TRW Begins Production of Industry's First Dual-Stage Air Bag Inflator
23 February 1998
TRW Begins Production of Industry's First Dual-Stage Air Bag Inflator, Another First After Complete Occupant Restraint System
DETROIT, Feb. 23 -_ After becoming the first supplier in the
industry to design, develop and integrate a complete occupant restraint system
for a production vehicle -- the Mercedes-Benz M-Class All-Activity Vehicle --
TRW will mark another milestone with the production launch this month of the
automotive industry's first dual-stage air bag inflator.
TRW made the announcement here today at the 1998 SAE International
Congress & Expo at Cobo Center, where the world's largest provider of occupant
restraint systems is demonstrating its systems integration expertise and wide
array of advanced safety technologies.
Highlights at the TRW booth include dual-stage inflators, inflatable head-
rest restraint systems, air bags for rollover protection, integrated air
bag/steering wheel modules, seat belt pretensioners and the frontal sled test
"buck" used in the testing of the industry's first single-sourced, complete
occupant restraint system -- the award-winning Mercedes-Benz M-Class.
Beginning this month at the company's Peterlee, England facility, TRW is
ramping up production of a passenger-side, dual-stage air bag inflator for a
major automaker's mid-1998 vehicle. By next year, the company will provide
its advanced driver- and passenger-side dual-stage inflators to two other
automakers, as they move toward incorporating advanced adaptive restraints.
TRW has customer orders to produce more than 300,000 dual-stage inflators by
the end of 1999.
"Dual-stage inflator technology is an integral element of our adaptive
restraint systems strategy, which also includes advanced seat belts, sensors
and integrated steering wheels," said James S. Remick, executive vice
president and general manager, TRW Occupant Restraint Systems. "These
advanced inflators work in concert with adaptive restraints to provide
different air bag inflation levels -- partial and full -- to better match
deployment volume with the wide range of pre-crash scenarios, including crash
severity, seat belt usage, occupant position and weight."
TRW's first dual-stage inflator program will incorporate the company's
environmentally friendly Heated Gas Inflator (HGI) technology, which provides
significant advantages in cost, weight and system tailorability, uses no solid
propellants and leaves only water and air as by-products.
Proven Systems Integration Expertise
Building upon its current world-class safety systems, TRW not only
designed and developed the entire occupant restraint system for the Mercedes-
Benz M-Class, it also was responsible for integrating the complete system,
including the steering wheel, instrument panel and windshield. The M-Class
features driver/passenger front air bags, driver/passenger side air bags,
pyrotechnic retractor pretensioners, seat belts with energy management, crash
sensors and diagnostics.
"Partnering with Mercedes-Benz as the occupant restraint systems
integrator exemplifies TRW's ability of adding value by enhancing quality and
performance," Remick said. "Through integrated programs such as this, TRW and
automakers can further reduce costs, engineering changes and vehicle
development time."
The M-Class is just one example of TRW's proven experience with
integrating total safety systems performance -- from initial math modeling to
prototyping and computer simulation to sled testing.
Advanced Seat Belt, Steering Wheel Technologies
TRW's systems integration expertise also extends to advanced seat belt
technologies and air bag/steering wheel modules.
The company's seat-integrated restraint systems are provided as complete
modules, offering enhanced occupant comfort while ensuring seat belt
effectiveness. These modular designs support global vehicle platforms,
permitting easy adaptation of electric and mechanical devices to address local
market needs.
TRW offers a variety of energy management devices, such as torsion bar
retractors, that help improve safety performance ratings and enhance
protection through progressive energy absorption. TRW's advanced pyrotechnic
retractors and buckle pretensioners improve protection by reducing belt slack
in an accident.
In addition, TRW's global strength in steering wheel technology enhances
systems integration capabilities. The company offers a full range of steering
wheels, from base units to top-of-the-line versions that incorporate leather,
wood, multi-function switches and integral air bag modules. Every design
addresses energy absorption, crash performance, durability and environmental
requirements to satisfy varying vehicle performance standards.
TRW and Magna International broke ground last month on a 135,000-square-
foot joint technical center in Sailauf, Germany, near Frankfurt. The center
allows TRW to tune its product lines to the customers' vehicles with an
overall emphasis on total occupant restraint systems.
TRW is the world's largest provider of occupant restraint systems. In
1997, the company produced more than 58 million seat belts and 18 million air
bags.
With 122 automotive locations in 23 countries, TRW Inc. is one
of the largest independent OEM automotive suppliers in the world. In 1997,
the company's automotive businesses recorded sales of $7 billion, nearly 65
percent of TRW's total $10.8 billion in sales. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, TRW
also provides advanced technology products and services for the space and
defense, and information technology markets worldwide.
SOURCE TRW Inc.
