plastics&autosFor more information, contact Rob Krebs at rob_krebs@americanchemistry.com or visit www.plastics-car.com

Plastic can be incorporated in energy absorbing steering columns to help reduce vehicle weight and enhance driver safety

Works Cited1 NationalHighwayTrafficandSafetyAdministration.LivesSavedbytheFederalMotorVehicleSafetyStandardsandOtherVehicleSafetyTechnologies,1960-2002:

PassengerCarsandLightTrucksWithaReviewof19FMVSSandtheirEffectivenessinReducingFatalities,InjuriesandCrashes.Washington,DC:U.S.DepartmentofTransportation,October2004.DOTHS809833.http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/regrev/Evaluate/pdf/809833Part1.pdf(accessedNovember29,2006).

2 Kahane,CharlesJ.AnEvaluationofFederalMotorVehicleSafetyStandardsforPassengerCarSteeringAssemblies.Washington,DC:NationalHighwayTrafficandSafetyAdministration,U.S.DepartmentofTransportation,January1981.DOTHS805705.http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/regrev/evaluate/805705.html(accessedNovember29,2006).

3 Tarbet,MarciaJ.CostandWeightAddedbytheFederalMotorVehicleSafetyStandardsforModelYears1968-2001inPassengerCarsandLightTrucks.Part2.DOTHS809834.Washington,DC:U.S.DepartmentofTransportation,December2004.http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/regrev/evaluate/pdf/809834Part2.pdf(accessedJune11,2007).

4 TRWAutomotiveCommercialSystems.IntermediateColumnhttp://www.trw.com/extlink/1,,,00.html?ExternalTRW=/images/Iclmn.pdf&DIR=2(accessedJune12,2007).

5 DwayneKubasiak(Engineer,DouglasAutotechCorporation),indiscussionwiththeauthor,January2007.

6 Stewart,Richard.“AutomotivePlastics:AddingFunctionality,ReducingVehicleCost.”PlasticsEngineering,September2006.

7 Murphy,ChristopherS.“Alife-savingsteeringcolumn.”DuPontEngineeringDesign.no.2(2006):11.http://plastics.dupont.com/plastics/pdflit/europe/design/ed0602e.pdf(accessedNovember30,2006).

8DuPont.DelphiDebutsPatentedEnergy-AbsorbingSteeringColumnonFordVehicles–TapsDuPontEngineeringPolymersforMaterialandTechnicalSupport.April4,2006.NewsRelease.http://www2.dupont.com/Automotive/en_US/news_events/article20060404.html(accessedNovember30,2006).

9 DelphiCorporation.DelphiActiveEnergy-absorbingSteeringColumn.Troy,MI:DelphiCorporation,2005.Abrochure.http://ppd.delphi.com/pdf/ppd/chsteer/col_energyabsorb.pdf(accessedNovember30,2006).

10 Delphi.Delphi’sNewEnergyAbsorbingSteeringColumnTechnologyFurtherEnhancesDriverSafety.March8,2005.Newsrelease.http://www.driveandstayalive.com/info%20section/news/individual%20news%20articles/y_050308_delphi-steering-columns.htm(accessedNovember30,2006).

BibliographyDelphiCorporation.DelphiActiveEnergy-absorbingSteeringColumn.Troy,MI:DelphiCorporation,2005.Abrochure.http://ppd.delphi.com/pdf/ppd/chsteer/col_energyabsorb.pdf(accessedNovember30,2006).

Delphi.Delphi’sNewEnergyAbsorbingSteeringColumnTechnologyFurtherEnhancesDriverSafety.March8,2005.Newsrelease.http://www.driveandstayalive.com/info%20section/news/individual%20news%20articles/y_050308_delphi-steering-columns.htm(accessedNovember30,2006).

DuPont.DelphiDebutsPatentedEnergy-AbsorbingSteeringColumnonFordVehicles–TapsDuPontEngineeringPolymersforMaterialandTechnicalSupport.April4,2006.NewsRelease.http://www2.dupont.com/Automotive/en_US/news_events/article20060404.html(accessedNovember30,2006).

DwayneKubasiak(Engineer,DouglasAutotechCorporation),indiscussionwiththeauthor,January2007.

Kahane,CharlesJ.AnEvaluationofFederalMotorVehicleSafetyStandardsforPassengerCarSteeringAssemblies.Washington,DC:NationalHighwayTrafficandSafetyAdministration,U.S.DepartmentofTransportation,January1981.DOTHS805705.http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/regrev/evaluate/805705.html(accessedNovember29,2006).

NationalHighwayTrafficandSafetyAdministration.LivesSavedbytheFederalMotorVehicleSafetyStandardsandOtherVehicleSafetyTechnologies,1960-2002:PassengerCarsandLightTrucksWithaReviewof19FMVSSandtheirEffectivenessinReducingFatalities,InjuriesandCrashes.Washington,DC:U.S.DepartmentofTransportation,October2004.DOTHS809833.http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/regrev/Evaluate/pdf/809833Part1.pdf(accessedNovember29,2006).

Murphy,ChristopherS.“Alife-savingsteeringcolumn.”DuPontEngineeringDesign.no.2(2006):11.http://plastics.dupont.com/plastics/pdflit/europe/design/ed0602e.pdf(accessedNovember30,2006).

Stewart,Richard.“AutomotivePlastics:AddingFunctionality,ReducingVehicleCost.”PlasticsEngineering,September2006.

TRWAutomotiveCommercialSystems.IntermediateColumn

http://www.trw.com/extlink/1,,,00.html?ExternalTRW=/images/Iclmn.pdf&DIR=2(accessedJune12,2007).

PicturesPersonincarwithsteeringcolumn(CourtesyofDuPont)

Activeenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumnimage–Delphi,http://ppd.delphi.com/pdf/ppd/chsteer/col_energyabsorb.pdf

TRWSteeringColumn–TRWAutomotiveCommercialSystems.IntermediateColumnhttp://www.trw.com/extlink/1,,,00.html?ExternalTRW=/images/Iclmn.pdf&DIR=2(accessedJune12,2007).

Activeenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumndiagram–Delphi,http://ppd.delphi.com/pdf/ppd/chsteer/col_energyabsorb.pdf

plastics&autos

• Energyabsorbingsteeringcolumnswerefirstdevelopedinthelate1960stocushiontheimpactofthedriver’schestbyabsorbingmuchofhisorherimpactenergyinfront-endcrashesandlimittherearwarddisplacementofthesteeringcolumnintothepassengercompartment.1

• Before1968(whenNHTSAfirstbeganrequiringtheuseofenergyabsorbingsteeringcolumns),thesteeringassemblywasthemostcommonsourceoffatalorseriousinjuriesfordriversinvolvedinfrontalcrashes.2,1

• Whiletheadditionofenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumnsdidimprovedriversafety,italsoaddedweighttocars.In1966(withoutenergy-absorption),theaveragepassengercarsteeringcolumnassemblyweighed9.94lbs.In1983(withenergy-absorption),theaveragepassengercarsteeringcolumnassemblyweighed11.90lbs.3

• Somemanufacturershaveincorporatedplasticcomponentsintotheirsteeringcolumns,whichhelpsreduceweight.

• TRWAutomotiveproducesacommercialsteeringcolumnusingplasticcomponentsthat“weighsapproximatelythreepoundslessthancomparabledesigns.”4

• DouglasAutotechCorp.isatier2supplierthatproducescompositesteeringcolumns(33%glass/nylonforclass6and7internationaltrucksandschoolbuses).DouglasEngineerDwayneKubasiakcitesthattheolddesignofthissortofsteeringcolumnweighedaround21lbs.inthe1990s.In2001,thesamesteeringcolumnusingtheplasticcomposite“is6to7lbs.lighter,”Kubasiaksaid.5

• Delphihastakentheadvantagesofusingplasticinsteeringcolumnsonestepfurther,developinganewtypeofenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumnthatincorporateslightweightplasticcomponentstoreducevehicledriverinjuryinafrontalcollisionbyfracturingatpredeterminedstresslevels.6

• Thenew“activeenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumn”utilizesplasticinbothanenergy-absorbingrestrainingstrapanda“break-away”capsulethatsupportsthesteeringcolumnatthedashpanel,butactslikeamechanicalfuseintheeventofacrash,fracturingatpre-determinedstresslevels.7

• “Thissteeringcolumnautomaticallyadaptswithinmillisecondsofafrontalcollision,andtakesaccountofanumberofvariablesinacrash.Thevariablesincludetheweightofthedriver,whethersheorheiswearingaseatbelt,thevehicle’sspeedandtheseverityofthecrash.”~DanCrishon,businesslineexecutiveatDelphi.7

Additional Information • “Inpassengercarsbuiltbeforethe1967modelyear,thesteeringcolumnwasarigidpoleendingin

anarrowhub.Infrontalcrashes,thedriverwouldhittherigidcolumn,hisloadconcentratedonthenarrowhub.Evenworse,insomecrashesthesteeringcolumnwaspropelledrearwards,towardthedriver,atahighrateofspeed.Steeringwheelsandspokeswereweakandbrittleandcontainedhazardousmetalattachments.”2

• “Federalstatisticsshowenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumnshelpedprevent53,000deathsfrom1968,whentheywerefirstintroducedaspurelymechanicalsystems,to2002.”8

• “Energy-absorbingsteeringcolumnsaresecondonlytosafetybelts—andaheadofairbags—asaneffectivesafetydeviceforvehicledrivers,accordingtoarecentreportfromtheU.S.NationalHighwayTrafficSafetyAdministration(NHTSA).” 7

• Theactiveenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumn“isdesignedforawidespectrumofdrivers—fromthe95thpercentilelargemalethroughthe5thpercentilesmallfemale.ThisrangehelpsvehiclemanufacturersmeetproposedU.S.FederalMotorVehicleSafetyStandard(FMVSS208)regulations.”9

• Thissteeringcolumntechnologyisfeaturedonthe2005LincolnTownCar,CrownVictoria,andMercuryGrandMarquis.10

• Intheactiveenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumn,plasticalsoplaysakeyroleasC-shapedbushing,whichguidesmovementoftheuppersteeringcolumnjacketoverthelowerjacket.Plasticinthisroleprovides“durabilityanddimensionalstability,whileprovidingtheabilitytocontrolthetelescopicmotionofthesteeringcolumninafrontalcollision.”8

Plastic can be incorporated in energy absorbing steering columns to help reduce vehicle weight and enhance driver safety The new active energy-

absorbing steering column utilizes plastic to both lightweight the entire module and provide driver safety by fracturing at stress levels determined by accident variables.7

Used with permission. © Delphi Used with permission.Courtesy of TRW Automotive.

The TRW steering column utilizes non-metallic parts4

Used with permission. Courtesy of DuPont.

The plastic energy absorbing strap in the active energy-absorbing steering column is a crucial component to its versatility in providing safety to drivers of all sizes.8

Used with permission. © Delphi

plastics&autos

• Energyabsorbingsteeringcolumnswerefirstdevelopedinthelate1960stocushiontheimpactofthedriver’schestbyabsorbingmuchofhisorherimpactenergyinfront-endcrashesandlimittherearwarddisplacementofthesteeringcolumnintothepassengercompartment.1

• Before1968(whenNHTSAfirstbeganrequiringtheuseofenergyabsorbingsteeringcolumns),thesteeringassemblywasthemostcommonsourceoffatalorseriousinjuriesfordriversinvolvedinfrontalcrashes.2,1

• Whiletheadditionofenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumnsdidimprovedriversafety,italsoaddedweighttocars.In1966(withoutenergy-absorption),theaveragepassengercarsteeringcolumnassemblyweighed9.94lbs.In1983(withenergy-absorption),theaveragepassengercarsteeringcolumnassemblyweighed11.90lbs.3

• Somemanufacturershaveincorporatedplasticcomponentsintotheirsteeringcolumns,whichhelpsreduceweight.

• TRWAutomotiveproducesacommercialsteeringcolumnusingplasticcomponentsthat“weighsapproximatelythreepoundslessthancomparabledesigns.”4

• DouglasAutotechCorp.isatier2supplierthatproducescompositesteeringcolumns(33%glass/nylonforclass6and7internationaltrucksandschoolbuses).DouglasEngineerDwayneKubasiakcitesthattheolddesignofthissortofsteeringcolumnweighedaround21lbs.inthe1990s.In2001,thesamesteeringcolumnusingtheplasticcomposite“is6to7lbs.lighter,”Kubasiaksaid.5

• Delphihastakentheadvantagesofusingplasticinsteeringcolumnsonestepfurther,developinganewtypeofenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumnthatincorporateslightweightplasticcomponentstoreducevehicledriverinjuryinafrontalcollisionbyfracturingatpredeterminedstresslevels.6

• Thenew“activeenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumn”utilizesplasticinbothanenergy-absorbingrestrainingstrapanda“break-away”capsulethatsupportsthesteeringcolumnatthedashpanel,butactslikeamechanicalfuseintheeventofacrash,fracturingatpre-determinedstresslevels.7

• “Thissteeringcolumnautomaticallyadaptswithinmillisecondsofafrontalcollision,andtakesaccountofanumberofvariablesinacrash.Thevariablesincludetheweightofthedriver,whethersheorheiswearingaseatbelt,thevehicle’sspeedandtheseverityofthecrash.”~DanCrishon,businesslineexecutiveatDelphi.7

Additional Information • “Inpassengercarsbuiltbeforethe1967modelyear,thesteeringcolumnwasarigidpoleendingin

anarrowhub.Infrontalcrashes,thedriverwouldhittherigidcolumn,hisloadconcentratedonthenarrowhub.Evenworse,insomecrashesthesteeringcolumnwaspropelledrearwards,towardthedriver,atahighrateofspeed.Steeringwheelsandspokeswereweakandbrittleandcontainedhazardousmetalattachments.”2

• “Federalstatisticsshowenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumnshelpedprevent53,000deathsfrom1968,whentheywerefirstintroducedaspurelymechanicalsystems,to2002.”8

• “Energy-absorbingsteeringcolumnsaresecondonlytosafetybelts—andaheadofairbags—asaneffectivesafetydeviceforvehicledrivers,accordingtoarecentreportfromtheU.S.NationalHighwayTrafficSafetyAdministration(NHTSA).” 7

• Theactiveenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumn“isdesignedforawidespectrumofdrivers—fromthe95thpercentilelargemalethroughthe5thpercentilesmallfemale.ThisrangehelpsvehiclemanufacturersmeetproposedU.S.FederalMotorVehicleSafetyStandard(FMVSS208)regulations.”9

• Thissteeringcolumntechnologyisfeaturedonthe2005LincolnTownCar,CrownVictoria,andMercuryGrandMarquis.10

• Intheactiveenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumn,plasticalsoplaysakeyroleasC-shapedbushing,whichguidesmovementoftheuppersteeringcolumnjacketoverthelowerjacket.Plasticinthisroleprovides“durabilityanddimensionalstability,whileprovidingtheabilitytocontrolthetelescopicmotionofthesteeringcolumninafrontalcollision.”8

Plastic can be incorporated in energy absorbing steering columns to help reduce vehicle weight and enhance driver safety The new active energy-

absorbing steering column utilizes plastic to both lightweight the entire module and provide driver safety by fracturing at stress levels determined by accident variables.7

Used with permission. © Delphi Used with permission.Courtesy of TRW Automotive.

The TRW steering column utilizes non-metallic parts4

Used with permission. Courtesy of DuPont.

The plastic energy absorbing strap in the active energy-absorbing steering column is a crucial component to its versatility in providing safety to drivers of all sizes.8

Used with permission. © Delphi

plastics&autosFor more information, contact Rob Krebs at rob_krebs@americanchemistry.com or visit www.plastics-car.com

Plastic can be incorporated in energy absorbing steering columns to help reduce vehicle weight and enhance driver safety

Works Cited1 NationalHighwayTrafficandSafetyAdministration.LivesSavedbytheFederalMotorVehicleSafetyStandardsandOtherVehicleSafetyTechnologies,1960-2002:

PassengerCarsandLightTrucksWithaReviewof19FMVSSandtheirEffectivenessinReducingFatalities,InjuriesandCrashes.Washington,DC:U.S.DepartmentofTransportation,October2004.DOTHS809833.http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/regrev/Evaluate/pdf/809833Part1.pdf(accessedNovember29,2006).

2 Kahane,CharlesJ.AnEvaluationofFederalMotorVehicleSafetyStandardsforPassengerCarSteeringAssemblies.Washington,DC:NationalHighwayTrafficandSafetyAdministration,U.S.DepartmentofTransportation,January1981.DOTHS805705.http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/regrev/evaluate/805705.html(accessedNovember29,2006).

3 Tarbet,MarciaJ.CostandWeightAddedbytheFederalMotorVehicleSafetyStandardsforModelYears1968-2001inPassengerCarsandLightTrucks.Part2.DOTHS809834.Washington,DC:U.S.DepartmentofTransportation,December2004.http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/regrev/evaluate/pdf/809834Part2.pdf(accessedJune11,2007).

4 TRWAutomotiveCommercialSystems.IntermediateColumnhttp://www.trw.com/extlink/1,,,00.html?ExternalTRW=/images/Iclmn.pdf&DIR=2(accessedJune12,2007).

5 DwayneKubasiak(Engineer,DouglasAutotechCorporation),indiscussionwiththeauthor,January2007.

6 Stewart,Richard.“AutomotivePlastics:AddingFunctionality,ReducingVehicleCost.”PlasticsEngineering,September2006.

7 Murphy,ChristopherS.“Alife-savingsteeringcolumn.”DuPontEngineeringDesign.no.2(2006):11.http://plastics.dupont.com/plastics/pdflit/europe/design/ed0602e.pdf(accessedNovember30,2006).

8DuPont.DelphiDebutsPatentedEnergy-AbsorbingSteeringColumnonFordVehicles–TapsDuPontEngineeringPolymersforMaterialandTechnicalSupport.April4,2006.NewsRelease.http://www2.dupont.com/Automotive/en_US/news_events/article20060404.html(accessedNovember30,2006).

9 DelphiCorporation.DelphiActiveEnergy-absorbingSteeringColumn.Troy,MI:DelphiCorporation,2005.Abrochure.http://ppd.delphi.com/pdf/ppd/chsteer/col_energyabsorb.pdf(accessedNovember30,2006).

10 Delphi.Delphi’sNewEnergyAbsorbingSteeringColumnTechnologyFurtherEnhancesDriverSafety.March8,2005.Newsrelease.http://www.driveandstayalive.com/info%20section/news/individual%20news%20articles/y_050308_delphi-steering-columns.htm(accessedNovember30,2006).

BibliographyDelphiCorporation.DelphiActiveEnergy-absorbingSteeringColumn.Troy,MI:DelphiCorporation,2005.Abrochure.http://ppd.delphi.com/pdf/ppd/chsteer/col_energyabsorb.pdf(accessedNovember30,2006).

Delphi.Delphi’sNewEnergyAbsorbingSteeringColumnTechnologyFurtherEnhancesDriverSafety.March8,2005.Newsrelease.http://www.driveandstayalive.com/info%20section/news/individual%20news%20articles/y_050308_delphi-steering-columns.htm(accessedNovember30,2006).

DuPont.DelphiDebutsPatentedEnergy-AbsorbingSteeringColumnonFordVehicles–TapsDuPontEngineeringPolymersforMaterialandTechnicalSupport.April4,2006.NewsRelease.http://www2.dupont.com/Automotive/en_US/news_events/article20060404.html(accessedNovember30,2006).

DwayneKubasiak(Engineer,DouglasAutotechCorporation),indiscussionwiththeauthor,January2007.

Kahane,CharlesJ.AnEvaluationofFederalMotorVehicleSafetyStandardsforPassengerCarSteeringAssemblies.Washington,DC:NationalHighwayTrafficandSafetyAdministration,U.S.DepartmentofTransportation,January1981.DOTHS805705.http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/regrev/evaluate/805705.html(accessedNovember29,2006).

NationalHighwayTrafficandSafetyAdministration.LivesSavedbytheFederalMotorVehicleSafetyStandardsandOtherVehicleSafetyTechnologies,1960-2002:PassengerCarsandLightTrucksWithaReviewof19FMVSSandtheirEffectivenessinReducingFatalities,InjuriesandCrashes.Washington,DC:U.S.DepartmentofTransportation,October2004.DOTHS809833.http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/regrev/Evaluate/pdf/809833Part1.pdf(accessedNovember29,2006).

Murphy,ChristopherS.“Alife-savingsteeringcolumn.”DuPontEngineeringDesign.no.2(2006):11.http://plastics.dupont.com/plastics/pdflit/europe/design/ed0602e.pdf(accessedNovember30,2006).

Stewart,Richard.“AutomotivePlastics:AddingFunctionality,ReducingVehicleCost.”PlasticsEngineering,September2006.

TRWAutomotiveCommercialSystems.IntermediateColumn

http://www.trw.com/extlink/1,,,00.html?ExternalTRW=/images/Iclmn.pdf&DIR=2(accessedJune12,2007).

PicturesPersonincarwithsteeringcolumn(CourtesyofDuPont)

Activeenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumnimage–Delphi,http://ppd.delphi.com/pdf/ppd/chsteer/col_energyabsorb.pdf

TRWSteeringColumn–TRWAutomotiveCommercialSystems.IntermediateColumnhttp://www.trw.com/extlink/1,,,00.html?ExternalTRW=/images/Iclmn.pdf&DIR=2(accessedJune12,2007).

Activeenergy-absorbingsteeringcolumndiagram–Delphi,http://ppd.delphi.com/pdf/ppd/chsteer/col_energyabsorb.pdf