| Suppliers are working to reduce
the packaging space taken up by occupant safety padding. Bayer MaterialScience
and Dow Automotive have developed different approaches to optimising the
materials.
Padding protects passengers from hard surfaces in the cabin in the event
of an accident, but takes up space.
Bayer worked with wire harness firm Leoni to integrate cables into polyurethane
foam padding. Electric cable harnesses are often routed along A-pillars
and other padded areas. Combining the two means they don’t need
to be handled separately, speeding up assembly.
Bayer energy absorption expert Klaus Huland said: “Testing at a
range of temperatures proved that integrating the harness does not impair
the padding’s ability to absorb energy.”
Dow Automotive has developed a lightweight energy absorbing foam.
The Impaxx foam is lighter than extruded polypropelyne or injection moulded
plastic and can simply be pushed into place without the need for heat,
tape or adhesives.
It will go into DaimlerChrysler’s Smart ForTwo and delivers the
impact protection requirements demanded by the OEM in 40 per cent less
packaging space. |
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