Extrusion press systems and methods

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods are described for extruding materials. In certain embodiments, one or more hollow billets are loaded onto an elongate mandrel bar and transported along the mandrel bar to a rotating die. The billets are transported through fluid clamps, which engage the mandrel bar and provide cooling fluid to the mandrel bar tip, and through mandrel grips, which engage the mandrel bar and prevent the mandrel bar from rotating. One or more press-rams advance the billets through a centering insert and into the rotating die. A quench assembly is provided at an extrusion end of the extrusion press to quench the extruded material. A programmable logic controller may be provided to control, at least in part, operations of the extrusion press system.

1 - 84 . (canceled) 
     
     
         85 . A die for extruding a material, comprising:
 a die body having:
 a passage defining an entrance and an exit, wherein the diameter of the exit is smaller than the diameter of the entrance; and 
 an interior surface extending around the passage from the entrance to the exit; and 
   a base coupled to the die body, wherein rotation of the base causes the die body to rotate.   
     
     
         86 . The die of  claim 85 , wherein the die body is configured to receive a billet of material for extrusion, and the billet is not pre-heated before entering the die body. 
     
     
         87 . The die of  claim 86 , wherein rotation of the die body creates friction between the interior surface and a billet advanced through the entrance and into the interior passage of the die body. 
     
     
         88 . The die of  claim 87 , wherein the friction heats the billet to a temperature that is sufficient to cause deformation of the billet material. 
     
     
         89 . The die of any of  claims 85 - 88 , wherein the die body is configured to receive a mandrel tip through the entrance such that the mandrel tip is positionable within the interior passage of the die body. 
     
     
         90 . The die of  claim 89 , wherein the interior surface of the die comprises an angled portion configured to be positioned near a corresponding tapered outer surface of the mandrel tip. 
     
     
         91 . The die of  claim 89  or  90 , wherein the die body is configured to receive a billet pressed through the interior passage of the die body to form an extruded product, the extruded product having an outer diameter corresponding to the diameter of the exit of the die body and an inner diameter corresponding to a diameter of the mandrel tip. 
     
     
         92 . The die of any of  claims 85 - 91 , wherein the die body comprises a plurality of die plates coupled together to form a stack. 
     
     
         93 . The die of  claim 92 , wherein each die plate has a circular bore through the center of the plate, and perimeters of the bores form the interior surface in the die body. 
     
     
         94 . The die of  claim 93 , wherein the perimeters of the bores are angled at different angles with respect to an axis extending through the die body from the entrance to the exit. 
     
     
         95 . The die of  claim 94 , wherein an angle of the perimeter near a front face of each plate in the die body is greater than an angle of the perimeter near a back face of an adjacent plate. 
     
     
         96 . The die of any of  claims 92 - 95 , wherein the stack includes a non-uniform die plate having a bore perimeter angled at a first angle near a front face of the plate and angled at a different second angle near a rear face of the plate. 
     
     
         97 . The die of any of  claims 92 - 96 , wherein at least one of the die plates is formed from two different materials, with a first material forming a perimeter of a bore in the die plate and a second material forming an outer portion of the die plate. 
     
     
         98 . The die of  claim 97 , wherein the first material is a ceramic material, a steel, or a consumable material. 
     
     
         99 . The die of any of  claims 85 - 98 , wherein the base comprises a circular bore having a diameter greater than the diameter of the exit of the die body. 
     
     
         100 . The die of any of  claims 85 - 99 , further comprising a motor that supplies a rotational force to the base. 
     
     
         101 . The die of any of  claims 85 - 100 , wherein a front face of the die body near the entrance is configured to mate with a centering insert having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the entrance. 
     
     
         102 . The die of  claim 101 , wherein the centering insert and a perimeter of the entrance are formed from the same material. 
     
     
         103 . The die of  claim 101  or  102 , wherein the centering insert does not rotate when the base and die body rotate. 
     
     
         104 . The die of  claim 103 , wherein the centering insert comprises a gripper that prevents rotation of a billet passing through the centering insert. 
     
     
         105 - 124 . (canceled)