Die Temperature Measurement

The most important parameter in extrusion is temperature. Billet temperature and exit temperature are routinely measured but very few plants measure the die temperature.
Extrusion dies have to be preheated before they are loaded into the press. If the dies are too cold there is a high risk of an expensive die failure or sticking billet. The usual practice is to heat the dies in a die oven set between 450-500 degrees C

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The only other control is the time the die is left in the oven. The die oven is continually opened and closed to remove and load dies during a shift and there can be considerable variations in the temperature of the dies within an oven. Die performance can also be affected by temperature.

Sometimes several billets have to extruded before the die has reached its working temperature and good product produced. Die trials are frequently carried out on dies that are not at the production temperature. 

The Service Aluminium die temperature measurement system is a robust non-contact system for measuring die temperature. The unit can be mounted near the oven or by the die carrier on the press. The temperature is indicated on a digital display and can also be interfaced with a recorder, PLC, or data-collection system. The system is inexpensive simple to install and very quickly pays for itself.

If you are not measuring the die temperature then the process is not under control

Improving the Performance of Extrusion Dies