IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EULERIAN AND THE ARBITRARY LAGRANGIAN–EULERIAN DESCRIPTIONS IN FINITE ELEMENT SIMULATION OF EXTRUSION PROCESSES

Abstract

In this paper, backward and forward–backward-radial extrusion processes of aluminum have been simulated using finite element method. Due to the extreme deformation of the workpiece and the restrictions of the Lagrangian approach to simulate such problems, the arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) and the Eulerian descriptions have been implemented in backward and forward–backward-radial extrusion processes, respectively. Operator-split method is used to solve the coupled governing equations of the Eulerian and the ALE formulations. To validate the finite element simulations, the results have been compared with experimental data in terms of extrusion load and geometry of final products. A good agreement has been seen between the results demonstrating the capability of the Eulerian and the ALE methods on finite element simulation of extrusion processes.