The industry of injection molding is massive and consistently growing. There are multiple different processes of injection molding and an endless array of objects that are made using these processes. Some objects are made completely of one material while others take part in an overmolding process. The overmolding process generally involves some kind of large machine or press heating plastic or another material and shooting it into a mold over previously placed pieces to create a finished product.
One of the leading forms of injection molding is reaction injection molding (RIM). This process is a little different from regular injection molding, although they are incredibly similar.
What is RIM?
Regular injection molding is, put simply, the process of a molten material being injected into a mold to form a product. This can be anything from the adjustment knob on an office chair to the mirror casing for a semi truck.
Reaction injection molding is a similar process, but there is one difference. RIM uses thermosetting polymers, which are materials that start out malleable and are cured into an infusible solid through the RIM process. In contrast, regular injection molding often uses hard pellets of material that are melted and then formed and hardened again in the mold.
Why Choose RIM?
There are plenty of benefits to using RIM. One of those is the broad design opportunities it allows. It makes the encapsulation molding process easier due to lower temperatures and pressure, and it provides more intricate designs with varying thickness in one mold.
It is also more cost effective. The tooling is more economic no matter what kinds of parts you’re making or how large the orders are. Even short-run products have a more economic set up with RIM, so you’re not wasting money by running smaller orders.
The process does tend to take a little bit longer, but RIM makes up for it in the money it saves you and the design opportunities it provides.
Consider RIM for Your Parts
If the parts you create require an overmolding process or other kinds of injection molding, you should definitely give reaction injection molding some consideration. It is an innovative process that can save you money and create quality parts for your customers.
