High-end domestic appliance producer 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 the application, with improved rheological properties that enable a reduction of wall thickness of the vacuum cleaner housing parts. Elix Polymers, headquartered in Tarragona, Spain, is a leading manufacturer of ABS resins and derivatives.

Miele chose ABS grade 118HF - coloured 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, leading to higher productivity.

When designing and developing the innovative and multi-functional Triflex HX1 battery-powered vacuum cleaner, Miele’s objective was to create a product with long battery life as powerful as a conventional vacuum cleaner. When selecting a material suitable for the housing parts of the handheld device, the main focus was on minimizing the wall thickness in order to save part weight.