When Exothermic Molding decided to launch into an alternative material, it required a commitment that went far beyond purchasing new equipment. The transition meant commissioning custom processing systems, retraining production staff, and investing in ongoing research and development to master a fundamentally different chemistry.
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Exothermic became one of the first RIM molders to embrace Poly-DCPD (polydicyclopentadiene), a thermoset polymer built on Nobel Prize-winning Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP) chemistry. The material has demonstrated performance characteristics that traditional polyurethane simply cannot match.
Poly-DCPD operates across a temperature window that opens doors urethane cannot. According to testing conducted by Extremis Systems, a defense materials innovator using this chemistry in their NEOZANT™ ballistic composites, Poly-DCPD maintains full performance from -100°F to 250°F. For context, conventional polyethylene begins softening around 130°F, making it unsuitable for applications involving engine compartments, outdoor equipment exposed to desert heat, or components near heat-generating electronics.
The weight advantage compounds these thermal benefits. Poly-DCPD parts typically come in 7-10% lighter than equivalent urethane or epoxy components. In industries where every gram matters, from aerospace to portable medical devices to wearable protective equipment, that reduction translates directly into improved functionality and reduced user fatigue.
These properties attracted our attention at Exothermic. We knew they would appeal to our customers who manufacture sensitive medical instruments, autonomous robotics systems, military and defense equipment, space exploration vehicle components, and specialized fitness machines. What we discovered is that the same chemistry enabling next-generation ballistic helmets and vehicle armor also solves persistent challenges in enclosures that need to survive rough handling, temperature swings, and years of reliable service.
Beyond material performance, Poly-DCPD unlocks design possibilities that push the boundaries of what RIM can achieve. The chemistry's exceptionally low viscosity during processing allows it to flow into intricate mold geometries that would challenge or defeat higher-viscosity materials. Engineers can design parts with wall thickness variations ranging from 0.125" to over 1.0" within a single component, eliminating the need to bond multiple parts together and removing potential failure points at joints.
This matters for complex housings where some sections need mass for impact resistance while others require thin walls for weight savings or thermal management. It matters for enclosures with integrated mounting bosses, structural ribs, and cosmetic surfaces all molded in one shot. And it matters for defense applications where a ballistic shell must transition smoothly between protective zones of varying thickness without creating stress concentrations.
The ability to encapsulate metal reinforcements, electronics, sensors, and structural inserts during the molding process further expands what a single Poly-DCPD part can accomplish. Components that once required assembly of a dozen pieces can often be consolidated into one.
For procurement teams and operations managers, material performance tells only part of the story. The financial case for Poly-DCPD and RIM becomes compelling when you examine total cost of ownership across the product lifecycle.
Part consolidation delivers immediate savings at the purchasing and receiving dock. Consider a typical instrument enclosure that previously required separate housings, bonded reinforcement brackets, and fastened mounting features. Each of those components carried its own purchase order, supplier relationship, incoming inspection requirement, and inventory carrying cost. When five or six parts become one molded component, the administrative burden collapses accordingly. Fewer line items mean fewer opportunities for stockouts, receiving errors, or mismatched revisions causing assembly line disruptions.
Assembly labor follows the same trajectory downward. Every fastener eliminated is a fastener that doesn't need to be driven, torqued, and verified. Every bonded joint removed is an adhesive that doesn't need to be dispensed, fixtured, and cured. Production teams can reallocate that labor to higher-value operations or simply produce more units in the same shift.
The quality implications extend beyond the shop floor. Bonded and fastened assemblies introduce variability that molded-in features eliminate. When a structural rib is part of the molded geometry rather than a bracket attached with screws, there's no risk of improper torque, stripped threads, or adhesive contamination affecting the bond. The testimonial from our customer about zero fracture failures during shipping reflects this reality. Parts that don't crack don't generate warranty claims, field service calls, or replacement shipments. They don't damage the equipment they protect or the relationships with the customers who depend on that equipment.
RIM tooling economics amplify these advantages for production volumes between 100 and 5,000 units annually. Aluminum molds cost substantially less than the hardened steel tooling required for thermoplastic injection, and they can be manufactured in weeks rather than months. When engineering changes arise, and they always do, modifying aluminum tooling costs a fraction of reworking steel. That flexibility reduces the financial risk of launching new products and allows design teams to iterate based on field feedback without facing six-figure tooling charges.
According to Exothermic's General Manager, "The company continues to experiment with adjustments to our processing in order to yield the best possible outcomes. This has included developing techniques such as chilling the polymer prior to introducing it and introducing it in a gradual manner."
That ongoing refinement reflects the nature of working with advanced materials. The chemistry behaves differently than urethane, and extracting its full potential requires understanding those differences at a granular level.
Customer reaction has been overwhelmingly positive from those who have transitioned to the newer material.
One customer's head engineer shared this assessment: "Management should continue with Poly-DCPD material for all parts made by Exothermic. The reason is that the material benefits with mechanical properties such as high impact toughness and low part defect rate, so there is no going back to the urethane material. For example, since the material change from urethane to Poly-DCPD, production has zero reports of part failure by fracture during shipping."
Zero fracture failures during shipping speaks to a property that matters across every industry Exothermic serves. Whether a component protects sensitive diagnostic equipment, absorbs impacts in a tactical environment, or survives the vibration of a rocket launch, the fundamental requirement is the same: it cannot crack when it matters most.
Founded in 1971, Exothermic Molding was among the first companies to bring Reaction Injection Molding to the North American marketplace. More than five decades later, that same commitment to manufacturing innovation continues. The integration of Poly-DCPD chemistry represents not just a material upgrade but an expansion of what RIM technology can deliver for customers facing increasingly demanding performance requirements.
For engineers and designers working on the next generation of medical devices, defense systems, robotics platforms, or any application where traditional materials fall short, the combination of RIM's design freedom and Poly-DCPD's exceptional properties offers a path forward that did not exist a few years ago.