An Approach to Simulate Shape Distortion due to Cooling in Aluminum Extrusion

Cooling subsequent to extrusion is a crucial process in aluminum extrusion value chain. Non-uniform cooling-induced shape distortion, such as deflection, twisting and etc., is a challenge for extrusion profile manufacturers. Temperature management is therefore a key to the aluminum extrusion process. Appropriate modeling, using both physical and numerical methods, can help us achieve a better temperature control in extrusion plants. In this work, finite element (FE) method was used to simulate shape distortion due to cooling and the most important challenge was to make FE models compatible to real conditions in plants. The effects of three important items I) mechanical boundary condition II) cooling source type and III) effective cooling length were examined. It was shown that for compatible prediction of distortions it was necessary to define these items similar to real life. It was also revealed that with a suitable definition of boundary conditions it is possible to use a short lab scale sample to understand mechanisms in real life profiles.