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To investigate the effect of three-dimension (3D) thermal convection on columnar-to-equiaxed transition (CET), the CET transition during the solidification of an Al-Cu alloy was simulated by 3D cellular automaton model coupled with the fi nite element method (CAFE). The thermal convection in the liquid phase was considered. The results show that the thermal convection in the liquid phase promotes the CET. When the convection is present, the temperature gradient at the start position of CET increases and the growth velocity of columnar dendrite decreases. The convection infl uences the formation of elongated equiaxed grain through changing the local temperature gradient and dendritic growth velocity.