Extrusion Benchmark 2007-Simulations Settings

The benchmark is aimed at exploiting FEM codes capabilities and users’ knowledge in the simulation of an industrial extrusion process which as it was realized and monitored by the conference organizers. The comparison of the “blind” simulations by the participants with the experimental results should allow users to check if their settings are generally adequate to the problem and software house to verify the sensitivity of their solving methods. It must be noted that, due to the complexity of this matter, it would be useless to consider the benchmark as a contest: it is, instead, an opportunity to fix some points about the everyday simulation practice, each participant with his own particular interest. Moreover, a single benchmark cannot be asked to put in light any extrusion-related issue. Thus, if the previous benchmark held in Zurich was focused on the accuracy of simulating the contact between die and material in the bearings, in this case the attention was driven toward the simulation of pockets and their effectiveness in affecting the material flow. A multi-hole die with four L-shaped profiles was built and the effect of different pocket shapes on process behavior was evaluated. Finally, two different profile thickness have been chosen in order to evaluate the effect of profile thickness on pocket effectiveness.