APPLICATION OF THE FINITE-ELEMENT METHOD TO DETERMINE THE FLOW DURINGTHE EXTRUSION OF GLASS COMPOSITES REINFORCED WITH LONG FIBERS

The flow behaviour of a glass melt during the co-extrusion of glass ro ds reinforced with long fibres is simulated with the aid of a finite-e lement program developed specially, to gain a better understanding of the flow in the shaping zone of the block container for optimization o f the manufacturing parameters. The mathematical investigation of the flow and its graphical description by the corresponding directional fi eld for the local velocities, establish that a die material with good wall-slipping behaviour is especially convenient. The calculation also supplies statements concerning the most favourable geometrical dimens ions for the deformation zone.