A Case Study of a Hidden Airbag Door Deployment, with an SMA IP, Using FEA and Data Acquisition for Design Optimization

The automotive industry has seen an increase in the application of passenger side hidden airbag door technology. The hidden airbag door presents several challenges to the design and analysis Engineer. Airbag deployments function as a system of components, acting in concert. Design optimization requires investigating the individual parts and their interactions as a structure. This paper is a case study using Finite Element Analysis and Data Acquisition as a guide, to provide design optimization and predict deployment performance.