29/10/2018
Minghua selects ELIX ABS H801 for new spoiler projects
- Winning combination of outstanding material properties and intensive collaboration leads to significant performance and cost advantages
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.”
