The overmolding process is able to create some of the smallest microcellular parts needed for automobiles and other items. Sometimes these are prototypes and other times these are for polyurethane Reaction Injection Molding (RIM) processed materials. These could be made of many different materials, though cells created can be as small as one-thousandth of an inch.
The Overmolding Process for Microcellular Systems
Typically, with the RIM process and overmolding, there is a combination of two liquid components. Reaction injection molding materials could include polyurethane, polyureas, polyisocyanurates, polyester, polyphenol, polyepoxide, and nylon 6. It could be the creation of a fiber mesh or a foamed material, though some of the thicker ones are solids used for walls in construction.
Other Encapsulation Molding Processes
In the same way, encapsulation molding is able to provide a mold that helps develop some of the smallest parts needed for construction or other areas, walls are developed at about one-eighth of an inch up to one half. The injection molded enclosure has the ability to help with encapsulation where those parts are intended to fit.
More than The Overmolding Process is The Reactive Encapsulation Molding Process
Sometimes the most common molding processes include the development of a chemical foam that is able to be injected to a capsule or structure that presents the shape of the part to be constructed. Different reaction molding processes are able to make polyurethane and other parts by the creation of a chemical reaction and eventual completion.
After those two liquid components are combined, creating a chemical reaction, and developing a foam that can be injected into a mold, a pressure is applied for the finalization of a part construction. Pressure is anywhere from 1500 to 3000psi in order to help create a plastic part from the foam that came out of the chemical reaction.
As many of those small parts need to be constructed for different industries to complete their work, a great deal can be done with all of them. No matter the process that is chosen, a chemical reaction of different liquids is able to provide the base material to create any number of tiny parts that are able to help with the construction of homes, cars, and many other items.
