Step 1

Design

What is done to start up the work on a die? It all starts with a design. A good design that can make the difference between getting a die and getting a perfect die. Our design department takes care of this important step in the process.

 

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Every single die that is produced at Adex starts with an enquiry. A drawing is send to our sales department by the customer. The sales department discusses the drawing with the technical department to come with a good and realistic quotation. 

As soon as we receive the order the drawing goes to the design department. The design of a die determines if a die will be successful. A good design will result in a perfect running die. For our designers it is key to understand what is important in the die. When this is known they can adapt the design to this. Creating the die that fits the job perfectly.

 

Hand Sketch still in use
It all starts with an ‘old fashioned’ sketch on paper. Our designers start with making a hand sketch of what they think is the best way of designing the die. The thoughts about a design come from our 40+ years of experience in die-design. In the design phase the designers look at which specific Adex technology fits the profile best. Is it a profile that just fits the press opening, then the Adex Spreading technology is used. (Sometimes in combination with the Stone technology). Is the customer looking for a die that should run for a very long time, then the Stone technology is the best option. In this way the customer knows he will be getting a state of the art die.

Simulation
As soon as the hand-sketched design is finished it is transferred to a digital drawing and a 3D model. Thanks to the utilisation of an advanced simulation software Adex can simulate a digital trailpressing. With this simulation-run the designers have insight in the flow of aluminium in the tool, pressure on the mandrell, speed differences of certrain areas of the profile, heat displacement in the profile and even the transversal seam is indicated. With all this information the designers can adjust the design and 'tune' the die to run as perfect as possible. If needed the simulation will be done on a specific area that is important to the customer. (If the customer wants as little as scrap due to the transversal seam the design will be changed so reduce the transversal seam as much as possible) This basically saves a trailpressing at the customer. In this way the flow can already be adjusted.

As soon as the order leaves the design department the real production on the die starts.

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Video about aluminium extrusion in combination with Adex spreading technology

video about production of aluminium extrusion dies at adex