SAE Seeks Input on Inflatable Restraint Standards

February 24th, 2008

SAE International is seeking experts to review standards that deal with inflatable restraints. If you’re interested, please contact SAE Standards Specialist Nikki Ameredes at nameredes@sae.org. The standards include several test standards:

• J1630, Driver or Passenger Airbag Module Deployment Test Procedure. This SAE Recommended Practice describes a method to be used for the static deployment of airbag module assemblies. The results obtained from the deployment tests will be used to verify compliance with design requirements and/or specifications. The intent of this procedure is to describe recommended test methods to evaluate performance characteristics of driver airbag modules, passenger airbag modules, or other airbag modules (e.g., side airbags (door or seat mounted), roof rail airbags, knee bolster airbags, etc.). Performance limits or acceptance criteria are not established as they are typically defined based on specific vehicle design requirements. It is intended to be a general procedure for repetitive testing and suggests only general guidelines for the safe conduct of tests and reliable data correlation.
• J1794, SAE Restraint Systems Effluent Test Procedure. This SAE Recommended Practice describes a method to collect, identify, and quantify effluent resulting from depliyment of in-vehicle stored energy restraint systems. Deployment and collection is completed in a 2.83 m3 (100 ft3) chamber. This procedure is written as a guideline for the identification and quantification of both particulate effluent (size, concentration, and composition) and gaseous effluent (concentration and composition). The intent of this procedure is to describe and recommend testing methods and not to establish limits for the effluent. This procedure should be used in conjunction with performance specifications from the customer and/or manufacturer of the device(s) being tested. This is a general procedure for repetitive and comparative testing, and suggests only general guidelines for the safe conduct of tests and reliable data correlation.
• J2238, Airbag Inflator Ballistic Tank Test Procedure Gas Generators Used In Inflatable Restraint Systems. This SAE Recommended Practice establishes a ballistic tank test procedure for evaluating inflator assemblies used in inflatable restraint systems. It is intended to be a general procedure for repetitive testing and suggests only general guidelines for the safe conduct of tests and data correlation. Uniform test requirements, test procedures, and data recording requirements are specified. The intent of the document is to provide a procedure employing a ballistic tank test method for determining the ability of an inflator to meet requirements for deploying inflatable restraint systems. A ballistic tank test is described which will yield repeatable and comparable results for evaluating a given inflator configuration’s pressure output versus time. Use of the ballistic tank test for comparison of various inflator configurations may be of limited value due to differences in gas temperature and mass flow effects on airbag performance as it relates to occupant protection.

Entry Filed under: Safety Test, Standards