Abstract
Aluminium extrusions with complex geometries are simulated in three-dimensions using the finite element method (FEM) and experiments were also carried out to investigate the behaviour of metal flow, exit velocities, and heat transfer for a simple channel and a more complex geometry profile. This study clearly shows that with both designed extrusions, at the initial stage of extrusion the metal flow is inhomogeneous, and even a slight inhomogeneity of metal flow can significantly affect the final geometry of extrudates. Both the FEM and experiment demonstrated that the extrudates are bent and twisted for a complex extrusion profile. The complex distortion patterns were analysed in detail and related to their cause: inhomogeneous flow behaviour. The inhomogeneous flow pattern for a complex geometry profile was also revealed through FEM. The factors which could influence the quantitative results of the FEM were also discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.