As part of a research project carried out by the Hamburg Center of Maritime Technologies e. V. (CMT) , three scientists have developed a new technology for the secure joining of fiber composites and steel. FAUSST (fiber composite and steel standardized joining) makes it possible, for the very first time, to firmly and durably join fiber composite and steel components with a hybrid woven fabric, without the need for mechanical fusing. The FAUSST connector consists of a pure metal component, a hybrid component, and a glass component, which are woven together and welded to a metallic semi-finished product. According to the researchers, the resulting joints are so strong that they meet industrial requirements. FAUSST was developed by scientists Dr. Lars Molter and Dr. Rafael Luterbacher-Mus, who worked at the CMT in Hamburg until 2018, and researcher Dr. Rigo Peters from Schweißtechnischen Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt Mecklenburg-Vorpommern GmbH (SLV M-V) .

The objective of the project was to develop a hybrid joining technology, primarily for use in shipbuilding. FAUSST speeds up the process times by around 50% compared to the otherwise most frequently used adhesive technology. This clears the way for the increased use of lightweight construction parts made of fiber-reinforced plastics; up to now, these have been only rarely used due to the costs involved in the calculation and test phase.