An optimizing process of profiled cross-sectional aluminum alloy porthole die extrusion using response surface methodology

The porthole die extrusion process of profiled cross-section hollow aluminum alloy is influenced by numerous factors, which brings inconvenience to the process design. In this paper, 7075 aluminum alloy is taken as an example, the fitting model of the ultimate load is analyzed by variance and regression analysis using response surface method (RSM). The influences of extrusion speed, friction factor and initial temperature on the change of extruded ultimate load are investigated systematically, and the important influence factors (initial temperature > friction factor > extrusion speed) to the load are determined eventually. By comparison, the error between the ultimate load model obtained after fitting and the calculated value is only 2.4%, further verifying the reliability of this model. The optimal objective is to minimize the ultimate load, then the optimum technological parameters are obtained by optimizing the process, where the initial temperature, the extrusion speed and the friction factor are 430°C, 2.28mm/s and 0.31, respectively. The results provide a theoretical basis for the scientific design of the porthole die extrusion process of profiled cross-section hollow aluminum alloy.