Abstract: Three-dimensional non-steady aluminum profile extrusion processes with large deformations are simulated using finite volume method (FVM) based on Euler mesh. The key technologies are studied and the simulation program is coded using C langrage to obtain the fields such as velocity field and temperature field. Volume of fluid (VOF) method is used to cap-ture the free surface of the material. The “moving grids system” is introduced to treat the moving problem of the boundaries of the calculated area caused by the moving of the extrusion ram. The numerical simulation of real physical processes is realized. The simulation results for an aluminum profile extrusion process with a L-shaped cross-section obtained by the finite volume math-ematic model agree with the results simulated by Deform-3D. And the results of finite volume mathematic model are much closer to the practical ones. The effectiveness and exactness of the finite volume model established are proved. The finite volume model is more suitable to the materials forming process simula-tion with a large or severe deformation, such as aluminum profile extrusion process, than finite element model.

Key words: Euler mesh, Finite volume method, Moving grids system