PAMM Proc. Appl. Math. Mech. 8, 10633 10634 (2008) / DOI 10.1002/pamm.

200810633

Advances in Numerical Prediction of Extrusion Tools

used for Fabrication of Rubber Profiles
1

Herbert W. Mullner
, Andre Wieczorek 2 , Wolfgang Fidi 2 , and Josef Eberhardsteiner 1
1
2

Institute for Mechanics of Materials and Structures, Vienna University of Technology, Austria
Semperit Technische Produkte Ges.m.b.H., Wimpassing im Schwarzatale, Austria

This contribution is focussed on numerical simulations of realistic extrusion tools of rubber profiles. The underlying material
parameters provided by material characterization procedure which is based on capillary-experiments in combined with die
swell measurements. The simulations were performed with the CFD program POLYFLOW under usage of an inverse calculation approach. The validation of these simulations is performed by comparison predicted andf measured dimensions of the
already fabricated tools.
c 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Introduction

The dimensioning of injection heads for the extrusion of rubber profiles is exclusively based on empiric knowledge of the
non-linear viscoelastic flow behavior of elastomers. Thus, the design of injection heads is carried out with subject to the used
rubber blend, whereas the geometry of the appropriate profile is achieved by empiric adaptation of the extrusion die. The
non-reproducible process technology affects the capacity of the running production relevantly. This work was performed in
cooperation with Semperit Technische Produkte GmbH, which provided the rubber blends as well as the experimental devices.
Based on an experimental investigation of different rubber blends by means of a capillary-viscometer, the extrusion pressure
p and the die swell of the blends, described by means of the cross-sectional area ratio , was determined for all considered
tests, including different diameters and lengths of dies as well as different temperatures. Under usage of a genetic algorithm it
succeeded to identify the interaction between the shear-thinning behavior and the die swell phenomenon of rubber blends [2].
For this constitutive task a generalized N EWTONian fluid description, i.e. the power law by O STWALD & DE WAELE [1], has
been used:
= (,
)

with

(,
) = k n1 ,

(1)

where k [Pasn ] denotes the consistency factor and n the viscosity exponent [2].

Numerical prediction of extrusion tool shape for fabrication of a pipe clamp profile

As numerical example, a pipe clamp profile is numerically investigated. For this task, two different procedures are possible
[3]. The conventional calculation is performed with given tool entrance and tool exit geometries. It allows identification of
zones with low melt velocities, such as flanges of profiles. To consider the swelling behavior of rubber it is recommended
to perform simulations as inverse calculation. Therefore, an entrance profile has be to chosen, which is different from the
desired exit profile. The choice of the entrance profile depends on the velocity profile at the tool exit which must be uniform.
For this simulation a realistic flow rate of 18000 mm3 /s is considered. This corresponds to a mass flow of 81 kg/h. Because of
symmetry reasons only one half of the profile is considered. The simulations were performed by means of the CFD program

et al. [2].
POLYFLOW [5], using both parameter sets for the power law according to M ULLNER

4.0

conventional calculation

20.0 mm

1

2

3

4

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inverse calculation

Fig. 1 fabrication and dimensions of a pipe clamp profile by means of

a horizontal extruder with injection head and extrusion tool

1 entrance profile

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direction of extrusion

2 adaptive section


3 parallel zone


5

6

4 tool exit


5 free surface


6 exit profile

Fig. 2 specification of conventional and inverse approach for

numerical simulation of extrusion tools

address: A-1040 Vienna, Karlsplatz 13; telephone: +43 1 58801 20234; fax: +43 1 58801 20298; email: Herbert.Muellner@tuwien.ac.at

c 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

10634

Sessions of Short Communications 10: Viscous flows

Validation by means of laser scanning of fabricated extrusion tool geometries

The results of the numerical investigations with the inverse approach are collected in Fig. 3, i.e. the chosen entrance profile
as well as the determined exit profile of the extrusion tool. Furthermore, the results of both parameter sets are given, i.e.
the power law constants under consideration of shear-thinning and under consideration of both aspects, shear-thinning and die
swell. These simulations are validated by means of the dimensions of existing extrusion tools, which are already manufactured
empirically. The dimensions have been determined by laser scanning [4]. Both profile shapes, tool entrance and tool exit, are
shown in Fig. 3 as black lines. It can be seen, that the differences between the real tool shape and the numerical prediction are
smaller under consideration of the interaction between shear-thinning and die swell phenomenon [2].

Fig. 3 validation of numerical prediction of extrusion tool shapes for the production of a pipe clamp profile under consideration of the real
material behavior of rubber blends, shear rate dependent viscosity and typical swelling behavior of viscoelastic fluids

This approach for validation is suitable for all kinds of rubber profiles which require no further treatment. During fabrication
of the presented pipe clamp profile an additional distance holder is located after the exit of the corresponding extrusion tool
(see Fig. 1). This steel part avoids agglutination of the flange and the web of the profile. Therefore, the presented validation
is not admissible. For a proper validation the distance holder was removed and the produced rubber profile was frozen with
liquid nitrogen. Under consideration of the dimensions of the real extrusion tool a conventional calculation was performed.
Thus, the resulted exit profile (cross-section no. 6 in Fig. 2) can be compared with the dimensions of the frozen rubber profile,
which do not correspond with the desired profile shape. Because of the freezing process the swelling of the extruded profile
is not completed. Therefore, usage of the power law constants which consider the shear-thinning behavior, only, leads to a

[4].
successful validation. More rubber profiles have been investigated by M ULLNER

Fig. 4 validation of numerical prediction of extrusion tool shapes for production of a pipe clamp profile by conventional numerical simulation under usage of the shapes of the already manufactured extrusion tool

References
[1] W. Michaeli: Extrusion Dies for Plastics and Rubber Design and Engineering Computations. (Hanser Publishers, Munich, 2003).
[2] H.W. Mullner, J. Eberhardsteiner and K. Hofstetter: Viscosity Characterisation for Rubber Blends from Die Swell Data by Means of
a Genetic Algorithm. PAMM Proceedings in Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, 6, 575576 (2006).
[3] H.W. Mullner, A. Wieczorek and J. Eberhardsteiner: Numerical Prediction of the Dimensioning of Tools for the Extrusion Process
of Rubber Profiles. in: 10th ESAFORM Conference on Material Forming, edited by E. Cueto and F. Chinesta (American Institute of
Physics Conference Proceedings Vol. 907, 2007), pp. 986 - 994.
[4] H.W. Mullner: Numerisches Vorhersagemodell fur die Auslegung von Spritzkopfen und Werkzeugen fur den Extrusionsprozess von
Gummi. PhD-Thesis, Vienna University of Technology, 2007.
[5] POLYFLOW Version 3.92 by F LUENT I NC .
c 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

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