Finite element simulation of extrusion of optical fiber preforms: Effects of wall slip

•Finite element simulation of glass optical fiber preform extrusion with wall slip.•Statistical analysis of the wall slip and extruding speed, pressure, glass viscosity.

Extrusion has been successfully used to fabricate optical fiber preforms, especially microstructured ones. Although simplified mathematical model has been used to calculate the extrusion pressure or speed, more frequently die design and extrusion process optimization depend on trial and error, which is especially true for complex die and preform design. This paper employs the finite element method (FEM) to simulate the billet extrusion process to investigate the relationship between the extruding pressure, the billet viscosity, the wall slip condition and the extruding speed for extrusion of rod preforms. The slipping wall boundary condition is taken into account of the finite element model, and the simulated extruding pressure agrees with the one experimental value reported preciously. Then the dependence of the extruding speed on the extruding pressure, billet viscosity and the slip speed is systematically simulated. Simulated data is fitted to a second order polynomial model to describe their relationship, and the terms of the model are reduced from nine to five by using a statistical method while maintaining the fitting accuracy. The FEM simulation and the fitted model provide a convenient and dependable way to calculate the extrusion pressure, speed or other process parameters, which could be used to guide experimental design for future preform extrusion. Furthermore, the same simulation could be used to optimize die design and extrusion process to improve quality of extruded preforms.