improved melt spinning of friable , thermally sensitive organosilicon preceramic polymers is obtained by using externally - metered feed means for continuous feeding of the polymer to an extruder . starve feeding by metering the feed at a rate less than that required to fill the feed screw flights prevents pulverizing and compaction of the friable polymer , leading to cross - linking of trapped polymer and solid plugging , which would cause the extruder to bind and cease to function . metered feed can be obtained by either monitoring of screw loading or discharge pressure and adjustment of hopper feed rate or control based upon measured values of extruder speed or metering pump speed .