The CONEXUS Technology
Austrian KTM Technologies – specialised in mobility concepts, lightweight and performance technologies – have been developing the CONEXUS technology over the last years. CONEXUS is a coupling layer that allows to directly bond thermoset and thermoplastic components thanks to its specifically formulated chemical composition.
Applied to a thermoset laminate, the CONEXUS technology results in a surface with thermoplastic properties, allowing for direct overmoulding with thermoplastic elements such as ribs, fasteners, and local reinforcements in form of PA6, or even the possibility for ultrasonic welding.
Coupling Sustainable Materials
Striving for a more sustainable solution to apply their new technology, KTM Technologies has collaborated with Swiss expert in sustainable lightweighting solutions, Bcomp. The brake cover of a motocross bike has been designed from the ground up to make full use of the best traits from both the thermoset and thermoplastic worlds. Bcomp’s technical ampliTex™ flax prepregs are used to create a lightweight yet stiff structure. The cured flax fibre composite part with the CONEXUS coupling layer, which is produced at the partner company ALBA tooling & Engineering GmbH, is then completed with reinforcement ribs, fasteners, and edge protection in the form of PA6 that is over-moulded in a special tool at KTM’s partner Altendorfer Spritzgusswerk GmbH.
