Numerical and Experimental Analysis of Profile Complexity in Aluminum Extrusion

In extrusion, shape complexity serves as an indicator of the difficulty in extruding the profile. It can affect the extrusion load and metal flow pattern. Non-homogeneous metal flow and severe pressure conditions can directly influence product quality, die life, and overall productivity. Most of the product defects can be linked to extrusion pressure and flow pattern of the metal. The current paper investigates, experimentally and numerically, how shape complexity influences extrusion load and material flow. Finite element modelling (FEM) is used to simulate and analyze the cold extrusion of various die shapes (nine) having distinct profile complexities. Generated numerical solutions are used to study the influence of geometrical complexity, extrusion ratio, and profile symmetry on dead metal zone (DMZ), metal flow, and extrusion pressure. All of these factors can aid in assessing the possibilities of certain types of product defects. It was observed that higher shape complexity values result in higher pressures and more severe metal flow patterns, which lead to higher chances of product defects. The findings of this study can be of assistance to die manufacturers and extrusion plants in optimizing the die designs, and reducing metal flow related defects.