Impact of viscoelasticity on gage variation in film casting

Mathematical modeling of the melt draw step in film casting is used to unde rstand the impact of viscoelasticity on gage variations. The thin film appr oximation is used to simplify the governing equations to a set of two-dimen sional partial differential equations which are solved using the finite ele ment method. Simulations using the Giesekus constitutive model show that th e magnitude of thickness variations increases with increasing flow elastici ty or Deborah number. (C) 1999 The Society of Rheology. [S0148-6055(99)0010 1-7].