Finite element analysis of rubber extrusion forming process for automobile weather strip

The liquid-state melted rubber flow near the die region, during the extrusion forming process of automobile weather strips, is numerically investigated by the finite element thermal flow analysis. The shear viscosity of the melted rubber flow, which shows the significant dependence on both temperature and shear strain rate, is described by the power-law and Arrhenious-law models, and the associated parameters are interpolated by the least-square fitting of experimental values. The steady-state temperature and velocity fields are approximated by the coupled finite element method in the Eulerian kinematic description. The parametric characteristics of the melted rubber flow are examined through the illustrative numerical experiments.