Technology

Like thermoplastic injection molding, reaction injection molding (RIM) is a plastics-forming process that uses molds to form parts. But the similarity ends there.

Polyurethanes begin as two-liquid components, compared with the pellet form of most thermoplastics. These liquid components - an isocyanate and a polyol - are developed in two-part formulations, which are often called polyurethane RIM systems.

Depending on how the polyurethane RIM system is formulated, the parts molded can vary between foam and rigid-like structures, and between high flexibility and total rigidity. Thus, polyurethane RIM processing can produce virtually anything from a very flexible foam-core part to a rigid solid part.

At PURMOLD molds are commonly CNC-machined out of aluminum. This material is all that is required to stand up to the low pressures and temperatures of the RIM process. This mold material offers you high value. You can benefit from the features of a molded plastic part with complex features on its inside and outside, at a fraction of the cost of high-pressure injection molds.

RIM molds commonly cost 10 percent to 20 percent of what high-pressure injection molds would cost. It is economically reasonable to use RIM for quantities ranging from 100 to 5000 parts.

We can say that with polyurethanes the industrial designer has the possibility to create molded parts for small production series with high degrees of freedom at affordable costs.