Integration of CAD/CAE/CAM on Metal Extrusion Die

Traditionally, the cold extrusion die is of flat-faced shape. The dead metal zone causes high shear friction resulting in short die life. To lengthen the die life, the geometry of the die can be optimised. In this paper, the die geometry which is a free form surface, is created based on the user selected die inlet and outlet profiles. Upper-bound theorem in plasticity and optimisation algorithm are applied to optimise the die geometry. The geometry of the die electrode is automatically rebuilt in Anvil-5000 CAD/CAM software. The NC program is output immediately for the machining processes in the MCV-1000CR machining centre. These tasks are accomplished by linking GRAPL-IV with C programs. The machining centre is directly controlled through RS-232c by the C program linking DNC2 library. The design, optimisation, and machining of the die electrode are computerised. This environment can be extended for one-of-a-kind and small batch production in small and medium-sized factories.