Autoliv (United States)

The automotive industry has made significant advancements regarding the safety technology. Thus, airbags play a pivotal role in protecting passengers during accidents, therefore saving more lives and preventing serious injuries. The precise cutting of airbag textile materials is one of the important processes for ensuring the effectiveness and performance of such equipment. The aim of this work is to compare three scanning systems employed for CO2 laser cutting of airbag textile material in the automotive sector: (i) a plotter system (i.e., a traditional laser cutting setup with a fixed cutting bed); (ii) fixed 2D galvanometer scanner (GS), commonly used for laser cutting in more compact and automated environments; (iii) mobile 2D GS, with an increased portability and versatility in comparison to the previous solution. These three systems have been installed and utilized in an industrial facility for airbags manufacturing. The specific parameters, advantages and drawbacks of each system for the targeted application have been compared. Examples of applications are presented – from the industrial site where we have implemented and utilized them. The choice between different such scanning systems for laser manufacturing are discussed in the trade-off between quality and productivity.

Objective In 2020, 17% of all crash fatalities were individuals aged 65 years or older. Crash data also revealed that for older occupants, thoracic related injuries are among the leading causes of fatality. Historically, the majority of near-side impact postmortem human subjects (PMHS) studies used a generic load wall to capture external loads that were applied to PMHS. While these data were helpful in documenting biofidelity, they did not represent a realistic response an occupant would undergo in a near-side crash. The objective of this research was to test small, elderly female PMHS in a repeatable, realistic near-side impact crash scenario to investigate current injury criteria as they relate to this vulnerable population. Method Ten small, elderly PMHS were subjected to a realistic near-side impact loading condition. The PMHS were targeted to be elderly females age 60+, approximately 5th percentile in height and weight, with osteopenic areal bone mineral density. Each subject was seated on a mass-production seat, equipped with a side airbag and standard three-point restraint with a pretensioner. Other boundary conditions included an intruding driver’s side door. PMHS instrumentation included strain gages on ribs 3-10 bilaterally to identify fracture timing. Two chestbands were used to measure chest deflection, one at the level of the axilla and one at the level of the xiphoid process. Results Injuries observed included rib fractures, particularly on the struck side, and in multiple cases a flail chest was observed. Eight of ten subjects resulted in AIS3+ thoracic injuries, despite previously tested ATDs predicting less than a 10% chance of AIS3+ injury. Subjects crossed the threshold for AIS3 injury in the range of only 1% − 9% chest compression. Additionally, mechanisms of injury varied, as some injuries were incurred by door interactions while others came during airbag interactions. Conclusions This research points to two areas of concern that likely require further analysis: (1) the appropriateness of potentially oversimplified PMHS testing to establish injury thresholds and define injury criteria for complicated crash scenarios; (2) the importance of identifying the precise timing of injuries to better understand the effect of current passive restraint systems.

Previous studies indicate that seatbelts may require supplementary restraints to increase their effectiveness in far-side impacts. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel, far-side-specific airbag in restraining and preventing injuries in far-side impacts, and to evaluate the WorldSID's response to the presence of a far-side airbag. A series of tests with three Post-Mortem Human Subjects and the WorldSID was conducted in a vehicle-based sled environment equipped with a far-side airbag. Results of these tests were evaluated and compared to a previous test series conducted without the airbag. All of the PMHS retained the shoulder belt on the shoulder. The airbag significantly reduced PMHS injury severity and maximum lateral head excursion. While the WorldSID exhibited a similar decrease in lateral excursion, it was unable to represent PMHS thoracic deflection or injury probability, and it consistently slipped out of the shoulder belt. This indicates that the WorldSID is limited both in its ability to evaluate the effect of changes in the seatbelt system and in its ability to predict thoracic injury risk and assess airbag-related injury mitigation countermeasures.

SummaryThe authors present the first stage of their theoretical and experimental investigations focused on the fire protection of the steel structures using intumescent paint. In this initial stage, their results concerning the temperature distribution law (the theoretical law is validated by effective meticulously conducted measurements) are described. Their original testing bench destined to perform high‐accuracy monitoring of the temperature distribution along straight bars, having a given αg angular positioning with respect to the vertical direction is also described. By involving this testing bench in meticulously conducted experiments, the authors obtained both the effective temperature distribution along the bars and also validated the theoretical (exponential) thermal distribution law. By searching experiments, they also validate the m = const. hypothesis with respect to the massive cross‐sectional bars. Among their further goals, one can mention the searching experimental analysis on the validity of the m = const. hypothesis for the tubular cross‐sectional bars, followed by a combined experimental and numerical analysis of the 2‐D and 3‐D (unprotected and protected with intumescent paint layer) structures, as well as the paint layer's thickness optimisation, too.

EuroNCAP and regulations in Europe and Japan evaluate the pedestrian protection performance of cars. The test methods are similar and they all have requirements for the passive protection of the hood area at a pedestrian to car impact speed of 40 km/h. In Europe, a proposal for a second phase of the regulation mandates a brake-assist system along with passive requirements. The system assists the driver in optimizing the braking performance during panic braking, resulting in activation only when the driver brakes sufficiently. In a European study this was estimated to occur in about 50% of pedestrian accidents. A future system for brake assistance will likely include automatic braking, in response to a pre-crash sensor, to avoid or mitigate injuries of vulnerable road users. An important question is whether these systems will provide sufficient protection, or if a parallel, passive pedestrian protection system will be necessary. This study investigated the influence of impact speed on head and brain injury risk, in impacts to the carhood. One car model was chosen and a rigid adjustable plate was mounted under the hood. Free-flying headform impacts were carried out at 20 and 30 km/h head impact velocities at different under-hood distances, 20 to 100 mm; and were compared to earlier tests at 40 km/h. The EEVC WG17 adult pedestrian headform was used for non-rotating tests and a Hybrid III adult 50th percentile head was used for rotational tests where linear and rotational acceleration was measured. Data from the rotational tests was used as input to a validated finite element model of the human head, the Wayne State University Head Injury Model (WSUHIM). The model was utilized to assess brain injury risk and potential injury mechanism in a pedestrian-hood impact. Although this study showed that it was not necessarily true that a lower HIC value reduced the risk for brain injury, it appeared, for the tested car model, under-hood distances of 60 mm in 20 km/h and 80 mm in 30 km/h reduced head injury values for both skull fractures and brain injuries. An earlier study showed that the corresponding value for a test speed of 40 km/h is 100 mm. A 10 km/h reduction in head impact velocity, as in automatic braking, allowed 20 mm less under-hood clearance with maintained head protection of the vulnerable road user.

We consider the semilinear Duhem model and develop an identification method for rate-independent and rate-dependent hysteresis. For rate-independent hysteresis, we reparameterize the system in terms of the input signal, so that the system has the form of a switching linear time-invariant system with ramp-plus-step forcing. For rate-dependent hysteresis, the system can be viewed as a switching linear time-invariant system for triangle wave inputs. Least-squares-based methods are developed to identify the rate-independent and rate-dependent semilinear Duhem models

A BioRID (biofidelic rear impact dummy) representing a 50th percentile adult male was seated in the front passenger seat of six new vehicle models in a series of low-speed crash tests. The neck injury criterion (NIC) and other dummy responses that may indicate whiplash injury risks were recorded. Both front-into-rear and rear-into-barrier tests with an average velocity change of 11 km/h were conducted. Head restraints were tested in both adjusted (up) and unadjusted (down) positions. Damage to all models was minor, and longitudinal vehicle accelerations were low (less than 7 g). Neck extension angles and bending moments were much less than injury assessment reference values (IARV) (80 degrees and 57 Nm, respectively), indicating low risks of hyperextension injuries. Neck tension and transverse forces also were less than IARVs used to indicate the risk of more serious neck injuries. NICs recorded on the BioRID during these tests were in the range recorded from volunteers who did not experience long-term injury, and most were below the proposed IARV of 15 m square/s square. NIC and neck tension were lowest in tests of the Saab 9-3, which was equipped with an active head restraint designed to move upward and forward in a rear-end crash. In general, adjusted head restraints positioned to have a small horizontal gap between the restraint and dummy's head tended to produce lower injury measures. However, none of the recorded injury measures exhibited any influence of head restraint height. Both NIC and neck tension seemed to be influence by crash severity indicated by both vehicle and pelvis acceleration.

<div class="htmlview paragraph">To be successful in a global environment requires planning and development of strategies for your company. In the rapidly changing customer-driven environment, many automotive suppliers act in today, it is easy for the change to get out of control if not properly monitored. This paper will help you understand the process Autoliv has been going through to become a successful global restraints supplier.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph"> <figure id="F1" class="figure"> <div class="graphic-wrapper"><img class="article-figure figure" src="952794_fig0001.jpg" alt="No Caption Available"/></div> </figure> </div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">In most cases for Autoliv, manufacturing is local using globally developed manufacturing equipment. Engineering, Research and Development (ER&D) must focus on developing core specifications, which can be used globally without interferring with local standards. This work is done in the Tech Centers supporting the entire Autoliv group and located in creative environments close to safety leading customers. It is this potential that Autoliv is now using globally in the way described in this paper.</div>