POWER BRIDGE
By Völkl Tennis – The power that comes from the core One of the most important factors that determine the power of a tennis racket is the stability and stiffness of the frame. Because the more stable the frame is, the more kinetic energy can be returned to the ball. In recent years our engineers have achieved totally new dimensions of power by integrating DNX into the frame. The high-strength DNX material is based on a CARBON NANOTUBE technology developed by Völkl Tennis and the Fraunhofer Technology Development Group (Fraunhofer TEG) and, with the same weight, is around 25 times stronger than conventional carbon fibre materials. Thanks to our many years of experience in using DNX we have now successfully achieved the next step forward in developing POWERBRIDGE. When constructing a racket head, the design of the yoke – in other words the lowest section (the 6-o’clock position) – poses a difficult challenge. The German research department of Völkl Tennis has now focused intensively on this critical yoke area of the racket. The result of this development work is POWERBRIDGE – an innovative construction which considerably increases the stability of this critical area. This makes the entire racket more powerful and dynamic. This effect is achieved on the one hand by integrating the high-strength DNX material and on the other hand by increasing the specific material density in the yoke.
How does Powerbridge work?The secret of POWERBRIDGE lies in two components. The first is the tried-and-tested DNX technology, which is now being used in the bridge of the racket head for the first time. Second, the designers at Völkl Tennis have succeeded in reducing the cross-section of the bridge without losing stability. The quantity of expansion resin which functions as the binding agent to bond the yoke to the rest of the frame to form a unit remains completely unchanged here. The only difference is the higher compaction of the matrix. In conjunction with the power features of DNX this compression produces an enormously solid composite material which optimises the core of the racket, thereby investing the entire racket with more power.
Power for the core of the racket To date, the “DNX Tuning” of the rackets from Völkl Tennis has concentrated on the shaft area and the two lateral brackets on the racket head (3- and 9-o’clock positions). With POWERBRIDGE we have now also strengthened the 6-o’clock position. Integrating the yoke into the seamless main frame while still guaranteeing consistent stability is a particularly complicated task. POWERBRIDGE offers an ideal solution to this problem for the first time – not only ensuring that the critical core of the racket is more stable, but also providing extra power. As a result, POWERBRIDGE permits an even more dynamic style of play.
