Make 2D sketch for die exit shape.

Open new assembly for extrusion die. Make assembly sketch with first
best guess at number and size of die plates. Building the assembly this
way makes it a lot easier to create a parametric rubber model for the die.
Insert 2D die shape drawing into assembly in correct
orientation relative to 2D die stack drawing.
Insert new part into “default location” in assembly and
rename part PL-4
Activate part PL-4, copy die stack lines from assembly
sketch and revolve to make solid.
Activate part PL-4, copy 2D lines from die exit shape
sketch and extrude cut die opening into PL-4.
Construct part PL-3, 2 and 1 the same as PL-4. Copy die
stack lines from assembly sketch and revolve to make
solid.
Construct part PL-3, 2 and 1 the same as PL-4. Copy die
stack lines from assembly sketch and revolve to make
solid.
Construct core guide using references from die shape
sketch and assembly layout sketch.
Insert new part, copy and then offset core guide surfaces
to create new model for rubber flow around core guide.
Copy core guide rubber surface into each die plate and make a surface
cut to remove steel for carrier rubber. Carrier rubber channel is
parametric, if you change CG rubber part, all die plates update
automatically.
Draw rubber channels.
Insert new part into default location and rename “rubber
slug”. This will be the part used for CFD analysis.
Activate “rubber slug” part in assembly, copy and revolve
assembly die stack sketch to create outer boundaries for
rubber model.
Open “rubber slug” part and insert part “plate 1” in
default location.
Subtract part “plate 1” from “rubber slug” part.
Repeat for remaining die plates, insert “die plate” part
and subtract from “rubber slug” part.
In the assembly, activate “rubber slug” and copy CNC
surface from carrier guide.
Clean up “rubber slug” geometry and add perpendicular
extensions for rubber inputs to match extrusion head. These
extensions are an area of uniform flow that enters the die.
Edit “rubber slug” in assembly mode, copy carrier shape
from 2D die exit shape part and cut through the model.
Start CFD, create new design study using “rubber slug”
part.
Start CFD, create new design study using “rubber slug”
part.
Don’t use geometry tools, close down the window that
pops up when you load a new model.
Assign material.
Set material environment to variable, this means
viscosity will change with pressure during calculations.
Set boundary conditions.
Calculate surface area being fed from each extruder,
multiply this by the line speed to get volume flow rate
coming into rubber model from each extruder.
Volume flow rate coming in from each extruder.
Volume flow rate coming in from each extruder.
Volume flow rate coming in from each extruder.
Absolute pressure 0 on die exit surfaces.
Component velocity, Vz=20 mpm, in the direction of
travel. The carrier surfaces are pulling the rubber out of
the die.
Meshing, click “automatic size”.
Then click “Regions”
Then click “Add”, we want to put a small refinement box at
the exit where we want finer mesh for more detailed results.
We’re looking for 6 elements of mesh across the exit.
Use the arrows and curser to drag the boundaries of the
box to barely cover the exit of the die. Then click the
button “get local mesh size”
Type in the number 0.16 and press return. Then click the button “spread
changes” followed by the button “OK”. The number you type in for local
mesh size will vary depending on the model, you’re looking for minimum
6 elements of mesh across the exit.
Open the Mesh Size dialog box again, then click on the
two boxes “Surface refinement” and “Gap refinement”.
Then click on the button “Advanced”.
For “Refinement length” I type in between 0.18 and 2 mm, “Fluid gap elements” I type in 3.
This means we are guaranteed at least 3 elements of mesh for 0.18mm < gap < 2mm.
You need 3 elements of mesh for the software to think material is flowing through the opening/gap, less than
3 elements and the software thinks the opening is blocked and material doesn’t flow through for the
calculation.
Click the button “OK” to close this box.
Then click on the button “Refine”, to refine the mesh.
Open the “solve” dialog box.
Click on “Physics” tab then click on “Turbulence” button. Select “Low Re k-
epsilon” for the “Turb. Model”. Then click “OK”
Click on “Control” tab then click on “Solution control” button.
Click on “Control” tab, then click on “Solution control” button.
This opens “Solution Controls” window, click on “Advanced” button.
Move slider for “Automatic convergence assessment” from “Default” to “Tight”.
Then press the “OK” button to close down both windows.
Change “Iterations to Run” to 600 and press “Solve”
Results.
Right click off the model to get pull down menu and press “Capture summary
image”.
Right click on label “Image 01” and rename “velocity”
Right click on label “velocity” and select “Update image”
Do the same for “pressure”
Add a plane on the surface where 1 extruder enters the model, we assume
uniform flow on this surface.
Click on vector settings to open “Plane Control” window. Select “velocity vector”
and vary “Grid spacing” numbers until you’re happy with the number/density of
the arrows. These are the seed points for the rubber flow lines.
Click on Traces to open “Traces” window.
Select “Rectangular grid” for “Seeding method” and click on the box “Use grid
spacing”. Then click on the button “Add trace set”
Velocity flow lines gripper.
Open “Traces” window, right click on “1 Set” and click on “Set properties”
Change “Trace Properties” settings to make traces easier to see.
Make a new summary image “velocity flow lines gripper”.
Make the rest of the summary images, look at the results, decide on changes
and modify the die plates in SW.
The rubber model is parametric, so once you rebuild the assembly with the
revised die plates, the rubber model updates .
In CFD right click on “Design 1” then select “Clone”
Assign a new name for the cloned design and press “OK”
Right click on “Mesh size” for cloned design and select “Remove all”.
Click on tab “Add Update Design”
Click on button “Browse”.
Move through the folders, select “rubber slug” model and press “Open” button
Select the cloned design folder and click on the button “Update selected design”
The surfaces get renamed, go through each boundary condition to make sure
the correct surfaces are selected.
Mesh the same as before, you don’t have to create new boundary regions, they
get cloned.
Click on “Solve”. You don’t have to change solve settings, they get cloned. You
want to continue from the last iteration from the previous design and run
another 600 iterations.
Click on “Solve”. You don’t have to change solve settings, they get cloned. You
want to continue from the last iteration from the previous design and run
another 600 iterations. Click on “Yes”.
When analysis has finished, right click on “Summary Images” and select
“Update all images”
Select one of the summary images and toggle back and forth to see the
changes in results for the different design studies.
Select one of the summary images and toggle back and forth to see the
changes in results for the different design studies.