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Design and Development of an Engineering Thermoplastic Energy Absorbing System for Automotive Knee Bolsters
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Abstract
Traditional knee bolster designs consist of a first-surface plastic component covered by paint or vinyl skin and foam, with a subsurface steel plate that transfers knee loads to 2 steel crush brackets. The design was developed to meet FMVSS 208 and OEM requirements. More recently, technological developments have allowed for the steel plate to be replaced by a ribbed plastic structure, which offers cost and weight savings to the instrument panel system. However, it is still a hybrid system that combines plastic with the 2 steel crush brackets.
This paper will detail the development of an all-plastic design, which consolidates the plastic ribbed reinforcement plate with the 2 steel crush cans in a single engineering thermoplastic component. The new system is expected to offer further cost and weight savings. To develop this design in thermoplastics, it was necessary to understand and account for the dependence of the failure mode of these materials to changing strain rates, temperatures, and stress states.
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Sherman, K. and Florence, R., "Design and Development of an Engineering Thermoplastic Energy Absorbing System for Automotive Knee Bolsters," SAE Technical Paper 970725, 1997, https://doi.org/10.4271/970725.Also In
References
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- Rawson J. “Comparison of Analysis Results to Physical Testing for the Performance of Engineering Thermoplastic Bumper Beams,” SAE International Congress & Exposition Detroit, MI Feb. 28 Mar. 3 1994 Paper No. 940168
- Clark, C. “High Strain-Rate Characterization of Thermoplastics Used for Energy Managment Applications,” Feb. 28 Mar. 3 1994 Paper No. 940882
- Clark, C. Locke, D. “High Strain Rate Testing of Engineering Thermoplastics for Head Impact Applications,” SAE International Congress & Exposition Feb. 26 29 1996 Paper # 960153
- Sherman, K. Clark C. Rawson J. “Correlation of High Strain-Rate Material Data for Predicting Head-Impact Performance of Thermoplastics,” SAE International Congress & Exposition Feb. 27 March 2 1995 Paper # 950331