FOR all its usefulness, Velcro’s reputation is for being rather unexciting. But German engineers have taken inspiration from the mild-mannered fastener to create a version of the hook-and-loop concept with enough steely strength for extreme loads and environments.
A square metre of the new fastener, called Metaklett, is capable of supporting 35 tonnes at temperatures up to 800 °C, claim Josef Mair and colleagues at the Technical University of Munich, Germany. And just like everyday Velcro, it can be opened up without specialised tools and used again.
“A square metre of the fastener is capable of supporting 35 tonnes at up to 800 °C”…
