A comprehensive investigation of an axisymmetric steady-state tube ext
rusion through a streamlined die is carried out by the finite element
method (FEM) to study the influence of process variables on tool desig
n and final product quality for a strain hardening material. The proce
ss variables considered are: the reduction in area; coefficient of fri
ction; mandrel radius; die-length; the hardening capacity of the mater
ial. The extrusion parameters studied are: the extrusion pressure; die
pressure; mandrel pressure; hydrostatic stress distribution; strain-r
ate distribution; strain distribution. The mixed (pressure-velocity) f
ormulation is used along with the Householder method to solve the resu
lting ill-conditioned algebraic equations. The extrusion pressure pred
icted by the present model is in reasonably good agreement with the pu
blished experimental results. The trends predicted for other parameter
s also conform with the published results. Copyright (C) 1996.