A method for continuously producing a multiplicity of articles comprising at least two different types of articles from a pasty mass, using a device, wherein the device contains the following: - an extruder whose different axial regions are formed by - a processing unit with transporting elements for processing and transporting the mass; - downstream of the processing unit: a mixing unit with mixing elements; - a metering unit for metering an additive into the mass transported through the processing unit, which metering unit is connected by means of at least one one switching unit (F1, M1, P1, F2, M2, P2, F3, M3, P3) to at least one source (Q1, Q2, Q3) of a respective additive, wherein a respective switching unit (F1, M1, P1, F2, M2, P2, F3, M3, P3) can be switched into a switching state in which the metering unit can meter the respective additive into the mass at a respective metering rate; - a molding unit provided downstream of the processing unit and the mixing unit, with molding elements for molding the mass provided with an additive into individual articles, wherein the method comprises the following steps: - feeding the mass by means of a feeding unit into the processing unit; - transporting and processing the mass through the processing unit; - metering an additive by means of the metering unit into the mass transported through the processing unit; - mixing the metered-in additive into the mass by means of the mixing unit; - molding the mass provided with the additive into individual articles by means of the molding unit with molding elements, wherein the additives are fed into the mixing unit and the metering in of the additive takes place in a sequence of metering states comprising at least two different metering states, the metering unit in a respective metering state metering the additive into the mass at a respective metering rate and wherein the state duration or the duration of a metering cycle is approximately 10 s to 40 s. - an extruder whose different axial regions are formed by - a processing unit with transporting elements for processing and transporting the mass; - downstream of the processing unit: a mixing unit with mixing elements; - a processing unit with transporting elements for processing and transporting the mass; - downstream of the processing unit: a mixing unit with mixing elements; - a metering unit for metering an additive into the mass transported through the processing unit, which metering unit is connected by means of at least one one switching unit (F1, M1, P1, F2, M2, P2, F3, M3, P3) to at least one source (Q1, Q2, Q3) of a respective additive, wherein a respective switching unit (F1, M1, P1, F2, M2, P2, F3, M3, P3) can be switched into a switching state in which the metering unit can meter the respective additive into the mass at a respective metering rate; - a molding unit provided downstream of the processing unit and the mixing unit, with molding elements for molding the mass provided with an additive into individual articles, - feeding the mass by means of a feeding unit into the processing unit; - transporting and processing the mass through the processing unit; - metering an additive by means of the metering unit into the mass transported through the processing unit; - mixing the metered-in additive into the mass by means of the mixing unit; - molding the mass provided with the additive into individual articles by means of the molding unit with molding elements,