Title: Optimisation of extrusion flat die design and die wall temperature distribution, using Kriging and response surface method

Authors: Nadhir Lebaal, Fabrice Schmidt, Stephan Puissant

Addresses: Institut Superieur d'Ingenierie de la Conception (GIP-InSIC), Equipe de Recherche en Mecanique et Plasturgie ''ERMeP'', 27 rue d'Hellieule, 88100 Saint-Die-des-Vosges, France. ' Ecole des mines d'Albi Carmaux (ENSTIMAC), Centre de Recherche Outillages, Materiaux et Procedes ''CROMeP'', Campus Jarlard – Route de Teillet, 81013 Albi Cedex 9, France. ' Institut Superieur d'Ingenierie de la Conception (GIP-InSIC), Equipe de Recherche en Mecanique et Plasturgie ''ERMeP'', 27 rue d'Hellieule, 88100 Saint-Die-des-Vosges, France

Abstract: A new optimisation methodology for the design of coat-hanger dies is presented. Two approaches are presented to optimise the velocities distribution across the die exit. In the first approach, we predict the optimal shape of a coat hanger die; in the second approach, to keep the same geometry and avoid design of a new die, we optimise the temperature of regulation in heterogeneous way. This method involves coupling a three-dimensional finite element simulation software and an optimisation strategy. For this optimisation, the Sequential Quadratic Programming algorithm and the global response surface method with Kriging interpolation are used.

Keywords: polymer extrusion; thermal regulation; response surface methodology; RSM; optimisation; Kriging interpolation; finite element analysis; FEA; extrusion flat dies; die design; die wall temperature; temperature distribution; coat hanger dies; sequential quadratic programming; simulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2010.032107

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 2010 Vol.38 No.2/3, pp.307 - 322

Published online: 10 Mar 2010 *

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