Patent ID: 8682620

Claim:
A method of designing a die, comprising: a) receiving on a computer device a first set of flow analysis data inputs related to characteristics of a geometry of a predetermined die cavity, a density and rheological properties of a material to be extruded through the die, and a flow rate of the material; b) performing a first three-dimensional flow analysis comprising calculating from the first set of flow analysis data inputs a first pressure distribution exerted on the die cavity by the material to be extruded through the die and a first cross-sectional flow profile at an exit of the die cavity; c) receiving on the computer device a set of structural analysis data inputs related to fastener constraint forces exerted on the die cavity and material properties of the die cavity, wherein the material properties comprise Young's modulus, yield strength, density, ultimate tensile strength, Poisson's ratio, and wherein the set of structural analysis set of data inputs further comprises data inputs related to additional external forces exerted on the die cavity wherein the additional external forces comprise gravity; d) performing a structural analysis of the die cavity comprising calculating from the calculated first pressure distribution and the set of structural analysis data inputs a deformation of the die cavity resulting from the first pressure distribution; e) receiving on the computer device a second set of flow analysis data inputs related to characteristics of a geometry of the die cavity having the calculated deformation, the density and rheological properties of the material, and the flow rate of the material; f) performing a second three-dimensional flow analysis comprising calculating from the second set of data inputs a second pressure distribution exerted on the deformed die cavity by the material to be extruded through the die and a second cross-sectional flow profile at the exit of the die cavity having the calculated deformation; g) comparing at least one of (1) the first and second pressure distributions to determine if a difference between the first and second pressure distributions is less than a predetermined pressure difference value, and (2) the first and second cross-sectional flow profiles to determine if a difference between the first and second cross-sectional flow profiles is less than a predetermined difference value, wherein steps c)-g) are repeated using the pressure distribution calculated in step e) and the deformation calculated in step d) until at least one of (1) a difference between a pressure distribution calculated in step b) and a pressure distribution calculated in step f) is less than the predetermined pressure difference value, and (2) a difference between a cross-sectional flow profile calculated in step b) and a cross-sectional flow profile calculated in step e) is less than the predetermined difference value; and h) analyzing the second cross-sectional flow profile to determine whether a variance in the cross-sectional flow profile is within a predetermined tolerance range.