Elix Polymers highlighted latest material innovations at Fakuma 2018

"These innovations are the result of our strong emphasis on product differentiation and some significant investments in R&D that make us stand out from suppliers of commodity ABS products," says Antonio Prunera, Head of Quality and Business Development.

Products featured at Fakuma 2018 include:

• plating grades for high-visibility automotive parts and for the sanitary industry;


• high-heat ABS for demanding automotive applications;


• specialty grades for consumer goods that benefit from such features as chemical resistance, laser-markability and very high flow;


• special ABS grades optimized for 3D printing using FFF/FDM technologies.

Elix Polymers is launching a new line of ABS products under the brand name Chemical Compliance (CC)

Elix Polymers is launching a new line of ABS products under the brand name Chemical Compliance (CC) for applications that include toys, cosmetic containers, and products that come into contact with food. The aim of the new range is to satisfy the requirements of consumers increasingly concerned about the safety aspects of materials that day-to-day products are made from. Reinforced standards applied during production of CC grades will enable Elix to offer additional guarantees on regulatory compliance during the lifetime of finished products.

The CC line comes with a package of extended services that will help OEMs carry out their product verification and stewardship processes. These services include the provision of documents indicating regulatory compliance for different national and international sectors, and the application to final parts of results from additional tests on the safety of the material in contact with food. Elix will also conduct product quality and safety tests based on the requirements to which OEMs may be subject.

Grades have been formulated for individual applications, enabling customers to select them according to their specific needs. Injection moulding grades Elix ABS P2H-CC and Elix ABS P3H-CC, based on each requirement, are just two of many offerings in the new CC line. They are easy to process and have a high level of brightness as well as intense colours, backed up by a service that will facilitate the product stewardship tasks for the OEMs.

Single-dose coffee makers are an example of the type of application that Elix is aiming at with the new CC grades. Launching a new machine onto the market requires a large number of tests to be carried out on component materials to guarantee compliance with laws on the safety of their use in contact with food. Such tests can take a considerable amount of time and resources to carry out, with possible effects on the course of development projects.
Ignacio Buezas, Business Development Manager of Elix Polymers said: "This new package of food contact materials and services provides a level of compliance support above that generally available from materials suppliers, for clients who have a particular commitment to the safe use of their products and who require that materials exceed the standards required by law."

"With our new product line and consulting service, we take care of a large portion of the work involved in verifying and guaranteeing that not only our ABS materials, but also all the components present in our materials - pigments and additives for example - are compliant with the law."

Buezas added: "Other aspects related with the characteristics of the manufacturing process will also be reviewed and may be adapted to the specific requirements of our clients. Having a thorough knowledge of the client's application and usage allows us to offer them products that best meet their needs".

Elix Polymers has a vast experience supplying materials to industries subject to strict safety of use regulations for plastic materials; these include medical devices, cosmetic containers, and the toy industry where the use of ABS has been traditionally high. "As a result of this experience, we have reviewed and improved our processes to reinforce the safety of our products targeted at markets where these regulations apply," said Buezas.

This innovative product line further increases Elix Polymers' services portfolio, which already includes a wide range of specialities for the different segments of the plastics industry. "The combination of products and services together with our knowledge and experience has made the company unique and positions us on the market as one of the leaders in the manufacturing and sale of ABS and derived materials," Buezas concluded.

Minghua selects Elix ABS H801 for new spoiler projects

Shenyang Minghua Mould & Plastic Technology Co., Ltd. (Minghua), a leading supplier of automotive exterior parts for premium OEMs, has selected Elix Polymers ABS H801 for spoiler and aeroblade parts for the new BMW X5, X7, and X6M cars. This follows an intensive collaboration between Minghua and Elix Polymers.

Elix ABS H801, an ABS grade modified with polycarbonate (PC) has a number of advantages that make this material ideally suited for roof spoilers. These include high stiffness, heat and impact resistance, as well as excellent paintability.

Both the tensile modulus (2400 MPa) and flexural modulus (2300 MPa) of Elix ABS H801 are higher than many PC/ABS grades with a greater PC content. Its impact resistance, with a Charpy notched impact strength at 23°C of 30 kJ/m2, is in the highest range of an ABS grade. High stiffness and impact are combined with a very good thermal resistance (Vicat B50 of 105°C).

Excellent mechanical performance and processability

The excellent performance of Elix ABS H801 material in glue joint assembly, together with its great mechanical properties, allowed the use of the same material for both exterior painted parts such as “outer skin” and reinforcement interior parts.

Because all parts are manufactured with the same material, processors benefit from savings on inventory and investment. Assembling the parts using glue joints represents a further saving as there is no need to acquire sophisticated and expensive vibration welding machines and equipment. Moreover, at the vehicle’s end of life, the entire spoiler part can be treated as one single piece of ABS, without the need to selectively separate the parts.

Fabian Herter said: "A roof spoiler is one of the largest components in automotive, with a complex geometry. This aerodynamic part has to deliver an outstanding mechanical performance and it needs to have a very high aesthetic appeal, as it is considered one of the key elements that define the line style of the whole vehicle. The selection of a material that fulfils all the strict requirements of this application is therefore a crucial decision for the manufacturer."

"Elix ABS H801 offers very good mechanical and thermal values as well as good processability in a part which requires both high physical and high aesthetic performance. Furthermore, the easy processing and excellent paintability in both body color and deep black finished parts has definitely contributed to the selection of Elix ABS H801."

Elix Polymers' global presence, proximity to customers and bespoke service reinforced the selection of Elix ABS H801. Throughout the development process, Minghua and Elix collaborated closely in all the steps of the project to fulfil the tough requirements of these technically demanding applications and obtain the best possible final results. As the homologation and production of these automotive parts was established in both China and the US, Elix’ global presence was a clear advantage for a successful project cooperation. Teams from the two companies were in permanent contact, working together during the trials for process optimization.

Fabian Herter concluded: "The final result clearly demonstrates the benefits of using Elix ABS H801 to meet the stringent requirements of this automotive part, leading to technical improvements and cost savings."

Source: Elix Polymers