Extrusion Process

Ms Maware
 Extrusion
• Extrusion is a compression process in which the work metal is forced
to flow through a die opening to produce a desired cross-sectional
shape.
• The process can be likened to squeezing toothpaste out of a
toothpaste tube.
• There are several advantages of the modern process:
1. A variety of shapes are possible, especially with hot extrusion;
2. Grain structure and strength properties are enhanced in cold and
warm extrusion;
3. Fairly close tolerances are possible, especially in cold extrusion;
4. In some extrusion operations, little or no wasted material is created.
• However, a limitation is that the cross section of the extruded part
must be uniform throughout its length.
 TYPES OF EXTRUSION
• Extrusion is carried out in variousways.
• One important distinction is between direct
extrusion and indirect extrusion.
• Another classification is by working
temperature: cold, warm, or hot extrusion.
• Finally, extrusion is performed as either a
continuous process or a discrete process.
Direct extrusion (also called forward extrusion)

• A metal billet is loaded into a container, and a

ram compresses the material, forcing it to flow
through one or more openings in a die at the
opposite end of the container.
• As the ram approaches the die, a small portion
of the billet remains that cannot be forced
through the die opening.
• This extra portion, called the butt, is separated
from the product by cutting it just beyond the
exit of the die.
•One of the problems in direct extrusion is the significant friction
that exists between the work surface and the walls of the
container as the billet is forced to slide toward the die opening.
•This friction causes a substantial increase in the ram force
required in direct extrusion.
• In hot extrusion, the friction problem is aggravated by the
presence of an oxide layer on the surface of the billet
•This oxide layer can cause defects in the extruded product.
•To address these problems, a dummy block is often used
between the ram and the work billet.
•The diameter of the dummy block is slightly smaller than the
billet diameter, so that a narrow ring of work metal (mostly the
oxide layer) is left in the container, leaving the final product free
of oxides.
Direct extrusion
 Production of hollow sections
• Hollow sections (e.g., tubes) are possible in direct extrusion.
• The starting billet is prepared with a hole parallel to its axis.
• This allows passage of a mandrel that is attached to the
dummy block.
• As the billet is compressed, the material is forced to flow
through the clearance between the mandrel and the die
opening.
• The resulting cross section is tubular.
• Semi-hollow cross-sectional shapes are usually extruded in
the same way.
• The starting billet in direct extrusion is usually round in cross
section, but the final shape is determined by the shape of the
die opening.
• Obviously, the largest dimension of the die opening must be
smaller than the diameter of the billet.
Hollow sections
 Indirect / backward extrusion
• The die is mounted to the ram rather than at the
opposite end of the container.
• As the ram penetrates into the work, the metal is
forced to flow through the clearance in a direction
opposite to the motion of the ram.
• Since the billet is not forced to move relative to the
container, there is no friction at the container walls,
and the ram force is therefore lower than in direct
extrusion.
• Limitations of indirect extrusion are imposed by the
lower rigidity of the hollow ram and the difficulty in
supporting the extruded product as it exits the die.
Indirect / backward extrusion
 Production of hollow shapes
• Indirect extrusion can also produce
hollow(tubular) cross sections.
• In this method, the ram is pressed into the billet,
forcing the material to flow around the ram and
take a cup shape.
• There are practical limitations on the length of the
extruded part that can be made by this method.
• Support of the ram becomes a problem as work
length increases.
 Hot versus Cold Extrusion
• Extrusion can be performed either hot or cold,
depending on work metal and amount of strain to which
it is subjected during deformation.
• Metals that are typically extruded hot include aluminum,
copper, magnesium, zinc, tin, and their alloys.
• These same metals are sometimes extruded cold. Steel
alloys are usually extruded hot, although the softer, more
ductile grades are sometimes cold extruded (e.g., low
carbon steels and stainless steel).
• Aluminum is probably the most ideal metal for extrusion
(hot and cold), and many commercial aluminum products
are made by this process (structural shapes, door and
window frames, etc.).
 Hot extrusion
• Hot extrusion involves prior heating of the billet to a temperature
above its recrystallization temperature.
• This reduces strength and increases ductility of the metal, permitting
more extreme size reductions and more complex shapes to be
achieved in the process.
• Additional advantages include reduction of ram force, increased ram
speed, and reduction of grain flow characteristics in the final product.
• Cooling of the billet as it contacts the container walls is a problem, and
isothermal extrusion is sometimes used to overcome this problem.
• Lubrication is critical in hot extrusion for certain metals (e.g., steels),
and special lubricants have been developed that are effective under
the harsh conditions in hot extrusion.
• Glass is sometimes used as a lubricant in hot extrusion; in addition to
reducing friction, it also provides effective thermal insulation between
the billet and the extrusion container.
 Cold extrusion
• Cold extrusion and warm extrusion are generally
used to produce discrete parts, often in finished
(or near finished) form.
• The term impact extrusion is used to indicate
high-speed cold extrusion.
• Advantages of cold extrusion include increased
strength due to strain hardening, close
tolerances, improved surface finish, absence of
oxide layers, and high production rates.
• Cold extrusion at room temperature also
eliminates the need for heating the starting billet.
 Continuous versus Discrete Processing
• A true continuous process operates in steady state mode for
an indefinite period of time.
• Some extrusion operations approach this ideal by producing
very long sections in one cycle, but these operations are
ultimately limited by the size of the starting billet that can be
loaded into the extrusion container.
• These processes are more accurately described as semi-
continuous operations.
• In nearly all cases, the long section is cut into smaller lengths
in a subsequent sawing or shearing operation.
• In a discrete extrusion operation, a single part is produced in
each extrusion cycle.
• Impact extrusion is an example of the discrete processing case.
 ANALYSIS OF EXTRUSION
• extrusion ratio, also called the reduction ratio.
The ratio is defined:
• rx = Ao/Af
• where rx= extrusion ratio; Ao= cross-sectional
area of the starting billet,mm2); and Af= final
cross-sectional area of the extruded
section,mm2.
• The ratio applies for both direct and indirect
extrusion.
 Extrusion strain
• extrusion strain has gained considerable
recognition:
• ex = a + B lnrx
• where ex = extrusion strain; and a and b are
empirical constants for a given die angle.
• Typical values of these constants are: a = 0.8
and b = 1.2 to 1.5. Values of a and b tend to
increase with increasing die angle.
 indirect extrusion
• The ram pressure to perform indirect
extrusion can be estimated based on
Johnson’s extrusion strain formula as follows:
• p = Yf e x
• where Yf is calculated based on ideal strain
rather than extrusion strain
• Yf = KƐn /(1 + n)
• Ɛ = ln rx
 Direct extrusion
• In direct extrusion, the effect of friction between the
container walls and the billet causes the ram
pressure to be greater than for indirect extrusion
• p = Yf( ex + 2L/Do)
• where the term 2L/Do accounts for the additional
pressure due to friction at the container– billet
interface.
• L is the portion of the billet length remaining to be
extruded, and Do is the original diameter of the
billet.
 Ram force
• Ram force in indirect or direct extrusion is
simply pressure p multiplied by billet area Ao
• F = pAo
Ram power
• P = Fv
• where P = power, J/s; F = ram force, N and v =
ram velocity, m/s.
 Example
• A billet 75mm long and 25mm in diameter is
to be extruded in a direct extrusion operation
• with extrusion ratio rx = 4.0. The extrudate has
a round cross section. The die angle (half
angle) = 90. The work metal has a strength
coefficient = 415 MPa, and strain-hardening
exponent = 0.18. Use the Johnson formula
with a = 0.8 and b = 1.5 to estimate extrusion
strain. Determine the pressure applied to the
end of the billet as the ram moves forward.
 DEFECTS IN EXTRUDED PRODUCTS
(a) Centerburst.
• This defect is an internal crack that develops as a result of tensile stresses along
the centerline of the workpart during extrusion. Although tensile stresses may
seem unlikely in a compression process such as extrusion, they tend to occur
under conditions that cause large deformation in the regions of the work away
from the central axis. The significant material movement in these outer regions
stretches the material along the center of the work. If stresses are great enough,
bursting occurs. Conditions that promote centerburst are high die angles, low
extrusion ratios, and impurities in the work metal that serve as starting points for
crack defects. Other names sometimes used for this defect include arrowhead
fracture, center cracking, and chevron cracking.
(b) Piping. Piping is a defect associated with direct extrusion. It is the formation of a
sink hole in the end of the billet. The use of a dummy block whose diameter is
slightly less than that of the billet helps to avoid piping. Other names given to this
defect include tailpipe and fishtailing.
(c) Surface cracking. This defect results from high workpart temperatures that cause
cracks to develop at the surface. They often occur when extrusion speed is too
high, leading to high strain rates and associated heat generation. Other factors
contributing to surface cracking are high friction and surface chilling of high
temperature billets in hot extrusion.
Diagrams