Simula Announces Commercialization of Revolutionary Inflator for Airbags
PHOENIX--May 23, 2001--Simula, Inc. (AMEX: SMU) announced today that it intends to bring to market an innovative safety product that is designed to inflate certain types of automotive airbags more effectively and efficiently than conventional gas generator systems. Based on a patented technology called "distributed charge inflation" (DCI(TM)), the Company is in the final stages of investment to make this product available in the marketplace within the next twelve months. The DCI production will be located with Simula's high-volume airbag production facility in Ashington, United Kingdom.
The DCI product is designed to improve the performance and simplify integration of automotive side-impact head-protection airbags. It is a thin, flexible tube that lies inside the airbag and contains the material that generates gas along its entire length to inflate the surrounding airbag. By contrast, conventional gas generators for head airbags typically create gas at a location outside of the airbag and inflate the bag through one or more ports.
"Commercialization of the DCI product is the next logical step in the evolution of our automotive business. We set out to develop a revolutionary inflator for our Inflatable Tubular Structures (ITS(R)) family of automotive safety products. Our designers accomplished that and more," said Brad Forst, President and CEO of Simula.
"Strong customer interest supports our introduction of this product in the market," said Forst.
The Company says the DCI product offers several improvements over conventional gas generator systems. Some of these enhancements include:
| -- | Installation of a combined airbag and gas generator assembly is easier than installation of two separate components. |
| -- | A single assembly minimizes the amount of space required in the vehicle, which is a critical factor in vehicle design. |
| -- | The product is lighter (by about 50%) than the weight of current industry standard gas generators for similar airbag applications. |
| -- | In side-impact collisions, the DCI technology deploys the airbag up to 50% faster, while the resulting inflation may be less aggressive because of the uniform gas generation from the product. |
| -- | DCI technology can be easily tailored to inflate airbags of varying lengths and shapes for various occupant protection solutions. |
"The DCI product is very cost competitive with conventional gas generators," according to Forst.
"By enabling Simula to provide an integrated system, the device should allow the Company to maintain and grow its ITS product line."
"Beyond the current plan to integrate the DCI into our own ITS products, the Company will seek strategic partners to expand the market through other applications of the technology," added Forst.
