1/9/2022
EXTRUSION PROCESS
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1
Extrusion Process
➢ Extrusion is a bulk forming process in which the work metal is forced or compressed to flow through a die
hole to produce a desired cross-sectional shape.
➢ Example: squeezing toothpaste from a toothpaste tube.
➢ Advantages :
✓ Variety of shapes are possible, especially using hot extrusion
✓ Grain structure and strength properties are enhanced in cold and warm extrusion
✓ Close tolerances are possible, mainly in cold extrusion
➢ Types of extrusion:
✓ Direct or forward extrusion,
✓ Indirect or backward extrusion
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 2
➢ Direct extrusion:
✓ A metal billet is first loaded into a container having die holes.
✓ A ram compresses the material, forcing it to flow through the
die holes.
✓ Some extra portion of the billet will be present at the end of the
process that cannot be extruded and is called butt.
✓ It is separated from the product by cutting it just beyond the
exit of the die.
✓ A significant amount of friction exists between the billet surface and the container walls, as the billet is
forced to slide toward the die opening.
✓ Because of the presence of friction, a substantial increase in the ram force is required.
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 3
➢ In hot direct extrusion,
✓ The friction problem is increased by the presence of oxide layer on the surface of the billet.
✓ This oxide layer can cause defects in the extruded product.
✓ In order to address the hot direct extrusion problems, a dummy block is used between the ram and
the work billet.
✓ The diameter of the dummy block is kept slightly smaller than the billet diameter, so that a thin layer
of billet containing the oxide layer is left in the container, leaving the final product free of oxides.
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 4
✓ Hollow sections like tubes can be made using direct extrusion setup.
✓ The starting billet is prepared with a hole parallel to its axis.
✓ As the billet is compressed, the material will flow through the gap between the mandrel and the die
opening.
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 5
➢ Indirect extrusion:
✓ In this type, the die is mounted to the ram and not on the container.
✓ As the ram compresses the metal, it flows through the die hole on the ram side which is in opposite
direction to the movement of ram.
✓ Since there is no relative motion between the billet and the container, there is no friction at the interface,
and hence the ram force is lower than in direct extrusion.
✓ Limitations: lower rigidity of the hollow ram, difficulty in supporting the extruded product at the exit
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 6
➢ Analysis of extrusion
✓ Assuming the initial billet and extrudate are in round cross-section.
✓ An important parameter, extrusion ratio (𝑟𝑥 ), is defined as below:
𝐴𝑜 𝐴𝑜 : cross sectional area of the initial billet
𝑟𝑥 =
𝐴𝑓
𝐴𝑓 : cross sectional area of the extruded section
✓ True strain in extrusion under ideal deformation (no friction and redundant work) is given by,
𝐴𝑜
𝜀 = 𝑙𝑛(𝑟𝑥 ) = 𝑙𝑛
𝐴𝑓
✓ Under ideal deformation, the ram pressure required to extrude the billet through die hole is given by,
𝐴𝑜 𝐾𝜀 𝑛
ഥ ഥ
𝑃 = 𝑌𝑓 𝑙 𝑛 𝑟𝑥 = 𝑌𝑓 𝑙𝑛 and 𝑌ഥ𝑓 =
𝐴𝑓 1+𝑛
Where Yf is average flow stress, and 𝜺 is maximum strain value during the extrusion process.
✓ The average flow stress is found out by integrating the flow curve equation between zero and the final
strain defining the range of forming
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 7
✓ The actual pressure for extrusion will be greater than in ideal case, because of the friction between billet
and die and billet and container wall.
✓ There are various equations used to evaluate the actual true strain and associated ram pressure during
extrusion. The following relation proposed by Johnson is of great interest.
𝜀𝑥 = 𝑎 + 𝑏 𝑙𝑛 𝑟𝑥 = 𝑎 + 𝑏 𝜀 and 𝑃 = 𝑌𝑓 𝜀𝑥
✓ Where 𝜀𝑥 is extrusion strain; a and b are empirical constants for a given die angle.
✓ Typical values are: a = 0.8, b = 1.2 - 1.5.
✓ In direct extrusion, assuming that friction exists at the interface, we can find the actual extrusion
pressure as follows:
billet-container friction force = additional ram force to overcome that friction
𝑃𝑓 𝜋𝐷𝑜2
𝜇 𝑃𝑐 𝜋𝐷𝑜 𝐿 =
4
Where pc is pressure against the container wall, pf is additional pressure required to overcome friction,
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 8
✓ In the worst case, sticking occurs at the container wall so that friction stress equals shear yield strength of
the work metal:
𝜇𝑃𝑐 𝜋𝐷𝑜 𝐿 = 𝑌𝑠 𝜋𝐷𝑜 𝐿 where Ys shear yield strength
𝑌𝑓 2𝐿
✓ If it is assumed that 𝑌𝑠 = then 𝑃𝑓 reduces to the following: 𝑃𝑓 = 𝑌ഥ𝑓
2 𝐷𝑜
✓ This is the additional pressure required to overcome friction during extrusion.
✓ Based on this reasoning, the following formula can be used to compute ram pressure in direct extrusion:
2𝐿
𝑃 = 𝑌ഥ𝑓 𝜀𝑥 +
𝐷𝑜
where the term 2L/Do accounts for the additional pressure due to friction at the container-billet interface.
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 9
✓ L is the portion of the billet length remaining to be extruded, and Do is the
original diameter of the billet.
✓ Note that p is reduced as the remaining billet length decreases during the
process.
✓ Ram pressure variation with stroke for direct and indirect extrusion
✓ Ram force F in indirect or direct extrusion is simply pressure P from above
equations multiplied by billet area Ao :
𝑭 = 𝑷 𝑨𝒐
✓ Power required to carry out the extrusion operation is simply
𝑷𝒘 = 𝑭𝒗
where 𝑷𝒘 power, J/s (in-lb/min); F ram force, N (lb); and v ram velocity, m/s
(in/min).
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 10
➢ Extrusion dies
✓ Two important factors in an extrusion die are: die angle, orifice shape.
✓ For low die angles, surface area of the die is large, resulting in increased friction at the die-billet
interface. Higher friction results in higher ram force.
✓ For a large die angle, more turbulence in the metal flow is caused during reduction, increasing the ram
force required.
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 11
✓ The effect of die angle on ram force is a U-shaped function,
shown in Figure. So, an optimum die angle exists.
✓ The optimum angle depends on various factors like work
material, billet temperature, and lubrication.
✓ The shape of the die orifice affects the ram pressure required
to perform an extrusion operation.
✓ A complex cross section requires a higher pressure and
greater force than a circular shape.
✓ The effect of the die orifice shape can be assessed by the die shape factor, defined as the ratio of the
pressure required to extrude a cross section of a given shape relative to the extrusion pressure for a
round cross section of the same area.
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 12
2.25
𝐶𝑥
𝐾𝑥 = 0.98 + 0.02
𝐶𝑐
where 𝐾𝑥 die shape factor in extrusion; 𝐶𝑥 perimeter of the extruded cross section, mm (in);
and 𝐶𝑐 perimeter of a circle of the same area as the extruded shape, mm (in).
✓ This equation is based on empirical data in Altan et al. over a range of Cx/Cc values from 1.0 to about
6.0. The equation may be invalid much beyond the upper limit of this range.
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 13
Example 1:
Solution:
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 14
Example 2:
Example 3:
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 15
➢ Die materials
❑ For hot extrusion - tool and alloy steels.
✓ Important properties of die materials are high wear resistance, high thermal conductivity to remove
heat from the process.
❑ For cold extrusion - tool steels and cemented carbides.
✓ Carbides are used when high production rates, long die life, and good dimensional control are
expected.
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 16
➢ Other extrusion processes
❑ Impact extrusion:
✓ It is performed at higher speeds and shorter strokes.
✓ The billet is extruded through the die by impact pressure and not
just by applying pressure.
✓ But impacting can be carried out as forward extrusion, backward
extrusion, or combination of these.
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 17
✓ Impact extrusion is carried out as cold forming.
✓ Very thin walls are possible by backward impact extrusion method.
✓ For example: making tooth paste tubes, battery cases.
❑ Advantages of Impact extrusion :
✓ large reductions and high production rates
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 18
❑ Hydrostatic extrusion:
✓ In hydrostatic extrusion, the billet is surrounded with
fluid inside the container and the fluid is pressurized by
the forward motion of the ram.
✓ There is no friction inside the container because of the
fluid, and friction is minimized at the die opening.
✓ If used at high temperatures, special fluids and procedures must be followed.
✓ Hydrostatic pressure on the work and no friction situation increases the material’s ductility.
✓ Hence this process can be used on metals that would be too brittle for conventional extrusion methods.
✓ This process is also applicable for ductile metals, and here high reduction ratios are possible.
✓ The preparation of starting work billet is important. The billet must be formed with a taper at one end to fit
tightly into the die entry angle, so that it acts as a seal to prevent fluid leakage through die hole under
pressure.
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 19
➢ Defects during extrusion
❑ Centerburst:
✓ This is an internal crack that develops as a result of tensile stresses
along the center axis of the workpiece during extrusion.
✓ A large material motion at the outer regions pulls the material along
the center of the work.
✓ Beyond a critical limit, bursting occurs.
✓ Conditions that promote this defect are: higher die angles, low
extrusion ratios, and impurities in the work metal.
✓ This is also called as Chevron cracking.
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 20
❑ Piping:
✓ It is the formation of a sink hole in the end of the billet.
✓ This is minimized by the usage of a dummy block whose diameter is
slightly less than that of the billet.
❑ Surface cracking:
✓ This defect results from high workpiece temperatures that cause cracks to
develop at the surface.
✓ They also occur at higher extrusion speeds, leading to high strain rates
and heat generation.
✓ Higher friction at the surface and surface chilling of high temperature billets
in hot extrusion also cause this defect.
Metal Forming/M. P. Groover, “Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing”
Dr. Thamir Al-Dulaimi 1/9/2022 21