차량용 경량화 Impact Beam 제작 및 시험장치 개발에 관한 연구

Abstract

Vehicle collisions are the price that we pay for the convenience that we have enjoyed since the start of the motorization era, leading many researchers to apply technology to reducing the number of occupant deaths and injuries in the event of a collision. However, crash safety measures developed and applied to date have focused on reducing passenger injuries in the event of a frontal crash in a passenger car. Some efforts have been aimed at improving side crash safety, but the outcomes have been insignificant in comparison with the safety measures implemented for frontal crashes. As a result, it has been reported that the death toll from side-impact collisions is higher than that from frontal-impact accidents. To minimize the PELVIS value that is a measure of the forces leading to driver/passenger pelvic fractures or hip dislocations in the event of a side impact, energy-absorbing door impact beams should be optimized so as to minimize the intrusion of the inner panels. Currently, however, as door impact beams consist of no more than simple hollow beams, in the event of a side impact, they deform excessively and, together with the mounting brackets and inner panel, directly strike the pelvis and waist of the occupant, subjecting him or her to excessive injury values. Thus, there is a need for a door impact beam design that can minimize the injury values experienced by drivers and passengers in the event of a side impact. At the same time, the weight of these beams should be reduced so as to keep pace with current developments in lightweight frames, some of which are already being mass-produced by overseas automakers. The aim of this study is to develop lightweight side impact beams that are 30% lighter than existing types by conducting optimized structure design and analysis and devising manufacturing methods that use lightweight materials instead of steel for these door impact beams. To address these issues, we set out to develop lightweight door impact beams by applying the following procedure: product design and analysis considering the required structural performance and available manufacturing methods; production of dedicated tooling for the assembly of the door impact beams; mold production for door impact beams and assembly brackets; prototype production of door impact beams and assembly brackets; and door assembly production. In addition, the reliability of the new design shall be determined through actual crash testing of the door impact beams, which requires the design and production of testing equipment for crash testing. Given the results of this research, it is hoped that full legal compliance can be attained even when there is no side airbag fitted, by satisfying the laws and regulations governing the strength, stiffness, and safety of side impact beams. It is also aimed that contribute to global environmental and energy-related problems by improving vehicles’ fuel efficiency through weight reduction. Successful research results are expected to lead to high value-added technologies for application to all types of passenger cars and commercial vehicles.