Received 19 July 2002; accepted 11 December 2002 Abuminium extrusion involves the generation of free surface, thermal effects, large deformations and complex geometries. The establisbed finite alement method (FEM)-based 3D simulation tools using the updated Lagrangian approach, or the Eulerian approach or the arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian approach all have limitations in describing the process that develops from the transient state to the steady state before reaching the end when the steady state is disturbedi As a result, the simulation of aluminium extrusion performed so fro has been restricted to simple geometries, small length to diameter (L/D) ratios, the beginning stage or steady state conditions. Tiris paper reports on an unprecedented attempt to simulate an entire cycle of alumimium extrusion from a billet with an L/D ratio of 4 to a solid cross-shaped profile, using the DEFORM 3D software based on the updated Lagrangian approach. Simulation successfolly predicts a complete extrusion pressure/ram displacement diagran that begins with a pressure breakthrough and ends with another pressure rise due to the inhihition of metal flow by the rigid dinmmy block. The developments of velocity, effective strain and temperature inside the deforming billet indicate that the processisnon steady, evenin the steady state, as a result of continuous heat generation and sticking condition at the billet-container interface. The non steady characteristics are reflected in the expanding defomation zone and shiinldng dead metal zone. Simulation also reveals the patterns of the maximum temperature variations in the workpiece and in the tooling, due to heat generation and exchange. Even at a relatively low ran speed of 2mm/s, the maximumn temperature of the workpiece, after an initial steep rise, increases gradually till the end of the process, which may well lead to the occurence of hot sbortness. On the basis of these results, a change of the conventional mode of aluminium extrusion is recommended, which at present operates almost all at a constant ram speed and often begins with a uniform billet temperature across the aluminium extrusion industry in the world.