BeginnerTopic 15 of 102Manufacturing, Robotics & Systems
Rolling, extrusion and drawing
Continuous deformation processes for sheets, profiles and wires.
In depth
Rolling reduces thickness between rolls (hot and cold); extrusion forces billet through a die for constant cross-section profiles (aluminium window frames); drawing pulls material through a die to make wire, rod and tube. Control reductions per pass, lubrication and temperature.
Key points
- Draft and roll force
- Extrusion ratio
- Annealing between draws
ExampleCopper wire is drawn through successively smaller dies.
Rolling, extrusion and drawing produce long shapes and sheets continuously, which is efficient for high volume materials.
What is Rolling, extrusion and drawing?
Continuous deformation processes for sheets, profiles and wires.
Why is it important to understand rolling, extrusion and drawing?
Rolling, extrusion and drawing produce long shapes and sheets continuously, which is efficient for high volume materials.
What is extrusion?
Forcing a billet through a die to make a long profile with the die's cross-section.
What does drawing achieve?
It reduces the diameter of a wire or bar by pulling it through a die, which also strengthens it by strain hardening.
How is Rolling, extrusion and drawing used in practice?
Typical applications include rolling steel slabs into plates for a shipyard, extruding aluminium profiles for window frames and drawing copper wire to a fine diameter for cables.
What should I learn before Rolling, extrusion and drawing?
Study "Forming and forging" first (topic 14 of 102 in Manufacturing, Robotics & Systems). It covers the groundwork this topic builds on.
What are the key points of Rolling, extrusion and drawing?
Draft and roll force. Extrusion ratio. Annealing between draws.
Can you give an example of Rolling, extrusion and drawing?
Copper wire is drawn through successively smaller dies.
What comes after Rolling, extrusion and drawing?
The next topic is "Sheet metal working", which builds directly on this one.
How difficult is Rolling, extrusion and drawing?
It is classed as Beginner in Manufacturing, Robotics & Systems (topic 15 of 102). It is an entry-level topic. It relies only on basic school mathematics and the ideas introduced earlier in this discipline.