Foreword

The book Extrusion: Processes, Equipment, Tooling, edited by Kurt Laue and Helmut Stanger, was published in 1976 by the Aluminium-Verlag GmbH, Düsseldorf. The excellent, wide, and often deep overview enabled experienced engineers as well as students and academics to understand extrusion processes, equipment, and tooling. For a long time, this book, which was also translated into English, was the standard reference on extrusion.

Because it has been out of print for several years, it made sense to republish the book Extrusion in a fully updated version. The editors have attempted to retain the character of the book as an overview of the processes, equipment, and tooling. Extruded products have been discussed in more detail to demonstrate the range of applications of extrusion and to stimulate the industrial application of extrusion beyond that used today.

In addition, the metallurgical fundamentals of the extrusion process are covered in detail, because the editors believe that extrusion can only be optimized by taking the materials technology into account.

The discussions on extrusion equipment, plant, and tooling attempt to extend the overview with application examples. Actual applications, however, require the cooperation of the customer, extruder, tool maker and equipment manufacturer.

The book Extrusion is intended for both students and research engineers as well as engineers in extrusion plants, manufacture of machinery and plant, tool manufacture, as well as the designers, process developers, and managers of automotive companies, building industries, and plant manufacture. The book should give an introduction to and an overview of extrusion. More detailed discussions and the latest research results can be found in the technical literature.

The authors thank the co-authors of this book and the numerous companies that have helped in its realization by providing the material for the figures and technical discussions. Specific mention should be made of the support from Wieland-Werke AG, Ulm, and by the companies Alusuisse Neuhausen and Alusingen. We should also thank the members of the “Extrusion Technical Committee” in the DGM for the valuable information they provided. These include, in particular, Dr. J. Baumgarten, Dr. G. Fischer, and Dipl.-Ing. Rethmann. Thanks are also due to Y. Ismailoglu of IFU-Stuttgart and A. Schug of Wieland-Werke Ulm for the preparation and production of numerous photographs, drawings, tables, and diagrams.

The editors also give special thanks to the Aluminium Verlag for fulfilling the requests and requirements of the editors and the authors and for the careful preparation of the contributions for printing.

Sadly, one of the three editors, our dear colleague and friend, Professor Dr. Ing. Günther Sauer, died on October 7, 2000. He gave a great deal of commitment and effort to the realization of this book and completed all of his promised contributions to it before his sudden death. Unfortunately, he was not allowed the pleasure of seeing this book in its final format. We would like to express our sincere thanks for being a good colleague and a friend.

We hope this book fulfills the expectations of the reader and contributes to the further development of extrusion.