Abstract
This study investigates the effect of deformation zones on the extrusion load during the forming of non-axisymmetric profiles. Physical modelling using lead and analytical evaluation were performed for circular, square, triangular, and rectangular cross-sections at extrusion ratios (λ) of 3, 12, and 60. The results show that the maximum extrusion force (F max) increases significantly with both the depth of the plastic zone (L pz) and its volume (V pz), reaching up to 35–40% higher loads in non-axisymmetric sections than in circular ones at λ = 60. The dead zone height (L dz) and dead zone angle (α dz) also strongly influence the extrusion load, with F max increasing as L dz decreases and αdz increases. The study quantitatively relates these parameters to die geometry and demonstrates that optimising the deformation zone configuration can reduce extrusion force by up to 20%, leading to improved process efficiency and product quality. The developed analytical assessment provides a practical framework for integration into commercial extrusion simulation software to aid in process design and parameter selection.