Extrusion is one of the most widely used manufacturing processes across many

industries. Essentially, it is not much different from squeezing tooth paste out of the tube.
Anything that is long with a consistent cross section is probably made by extrusion. Common
examples are spaghetti, candy canes, chewing gums, drinking straws, plumbing pipes, door
insulation seals, optical fibers, and steel or aluminum I-beams.
The plastic extrusion molding process usually begins with a thermoplastic in the form
of pellets or granules. They are usually stored in a hopper (a funnel-shaped receptacle) before
they are delivered to a heated barrel. The molten plastic is then forced through a shaped
orifice, usually a custom steel die with shape of the cross section of the intended part,
forming a tube-like or rod-like continuous workpiece. Cooling of the workpiece should be as
even as possible.
Extrusion molding maintains a constant cross-section to keep the cost down in almost
all cases. Most thermoplastics can be used for extrusion. However, materials with higher
stiffness and/or strength in the molten state are usually preferred since they are easier to form
and maintain the desired shape. Other considerations regarding material selection may
include heat and UV stability (for longevity), flame and chemical resistance (for safety), and
strength and flexibility (for utility).

Plastics extrusion commonly uses plastic chips or pellets, which are usually dried in a
hopper before going to the feed screw. The polymer resin is heated to molten state by a
combination of heating elements and shear heating from the extrusion screw. The screw
forces the resin through a die, forming the resin into the desired shape. The extrudate is
cooled and solidified as it is pulled through the die or water tank. A "caterpillar haul-off"
(called a "puller" in the US) is used to provide tension on the extrusion line which is essential
for overall quality of the extrudate. The caterpillar haul-off must provide a consistent pull;
otherwise, variation in cut lengths or distorted product will result. In some cases (such as
fibre-reinforced tubes) the extrudate is pulled through a very long die, in a process called
"pultrusion".
Mass transfer is the net movement of mass from one location to another. Mass
transfer is used by different scientific disciplines for different processes and mechanisms. The
phrase is commonly used in engineering for physical processes that involve
molecular and convective transport of atoms and molecules within physical systems. Some
common examples of mass transfer processes are the evaporation of water from a pond to the
atmosphere; the diffusion of chemical impurities in lakes, rivers, and oceans from natural or
artificial point sources; separation of chemical components in distillation columns. In Cooling
towers, hot water flows down over the fill material as air flows up and contact between water
and air evaporates some of the water.