ContiTech Receives Award for CO2 Efficiency

Winner of the the gold award in the category of “CO₂ Efficiency”: Diethard Schneider (middle) from ContiTech Vibration Control received the Materialica Design + Technology Award.
Photo: Kroha Fotografie / MunichExpo

With the ultra-lightweight NAG 3 transmission adapter, ContiTech won over the expert jury at the 14^th 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 aluminum version previously used. “This huge reduction in weight is a major step in the field of lightweight design,” says Kai Frühauf, head of ContiTech 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.

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.

The ContiTech transmission adapter made from glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide weighs 55 percent less than the original aluminum version. The component was the winner of the 14th Materialica Design + Technology Award, receiving the gold award in the category of “CO₂ Efficiency.”



Photo: Kroha Fotografie / MunichExpo