Screw extruders for rubber have developed throughout the twentieth century, and advances continue to be made. Recent changes have been driven by demands for accuracy and economy, increased understanding of the underlying principles, and improvements in related technologies such as control systems and computing power. Nonetheless a great deal of relatively old and unsophisticated machinery is also still in use.

In reviewing the state of the art Bryan Crowther has attempted to reflect this diversity, describing both the basic principles of rubber extrusion and more recent advances. Much additional information is provided by more than 400 abstracts selected from the Polymer Library, which complete the report.