 | 2008 |
Abstract:
The extension of the common direct extrusion process to curved profile extrusion (CPE) provides the possibility to manufacture 3D-curved profiles in a very flexible way. In CPE the exiting strand is deflected by a guiding tool so that the lateral offset induces a moment which causes a different material flow in the die. In contrast to conventional bending methods CPE has no influence in terms of cross-section deformation, reduction of formability, or residual stresses in the curved profile. Due to these advantages regarding mechanical and geometrical properties and the reduction of the process chain the production costs can be decreased significantly. The 3D-geometry of the profile line eliminates the use of a plane surface to support the strand in the run-out so that the challenge to manufacture profiles with the same accuracy as in a conventional process is very high. Therefore, a flexible support for the surmounting profile is necessary to prevent deformation, like e.g. bending or twisting, during this sensitive warm forming process. With the help of FEM the influence of external forces on the material flow will be analyzed.