Investigation on the topological optimization of cooling channels for extrusion dies

Investigation on the topological optimization of cooling channels for extrusion dies

PELACCIA Riccardo, REGGIANI Barbara, NEGOZIO Marco, DI DONATO Sara, DONATI Lorenzo

Abstract. During the extrusion process, high temperatures are generated, due to friction and deformation works, potentially leading to profile and die defects. Among the suggested solutions aimed at controlling the thermal field of the process, the most accredited one involves the manufacturing of cooling channels at the mating face between the die and a third plate. Despite the proven efficiency of well-designed channels, the main drawback lies in the managing of the many variables involved that strongly affect the cooling efficiency and balancing. In this frame, aim of the work is to investigate the applicability of the topological optimization tool, proposed by COMSOL Multiphysics software, for the design of cooling channels in extrusion dies. To validate the tool, an industrial case study has been selected and results compared between not optimized and optimized cooling solutions.

Keywords
Topological Optimization, Cooling Channels, Liquid Nitrogen, Extrusion, Dies

Published online 4/19/2023, 10 pages
Copyright © 2023 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA

Citation: PELACCIA Riccardo, REGGIANI Barbara, NEGOZIO Marco, DI DONATO Sara, DONATI Lorenzo, Investigation on the topological optimization of cooling channels for extrusion dies, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 28, pp 533-542, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644902479-58

The article was published as article 58 of the book Material Forming

Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.

References
[1] P.K. Saha, Aluminum extrusion technology, ASM International, Materials Park, OH, USA, 2000.
[2] L. Donati, et al, Effect of liquid nitrogen die cooling on extrusion process conditions, Key Eng. Mater. 491 (2012) 215-222. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.491.215
[3] P. Stratton, Raising productivity of aluminium extrusion with nitrogen, Int. Heat Treat. Surf. Eng. 2 (2008) 105-108. https://doi.org/10.1179/174951508X429221
[4] A.F. Ciuffini, et al., Surface Quality Improvement of AA6060 Aluminum Extruded Components through Liquid Nitrogen Mold Cooling, Metals 8(6) (2018) 409. https://doi.org/10.3390/met8060409
[5] A.J Norwood, et al., Analysis of cooling channels performance, Int. J. Comput. Integr. Manuf. 17(8) (2004) 669-678. https://doi.org/10.1080/0951192042000237528
[6] L. Donati, B. Reggiani, R. Pelaccia, M. Negozio, S. Di Donato, Advancements in extrusion and drawing: a review of the contributes by the ESAFORM community, Int. J. Mater. Form. 15 (2022) 41. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12289-022-01664-w
[7] N. Biba, et al., The Model for Coupled Simulation of Thin Profile Extrusion, Key Eng Mater 504-506 (2012) 505-510. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.504-506.505
[8] B. Reggiani, L. Donati, Prediction of liquid nitrogen die cooling effect on the extrusion process parameters by means of FE simulations and experimental validation, J. Manuf. Process 41 (2019) 231-241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2019.04.002
[9] R. Pelaccia, M. Negozio, L. Donati, B. Reggiani, L. Tomesani, Extrusion of Light and Ultralight Alloys with Liquid Nitrogen Conformal Cooled Dies: Process Analysis and Simulation, J. Mater. Eng. Perform. 31 (2021) 1991-2001. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-021-06320-z
[10] R. Pelaccia, B. Reggiani, et al., Liquid nitrogen in the industrial practice of hot aluminium extrusion: experimental and numerical investigation, Int J Adv Manuf Technol. 119 (2022) 3141-3155. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-021-08422-3
[11] R. Pelaccia, M. Negozio, et al., Assessment of the Optimization Strategy for Nitrogen Cooling Channel Design in Extrusion Dies, Key Eng Mater. 926 (2022) 460-470. https://doi.org/10.4028/p-f7i0y2
[12] S. Kambampati, H.A. Kim, Level set topology optimization of cooling channels using the Darcy flow model, Struct. Multidisc. Optim. 61 (2020) 1345-1361. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-019-02482-6
[13] X. Zhao, M. Zhou, et al., Topology optimization of channel cooling structures considering thermomechanical behavior, Struct Multidisc Optim 59 (2019) 613-632. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-018-2087-z
[14] R. Pelaccia, P. E. Santangelo, A Homogeneous Flow Model for nitrogen cooling in the aluminum-alloy extrusion process, Int. J. Heat Mass Transf. 195 (2022) 123202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2022.123202
[15] X. Zhao, M. Zhou, et al., A “poor man’s approach” to topology optimization of cooling channels based on a Darcy flow model, Int. J. Heat Mass Transf. 116 (2018) 1108-1123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2017.09.090
[16] K. Svanberg, The method of moving asymptotes: a new method for structural optimization, Int J Numer Methods Eng 24 (1987) 359-397 https://doi.org/10.1002/nme.1620240207