With the ultra-lightweight NAG 3 transmission adapter, ContiTech won over the expert jury at the 14th Materialica Design & Technology Awards.
The bearings specialist won the gold award in the category of “CO2 Efficiency.” The use of glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide makes the component 55 percent lighter than the aluminium version previously used. “This huge reduction in weight is a major step in the field of lightweight design,” says Kai Frühauf, head of Vibration Control.
The transmission adapter has been specially designed for premium-class cars, where maximum comfort and safety are key. But there is always the issue of weight – and with every kilogram, the CO2 emissions increase. To continue to comply with increasingly strict emission limits, automotive manufacturers are turning to lightweight components. As a result, technical plastics are playing an increasingly important role in the development of new components. They help to reduce the overall weight of the car and, in turn, cut CO2 emissions.
But the use of lightweight materials must not in any way compromise the functionality of these components – a challenge successfully mastered by ContiTech when developing the ultra-lightweight NAG 3 transmission adapter. Installed in cars, the component is in the direct line of power transmission between the transmission and the chassis. It withstands these heavy loads steadily and reliably.
Development expertise for lightweight components
Since 2006, ContiTech has been manufacturing lightweight components made from glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide for the automotive industry. These include heavy-duty engine mounts, over three million of which were manufactured in 2013.
In 2014, ContiTech introduced the first transmission crossbeam made from this material for the rear axle. This was followed in 2015 by the first spring strut bearing, which was installed on the car chassis for the front and rear axles. It’s already supplied millions of torque rod supports and torque reaction mounts made from polyamide.
The Materialica Design & Technology Award will be presented during the eMove360° Europe 2016 trade fair in Munich. The design prize stands at the interface of design, technology, and materials. An expert jury chooses the winners in four categories: “Material”, “Product”, “Surface & Technology”, and “CO2 Efficiency.” The award is also presented in the special category of “Student.”
For its lightweight components ContiTech has also received the Altair Enlighten Award 2016 and the Lightweight Technology Innovation Award 2016.
