Analysis of the flow imbalance on the profile shape during the extrusion of thin magnesium sheets

The extrusion process facilitates the production of magnesium sheets featuring a very thin thickness as well as excellent surface properties by using a single process step only. However, the extrusion of the magnesium sheets applying not optimized process parameters, e.g. low billet temperature or/ and poorly deformable magnesium alloy, produce pronounced buckling and waving of the extruded sheets as well as a variation of accuracy in profile shape along the cross section. The present investigation focuses on the FEM-simulation of the extrusion of magnesium sheets in order to clarify the origin of the mentioned effects. The simulations identify the flow imbalance during extrusion as the main critical factor. Due to the flow imbalance after passing the die a large compression stress zone is formed causing the buckling and waving of the thin sheets. Furthermore, the simulations of the magnesium sheet extrusion reveal that the interaction of the material flow gradients along the width and along the thickness direction near the die orifice lead to the variation of the accuracy in profile shape