This year's REX/PSI user meeting (REX = computer-aided extruder design, PSI = Paderborn injection moulding simulation) was attended by numerous representatives from industry and science, including company representatives from Arburg GmbH & Co. KG, Arenz GmbH, BASF SE, Battenfeld-Cincinnati Germany GmbH, BB Engineering GmbH, Breyer GmbH Maschinenfabrik, Brückner Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG, Covestro Deutschland AG, Hosokawa Alpine Aktiengesellschaft, IANUS Simulation GmbH, Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH, Lindauer Dornier GmbH, LS Mtron Ltd, Reifenhäuser Blown Film GmbH, Reifenhäuser Extrusion Systems GmbH, Windmöller & Hölscher KG, Wittmann Battenfeld GmbH & Co. KG and Yizumi Germany GmbH.
The foundation stone for the development of the REX simulation software was laid a good 30 years ago by Prof. em. Dr.-Ing. Helmut Potente. Since 2007, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Volker Schöppner has been responsible for further development.
At the same time as the user meeting, the current version of the simulation programme for single-screw machines REX 15.1 and PSI 13.1 was published. With the help of the software programme, the theoretical assessment of the machine behaviour and thus an optimisation of the barrel and screw configuration as well as the process parameters can be realised for single-screw extrusion as well as for the plasticising units of injection moulding machines without costly experimental investigations. For the most part, analytical equations are used, which enable short simulation times of less than one minute. The project will start its 16th project period in September 2019, in which, for example, the calculation of the mixing effect is to be optimised, also by coupling it to CFD software.
The following papers were presented:
- Calculation of new Mixing Key Figures based on CFD-Simulation and Delaunay-Triangulation (Maximilian Frank)
- Extension of the Wave Calculation Possibilities and Current Results (Marius Dörner)
- Implementation of Drag & Pressure-Flow (Marius Dörner)
- Implementation of Flight Switches, continuous Change of Pitch and direct Input of Power-Law Materials (Florian Brüning)
- Development of a Self-Controlling Barrel Temperature Setting based on Fuzzy Logic for Higher Melt Homogeneity in Single-Screw Extruders (Verena Resonnek)
- Development of simulation-based Assistants for the Extrusion Process (Jonas Köllermeier)
- Development of a Solids Conveying Throughput Model for Grooved Barrel Extruders based on Discrete-Element-Simulations (Florian Brüning)
- High Resolution 3D CFD Simulations of Faceted Mixing Elements and Spiral Shear Elements (Dr.-Ing. Tobias Herken)
