Custom-profile and standard-shape plastic extrusion in a broad range of thermoplastics — rod, tube, sheet, and complex custom profiles produced to your specifications.
Plastic extrusion is a continuous manufacturing process in which thermoplastic raw material — typically in pellet or granule form — is fed into a heated barrel where it is melted and then forced under pressure through a shaped die. The die determines the cross-sectional profile of the finished product. As the extrudate exits the die, it is cooled, dimensionally sized, and cut to length or coiled for delivery.
Because the process is continuous, extrusion is uniquely suited to producing parts where the cross-section is consistent along the entire length — profiles, channels, tubes, rods, strips, seals, and gasket shapes. This makes extrusion far more economical than machining for parts where consistent profile geometry is the primary requirement.
Profile Extrusion produces shapes with custom cross-sectional profiles — T-sections, L-sections, U-channels, complex multi-feature profiles — in continuous lengths. Custom tooling (the extrusion die) is fabricated to your profile geometry.
Standard Shape Extrusion produces round rod, rectangular bar, square bar, tube, and sheet in standard and custom dimensions. These are the building blocks of machined plastic parts — many of the engineering plastic stock shapes sold by plastic distributors are produced by extrusion.
Acrylic (PMMA), Polycarbonate (PC), Nylon (PA), Polyethylene (PE), HDPE, UHMW Polyethylene, PVC, Noryl (PPO), PETG, Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), Polyurethane (PU), Ultem (PEI), Vinyl
High-performance materials including PEEK, Torlon, and Vespel are available in standard extruded stock shapes. Custom profile extrusion in these materials is available — contact us to discuss your requirements.
| Profile Extrusion | Injection Molding | |
|---|---|---|
| Part Geometry | Consistent cross-section, unlimited length | Complex 3D shapes, fixed length |
| Tooling Cost | Lower — extrusion die only | Higher — closed mold tool |
| Best For | Linear profiles, seals, channels, trim | Complex enclosed parts, housings |
| Length Flexibility | Continuous — cut to any length | Fixed — determined by mold cavity |
| Volume Efficiency | High for long continuous shapes | High for complex short parts |
If your part has a consistent cross-section and needs to be produced in lengths — rather than as a discrete short part — extrusion is typically the more economical choice. For complex three-dimensional parts, injection molding is the better fit. Plastic-Craft offers both, and can advise on the right process for your design.
APPLICATIONS
Have a profile you need extruded? Request a Quote
Plastic extrusion is used to produce any plastic part where the cross-sectional profile is consistent along the full length — including rod, bar, tube, sheet, and custom profiles like channels, seals, and trim pieces. It is the most economical process for continuous-length plastic shapes.
Minimum order quantities depend on the material, profile complexity, and tooling status. Because custom profile extrusion requires die tooling, initial orders typically include a tooling charge. Contact us with your profile geometry and material requirements for an accurate minimum order and pricing discussion.
Die fabrication for a new custom profile typically takes two to four weeks depending on complexity. Once tooling is in place, production lead times are shorter for repeat orders. We recommend discussing your timeline early in the project so tooling can be initiated without delaying your production schedule.
Yes. If you have a physical sample, drawing, or specification for an existing profile that needs to be reproduced — including discontinued or obsolete profiles — we can reverse-engineer the profile geometry and develop matching tooling. This is a common application for legacy equipment spare parts and replacement building components.
Co-extrusion is the process of extruding two or more materials simultaneously through a single die to produce a profile with distinct material zones — for example, a rigid structural core with a soft seal lip, or a profile with a colored outer layer over a standard base material. Contact us to discuss your co-extrusion requirements.
Guides and articles on plastic extrusion, profile design, and material selection.
When extrusion makes more sense than molding, and how to decide for your next project.
Timeline, cost, and process for developing custom extrusion tooling from concept to production.
How co-extrusion combines rigid and flexible materials into a single continuous profile.
Share your profile drawing, sample, or concept and our team will review your geometry, recommend materials, and provide tooling and production pricing.
