Hot Deformation Behavior of 7075 Aluminum Alloy and Its Implementation in Enhanced Extrusion Simulation Accuracy

Accurate material modeling is critical for reliable finite element simulation of aluminum extrusion processes. This work presents the development and industrial validation of a strain-compensated Arrhenius constitutive model for AA7075 aluminum alloy applied to porthole die extrusion. Isothermal compression experiments were performed using a Gleeble 3500 system at 450–500°C and 0.1–1.0 s−1. Material constants were determined as sixth-order polynomial functions of strain, yielding a model with R = 0.997 and AARE = 1.50%. The constitutive relations were incorporated into the QForm software to simulate the extrusion of a complex curtain wall profile through a six-porthole die. Factory trials on a 2100-ton press confirmed the model’s reliability, with predicted forces deviating by only 1.11% from measured values, compared to 19.16% using default database parameters. TS-GHX1 tool steel with gas nitriding treatment was employed to address die failure issues associated with conventional H13 steel, demonstrating 6–8% reduction in peak die stresses and successful extrusion of the target profile.