To know what RIM is, the first part is to understand that RIM stands for Reaction Injection Moulding; it is a chemical process rather than a heating and cooling process (typical of injection moulding). In the simplest of terms, by pouring liquid plastic into a mould tool, we can 'cast' a plastic part made from a thermoset material:-
'When two reactive liquids meet, a chemical reaction takes place, energy increases producing heat, and results in a solid part'
Reagent A = Polylol Reagent B = Isocyanate
RIM is a generic term and can include both foamed, high-pressure RIM and rigid, low-pressure RIM. Both processes have their Pro's and Con's depending on shape, size, volumes, tooling budget ...etc.
My experience has been with low volume, rigid RIM which means we use a little over atmospheric pressure to pour/pump the liquid into the mould tool and as such, we can really strip back the tooling to minimise costs AND reduce risk.
This process really opens up opportunities for high-end products, specialised items, and new innovations where markets are very new or unknown.
Essentially, all growth sectors in the UK!
The UK is great at innovating, setting up start-up companies and university spin-outs. We like to keep this specialist knowledge and high-end manufacturing local so that we can control IP and quality and this is where we see great synergy with RIM moulding. It is an enabling process that helps take new products to market, with stylish, custom mouldings for a fraction of the cost AND design time needed for injection moulding. Do take a look at our other articles which talk about the benefits of using RIM, the scale, the volumes and the 5 key points but do get in touch with me directly if you have any specific questions.