On the stress distribution in prestressed extrusion dies under non-uniform distribution of internal pressure

Cold extrusion die stress distribution is normally calculated on the assumption that there is a uniform distribution of internal pressure, e.g. by application of the Lamé equations. With FE-analysis this assumption can be overcome by the introduction of arbitrary boundary conditions. However, as little information existed about realistic distribution of radial and axial stresses in container and die this possibility was not used very much. Only after a recent investigation of Bay 1] into friction and pressure distribution in forward extrusion an FE-calculation of stresses in a prestressed extrusion die under non-uniform distribution of radial pressure seemed to be promising. The results show very clearly that no negative effects on the stress state—e.g. increase of stress peaks—may be expected in case of combined continuous decrease of radial pressure in the container and discontinuous increase at the die entry.