Fluid Delivery and Metering for Reaction-Injection Molding

Abstract

Power consumption and metering accuracy of reaction-injection-molding (RIM) fluid-delivery systems are examined. Emphasis is on the use of simple models to understand the source of metering errors and to estimate the magnitudes of these errors. Typical examples are given. The basic understanding provided by these models is used to explain the advantages of a new type of RIM fluid-delivery system developed at M.I.T. The new system offers reduced machine size and cost by minimizing instantaneous power requirements, and the metering system can achieve higher accuracy than conventional equipment while using less-accurate components.