Abstract: The present invention is an improved dry ice pellet manufacturing system including an automated helical injection system, a chamber having a greater filter screen ratio than prior art designs and a compressing mechanism. The automated helical injection system enables injected CO2 to follow an approximately helical path inside the extrusion chamber, such that CO2 snow begins to form, and is packed, at the die end of the chamber. The automated injection subsystem provides maximum ice production, the present system utilizes both staggered injection rates and a valve arrangement that improve (increases) upon the amount of CO2 injected into the extrusion chamber over time. The present invention further utilizes a chamber having a greater filter screen ratio than currently is used in the art. The extrusion chamber of the improved pelletizer of the present invention has approximately a 35% or greater filter screen ratio; filter screen ratio being defined as the ratio of filter screen area to chamber bore area.