HOUSEHOLD

Domestic appliances cover a broad range of different electric aids from washing machines and dishwashers, to stoves and kitchen hoods, to kitchen equipment. There is also a variety of applications for plastic components ranging from electric motors and controls to visible components like handles, holders, and covers. The field of possible applications is similarly extensive: The “Household and Similar Electric Appliances” standard IEC/EN 60335-1 calls for flame retardancy and glowing wire tests; for other components, plastics are supposed to meet special requirements with regard to mechanical, tribological, and electrical characteristics. Often, a combination of high strength and toughness and excellent surface quality is in demand for thin wall thicknesses.