Testing of Non-hermetic Initiators for Improved Airbag System-Issues and Needs

During the past two decades there have been new technological advancements in the application of ordnance materials in the automotive airbag industry. Design of deployment systems and techniques have challenged the packaging of energetic materials used in many of those applications. The package size limitations and cost constraints have dictated many of the design changes that have possibly compromised the ability to verify the ultimate quality of the resultant devices. Some of the methods used to test and evaluate the hermetic quality of these devices have been chosen without adequate engineering study, thus resulting in testing that is incapable of detecting critical flaws in both design and manufacture. This paper presents data showing the results of some of those misapplied methods, the facts that clearly show that test methods are being improperly used, and offers suggestions for methodology that can correct some of these errors.