStar (adaptive thermal analysis for metallurgical process control). The underlying technology is differentiated by the proprietary Control Volume Mesh (CVM) numerical method, which the company claims delivers up to 10x faster calculations than FDM-based competitors, and by machine learning features (notably bad sample detection introduced in ATAS MetStar 11.1 in 2026) that improve data reliability. The product suite extends to NovaStress, NovaOne, NovaMethod, MetalMaster, and ATAS One, supported by recurring consumables such as thermal analysis cups and sampling spoons.

The company was founded in 1981 by Rudolf Sillén, an early AI pioneer with prior foundry experience at Volvo and Kockums, and has operated continuously for over 45 years, building a customer base in more than 50 countries served through offices in Sweden, India, the United States, and Thailand. Revenue is generated primarily through software licensing and subscriptions, supplemented by consumables and professional services such as training and technical support. Customers span iron foundries (the primary vertical), aluminum foundries, and pattern/tooling manufacturers, with named enterprise users including Grundfos, Husqvarna, LESER, AC Floby, Thomas Dudley, Demisas Döküm, and ETA Cerkno. The go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven, relying on direct engagement, regional offices, and a global sales network, with industry conferences such as the AFS Metalcasting Congress and IFEX serving as key acquisition channels.

NovaCast is a privately held company with no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, or parent company, suggesting founder or closely-held ownership following Rudolf Sillén's retirement in 2008. The firm maintains an active product cadence (NovaFlow&Solid v6.67 in mid-2025, ATAS MetStar 11.1 in mid-2026), an academic partnership with KMITL in Thailand for workforce pipeline development, and an expanding consumables revenue stream tied to its installed base of thermal analysis hardware.

Name

NovaCast Systems AB

Legal name

NovaCast Systems AB

Website

https://novacast.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NovaCast Systems AB is a Swedish software company that develops casting simulation and thermal analysis solutions — including NovaFlow&Solid and ATAS MetStar — for foundries worldwide, primarily serving iron and aluminum casting operations across more than 50 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casting Simulation Software

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Process & Batch Control Software (Recipe Management, ISA-88) (IMAGABAH)

Keywords

• Casting simulation software
• Thermal analysis systems
• Foundry process control
• Metallurgical process optimization
• Casting defect prediction

Headquarters

HQ city

Ronneby

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses and Subscriptions: NovaCast generates revenue from licensing their casting simulation software (NovaFlow&Solid, NovaOne, NovaMethod, NovaStress) and thermal analysis systems (ATAS MetStar). These may be sold as perpetual licenses or subscription models with ongoing updates and support.
2. Hardware and Consumables: Sale of thermal analysis cups (W cups with tellurium, G cups without), cup contacts, sampling spoons, and calibration kits for use with the ATAS MetStar system.
3. Professional Services: Training, consultation, and technical support services provided to customers, including annual user events and direct technical assistance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NovaCast Systems AB develops and sells casting simulation and metallurgical process control software for foundries. Its core offerings include the NovaFlow&Solid casting simulation platform and the ATAS MetStar thermal analysis system, supported by design (NovaMethod), charge calculation (MetalMaster), entry-level simulation (NovaOne), and stress analysis (NovaStress) tools, plus consumables such as thermal analysis cups and sampling spoons.

Product overview

NovaCast Systems AB offers a portfolio of foundry software solutions centered on casting simulation and metallurgical process control. The core offerings include ATAS MetStar (thermal analysis system), NovaFlow&Solid (casting process simulation), NovaOne (elementary simulation), NovaMethod (design software), NovaStress (stress analysis), and MetalMaster (charge calculation). The architecture follows a platform-plus-modules model where NovaFlow&Solid serves as the primary simulation platform with integrated modules like NovaStress, while ATAS MetStar operates as a standalone thermal analysis system with companion products like ATAS One (streamlined version) and ATAS MetStar W (wireless version). NovaOne provides a slim version of NovaFlow&Solid for essential processes. The product ecosystem is complemented by consumables (thermal analysis cups, sampling spoons, calibration kits) and add-on modules such as the Ductile Iron Optimizer, Dynamical Inoculation, and Pearlite modules for ATAS MetStar.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ATAS MetStar Adaptive thermal analysis and metallurgical process control system for analyzing, stabilizing, and optimizing the metallurgical production process through physical metal sample testing. Used by foundries to improve melt quality, control, and stability of metallurgical parameters, predicting defects such as micro/macro shrinkage porosity, chill tendency, oxygen content, and mechanical properties.
• NovaFlow&Solid Casting process simulation tool that simulates mold filling and solidification for most commercial casting methods including gravity sand, permanent mold, low/high pressure die casting, lost wax, tilt pouring, counter gravity, centrifugal, and lost foam processes. Uses proprietary Control Volume Mesh (CVM) technology for fast, accurate simulation.
• NovaStress Stress analysis tool integrated into NovaFlow&Solid for predicting warpage, residual stresses, and hot/cold cracks in castings. Uses CVM (Control Volume Mesh) meshing technology for fast calculations with full contact task.
• NovaOne Quick and easy casting simulation software available in Gravity and HPD variants, designed as an elementary collection of simulation tools streamlined for essential demands of specific casting processes.
• MetalMaster Charge calculation system designed for cost-effective, right-first-time production with a user-friendly interface and routines for lean processes.
• NovaMethod Design software for creating and editing 3D models for casting details and gating systems including flask and feeders, and core boxes. Compatible with other design software for importing customer drawings.
• ATAS One Streamlined version of ATAS MetStar offering essential thermal analysis capabilities at a simplified level for foundries with more basic metallurgical process control needs.
• ATAS MetStar W Wireless version of ATAS MetStar enabling cable-free thermal analysis measurements with wireless cup stands, providing flexibility for complex foundry layouts.
• Thermal Analysis Cup Sand cups for thermal analysis of iron and aluminum-silicon alloys. W cups (with tellurium) provide accurate CE, C and Si calculations for hypo/hypereutectic iron; G cups (without tellurium) for grey cast iron and aluminum-silicon alloys. Includes thermocouple wire with special calibration.
• Sampling Spoons

Quantifiable outcome

• Scrap rate reduction from 5-7% to less than 1% at Lyrestads Gjuteri
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026NovaCast Systems Southeast Asia has established a Learning Center at KMITL in Thailand. This partnership supports the Basic Casting Technology and Simulation course, including the Casting Monster learning program. Students graduate with practical foundry knowledge and NovaCast software skills.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MAGMA Giessereitechnologie: MAGMA is the most direct competitor in casting process simulation for foundries, offering MAGMAsoft for mold filling, solidification, and microstructure prediction. It competes head-to-head with NovaFlow&Solid for the same iron and aluminum foundry customers globally.
• Flow Science: Flow Science offers FLOW-3D CAST, a casting simulation product built on the FLOW-3D computational fluid dynamics platform. It directly competes with NovaFlow&Solid in foundries needing filling and solidification simulation across gravity sand, die casting, and investment casting processes.
• ESI Group (ProCAST): ESI Group's ProCAST is a long-established casting simulation suite covering filling, solidification, microstructure, and residual stress. It competes with NovaFlow&Solid and NovaStress in enterprise foundries, particularly in automotive and aerospace casting.
• Altair (Inspire Cast): Altair Inspire Cast is a casting simulation tool that targets foundries and casting designers with a streamlined workflow. It is a direct peer to NovaFlow&Solid and NovaOne, particularly for users within the broader Altair simulation ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Dassault Systèmes (3DEXPERIENCE Casting): Dassault Systèmes integrates casting simulation capabilities within its 3DEXPERIENCE platform, targeting large enterprise manufacturers that prefer a unified PLM/CAE environment. It competes with NovaCast at the high end where customers want to consolidate tools.
• Autodesk (Netfabb / Moldflow-adjacent): Autodesk offers simulation and additive manufacturing tools (Netfabb, Moldflow) that increasingly touch casting and foundry workflows. While not a pure-play casting tool, it is a broad incumbent whose platform reach can pressure niche players like NovaCast in enterprise accounts.
• Vesuvius (Foseco foundry products): Vesuvius, through Foseco, supplies a broad portfolio of foundry consumables, equipment, and increasingly digital services to foundries globally. It overlaps with NovaCast's customer base and is a broad incumbent that bundles process expertise with physical products.
• Inductotherm Group: Inductotherm supplies melting, heating, and processing equipment to foundries worldwide, often bundling process control software with its equipment. It is a broad incumbent that competes for both foundry spend and process control software wallet share.

Emerging players

• Thermo-Calc Software: Thermo-Calc provides computational materials engineering and thermodynamic simulation used alongside casting process simulation in metallurgical process control. It is an adjacent player whose tools intersect with ATAS MetStar's metallurgical optimization use cases.

Regional players

• ASK Chemicals: ASK Chemicals is a foundry chemistry and consumables supplier with strong presence in Europe and emerging markets, serving iron foundries with binders, coatings, and process additives. It is a regional-adjacent player sharing NovaCast's customer base of iron foundries.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NovaCast Systems AB