Papers by Author: Michael Schomäcker

Abstract: The decrease of the bearing length in extrusion processes results in increasing of the material flow and offers, through this, the possibility for manipulation and optimization. This paper presents a simulation based optimization technique which uses this effect for optimizing the material flow in direct extrusion processes. Firstly, the method is used in a multi-extrusion process with equal pitch circle profiles, then in an extrusion process of an asymmetric profile. Furthermore, a composite extrusion process is analyzed where endless wires of high strength steel are embedded in a base material of aluminum. The insertion of reinforcement elements into the base material flow, especially within the small ratio between profile thickness and the reinforcement diameter, can lead to significant local disturbances inside the die, which result in undesirable profile defects. Hence, the simulation-based optimization method is especially used to optimize inhomogeneous wall thicknesses in composite profiles.

Abstract: In order to manufacture a workpiece fulfilling specified requirements with the lowest possible weight, it is crucial to be able to work with a variety of materials and to combine them accordingly. The production of profiles based on hybrid materials demonstrates such an approach. The continuous and selective reinforcement of aluminum profiles with metallic elements like steel wire and steel wire ropes by composite extrusion is being investigated within the scope of research of the Transregional Collaborative Research Center (SFB/TR10). A stable production process for composite profiles with embedded continuous reinforcing elements was developed during the research work. In this paper, the process principle is shown and an overview of the special tools is given. Furthermore, the temperature and the strand speed as influencing factors on the final state of the composite are analyzed, based on real size experiments using a 2.5MN and a 10 MN extrusion press.