Extrusion Die

Extrusion Die Overview

What is Extrusion Die?
Extrusion dies can be used to extrude aluminum, plastic, rubber and other similar materials. Extruding is a highly versatile process used by companies large and small, producing products for markets ranging from transportation to building and construction to a wide variety of consumer products.

In the aluminum extrusion process, an aluminum alloy billet is heated to a high temperature and forced through a die having the desired final product shape, a two dimensional profile. While conceptually simple, the specifics of producing an extruded product with the desired shape is a much more complex problem. In addition to the requirement of meeting increasingly demanding tolerances and achieving the desired microstructure necessary for final properties, the process must also be economically viable. There are a number of important aspects to be considered when designing the extrusion die, one of which is consistently producing an extruded product surface with the desired mechanical and appearance characteristics.

The process of extrusion die design primarily focuses on producing an extruded product with the required dimensional tolerances and macroscopic appearance that can be extruded as quickly as possible. The complex flow of material in the extrusion process often creates different deformation conditions in various regions of an extruded product. Features in the die such as variations in extrusion ratio within the part as well as choke and bearing modifications to control flow rates can affect the state of material. These factors, coupled with effects from the incoming extrusion billet structure as well as the extrusion temperature, can lead to variations in the grain structure, which are especially apparent at the extruded product surface.