Due to the importance of geometrical design of clinching tools, the clinching process with extensible dies was investigated numerically and experimentally to seek for optimal parameters of clinching tools in this study. The joining parameters, including punch corner radius, sliding distance, die depth and bottom thickness, were optimized using the orthogonal experimental design simulation method based on the evaluation of tensile strength. The simulation results were validated through an experimental setup testing on material aluminum alloy Al5052. The orthogonal experimental design simulation results showed reasonably good agreement with the experimental results. To further investigate the validation of the simulation model, the different bottom thicknesses within a reasonable range of value were studied. The results also indicated that the simulation model could be employed to predict the joint forming by the clinching process with extensible dies.