Polymer Engineering and Science, Vol.35, No.9, 759-767, 1995
Extrusion Die Design for Multiple Stripes
Two numerical approaches have been applied to examine the possibility of adding shims to conventional extrusion dies such as T-dies and coat-hanger dies to produce multiple stripes. The first numerical approach is based on a one or two-dimensional lubrication approximation and the second one is the three-dimensional finite element simulation. Both approaches are applicable, but the lubrication approximation is accurate and much simpler to use. The extruded stripes are assumed to obey a non-Newtonian power-law model. It has been found that the T-die with a shim can produce multiple stripes of acceptable uniformity, irrespective of the strip numbers and widths and the power-law index The coat-hanger die with a shim did not deliver multiple stripes with good uniformity. Adding an outer manifold to the coat-hanger die can serve as an effective means to reduce flow nonuniformities.