Novel Extrusion Process for the Production of Aluminum-Polymer-Composites

Aluminum-polymer profiles offer various benefits for lightweight design and multifunctional parts, whereby the aluminum provides the required stiffness and strength and the polymer contributes functionality or decreases weight. In a new intrinsic co-extrusion process, aluminum hot extrusion and polymer extrusion is combined. The polymer melt is injected into the material flow of the aluminum at the weld chamber of a modified porthole die. Regarding pressure and weld chamber length of the polymer, the process windows of aluminum and polymer extrusion vary significantly. These process parameters are investigated numerically with the objective to enable a stable co-extrusion process. Slight changes in these parameters can lead to different profile geometries. With the chosen material combination of AA6060 and polyethersulfone (PESU), co-extrusion experiments are performed successfully and continuous hybrid profiles with a polymer core and aluminum shell are produced.