RIM and RRIM Development in Japan

Abstract

The use of RIM products in the automotive industry in Japan was started by the stimulus of the successful use of RIM bumpers in the United States. The first use of RIM bumpers in Japan was seen in the Toyota Celica in 1977 and was followed by Mitsubishi cars in 1978, Nissan (Datsun) cars in 1979 and Mazda cars in 1980. The major use of RIM in the Japanese automotive industry, therefore, is in the production of bumpers. To a lesser extent it is used in such automotive parts as dash boards, steering wheels, etc. The major non-automotive uses of RIM are in ski cores and computer housings. The total usage of automotive RIM parts in 1979 amounted to approximately 7,000 metric tons; total usage of non-automotive RIM or rigid RIM foams amounted to approximately 1,000 metric tons. The consumption of various RIM products in Japan in 1979 is shown in Figure 1.