Rapid Custom Manufacturing

Reaction Injection Molding (RIM) and Plastic Injection Molding (PIM) are two industrial manufacturing processes by means of injecting the plastic into the tooling cavity to form the part. As a conventional manufacturing technology, PIM is well known by the product designers and engineers. While for RIM technology, though it is not as popular as PIM, it attracts the increasingly attention and interest from the ones who concern it.

As a professional and respected RIM service provider in China, we often received the enquiries and questions for RIM technology from the people around the world. Here in this article we share the general information for RIM technology by the comparison of Reaction Injection Molding and Plastic Injection Molding.

Firstly, the different injection pressure and temperature. PIM injects the molten plastic into the mold cavity at high temperature and high pressure, RIM injects the liquid polymer into the mold cavity at room temperature and low pressure since its low material viscosity.

Secondly, the different tooling material and life as well as the tooling manufacturing time and cost. PIM tooling is made of rigid ferrous metal with millions shots, RIM tooling is made of aluminum, ABS, epoxy, silicone rubber with hundreds or thousands shots. PIM tooling manufacturing time is normally over one month with expensive cost, RIM tooling making time is normally one week with relatively much lower cost.

Thirdly, the different molding material and material price. The PIM material is solid granular plastic and costs normally from 2 to 5 USD per kilogram, RIM material is liquid polyurethane and costs around 12 USD per kilogram.

Fourthly, the different part production cycle and part tolerance. PIM part production cycle is normally around 40 seconds and part tolerance ranging from 0.01 to 0.1 mm, RIM part production cycle is around 2 hours and part tolerance ranging from 0.1 to 5 mm.

Fifthly, the different wall thickness. PIM part must have the uniform wall thickness or the sink mark occurred, RIM part could have the different wall thickness without the sink mark on the thicker wall happened for PIM.

Sixthly, the different manufacturing volume. PIM is great for the mass volume production since its long tooling life, RIM is proper for the low volume manufacturing and/or prototyping of the big plastic covering parts.

The reaction injection molding services we send out to the global market are quick, economical and quality that are proven by the professionals in this area and the customers used our service, especially from automotive field. We are always looking forward to doing more and better for customers by our continuously improving RIM experience and expertise.