An Approach to Modelling the RIM Process: Mold, Gating, and Filling

In an effort to improve the quality of the Reaction Injection Molding (RIM) process, a procedure to simulate the effects that the geometry of the fan gate and the mold cavity have on the flowing polymer, at various processing conditions was developed. An important goal of the study was to identify specific geometries, which produce flow patterns during mold filling that enhance the final part quality.

The results from the simulations of a series of fan gates at various processing conditions will be presented. In addition, the computational and experimental filling patterns from a production scale fascia are compared.