Miele selects ELIX’s high-flow ABS grade 118HF for its new battery-powered vacuum cleaner model Triflex HX1

Tarragona, June 22, 2020 - High-end domestic appliance producer Miele & Cie. KG (Miele) has selected ELIX Polymers’ high-flow ABS grade 118HF for its new battery-powered vacuum cleaner model, the Triflex HX1. ELIX Polymers developed the grade specifically for this application, with improved rheological properties that allow a reduced wall thickness for parts of the vacuum cleaner housing. ELIX Polymers, headquartered in Tarragona, Spain, is a leading manufacturer of ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resins and derivatives.

Miele chose ABS grade 118HF - colored in customized grey, red and white - because it meets the company’s key property requirements: high flowability, dimensional stability, good heat resistance, and high surface gloss. The thinwalling capabilities of the grade translate into cost savings for Miele in terms of material consumption and reduced cycle times, thereby leading to higher productivity.

“We are very pleased to work with such an innovative producer of high-end products such as Miele,” commented Joachim Kroeger, Regional Sales Manager of ELIX Polymers. “Faithful to Miele’s credo – Forever better – ELIX modified the formulation and improved the rheological properties to provide the best possible solution for the new product.”

When designing and developing the innovative and multi-functional Triflex HX1 battery-powered vacuum cleaner, Miele’s objective was to create a product that offered both a long battery life and the power of a conventional vacuum cleaner. When selecting a material that was suitable for parts of the handheld device’s housing, the main focus was on minimizing the wall thickness to reduce the weight of those parts. “In addition to mold filling properties, material selection was also based on mechanical properties such as strength and stiffness, as well as part performance and esthetics”, said Miele’s materials and process development specialist.

ELIX Polymers has for many years been a leading development partner and a preferred supplier of high-performance engineering thermoplastics used for many household appliances in Miele’s product portfolio. “We have an excellent relationship with ELIX Polymers and consider it a highly valuable and reliable supplier, as well as a development partner for demanding technical projects,” said Miele’s head of strategic purchasing.

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