| With the rising level of automobile production and its | | | | incapability to be folded into small spaces and |
| corresponding worldwide stocks based on the rapid | | | | inclination of decay over time. Coated fab¬rics |
| industrialisation in Asia, Africa and Latin America plus | | | | are simple to cut and sew and the air porosity can |
| the rising demand in Eastern Europe, the proportion | | | | be well managed. |
| of textiles in a motor car is increasing in response to | | | | The drawbacks linked with coated airbags and their |
| more stringent comfort and safety needs in | | | | subsequent substitution with uncoated materials has |
| industrialised countries like the USA, Japan and | | | | warranted significant developments from two sectors |
| Western Europe. | | | | of the industry. The uncoated airbags can be |
| Automobile textiles, which are non apparel textiles, | | | | recycled in a simple manner. The first development |
| are widely used in vehicles like cars, trains, buses, | | | | has come from the yarn and fabric producers, who |
| aircrafts and marine vehicles. Hence, the term | | | | have concurrently developed the performance of the |
| automobile textile means all type of textile | | | | fabrics. Their gas permeability has fallen under specific |
| components e.g. fibers, filaments, yarns and the | | | | scrutiny since the way an uncoated fabric discharges |
| fabric used in automobiles. | | | | gas and establishes the capability of an airbag to |
| Nearly two third of the automobile textiles are for | | | | resist impact. The second development has gained |
| interior trim, i.e. seat cover, carpets and roof and | | | | from the inflator producers, who have started to |
| door liners. The rest is utilized to reinforce tyres, | | | | substitute the original inflators, which release air, with |
| hoses, safety belts, air bags, etc. | | | | devices that emit air like argon and helium. This is |
| It is projected that nearly 45 square meters of | | | | greatly helpful because these gases are equally as |
| textile material is utilized in a car for interior trim | | | | effective at lower temperatures and discharge less |
| (seating area, headlines, side panel, carpet and trunk). | | | | hot particles. |
| According to a survey, the percentage of textile in a | | | | Finishing procedure of airbag fabrics |
| motor car amounts to 2 per cent of the overall | | | | After weaving, the airbag fabric is scouring to reduce |
| weight of a car. Apart from this, visible textile | | | | size. To gain accurate air permeability, the airbag |
| components, eliminating hidden components such as | | | | fabric can be calendered. Apart from influencing the |
| in tyres and composites, hoses and filters; amount to | | | | air permeability by weaving and finishing, accurate |
| 10-11 kg per vehicle in absolute terms. Industrial | | | | permeability control can be achieved by coating. |
| textiles are largely utilized in vehicles and systems | | | | When the airbag material has been finished, it is sewn |
| including cars, buses, trains, air crafts and marine | | | | together; the best practice is by using it with a laser. |
| vehicles. In automobile textile industry, four types of | | | | Airbags are sewn with Nylon 6, 6, polyester, and |
| fabrics are used, namely: | | | | Kevlar aramid yarns, the sewing patterns and |
| . Air bag fabrics | | | | densities being selected to maximize performance. |
| . Fabric used as a basis for reduction in weight of | | | | When a bag is sewn it is folded inside its cover. |
| body parts | | | | Packing should permit for tethers connected to the |
| . Tyre cord fabrics | | | | bag to manage operation. Finally, a cover can be set |
| . Automotive upholstery and other textile fabrics | | | | up over the bag to safeguard it from abrasion. |
| used inside the vehicle | | | | Airbag sizes |
| The airbag and seat belts used as safety measures | | | | Airbags are available in various sizes and |
| are one of the latest types of textiles in automobiles | | | | configurations depending on the type of car and |
| and have a potential market for technical textiles that | | | | steering. Moreover, the driver's side airbag is smaller |
| has a considerable scope for growth and | | | | than the front passengers by about 65 liters capacity |
| development. Because of government legislation and | | | | upwards. |
| consumer interest, the applications have been | | | | Suppliers |
| extremely successful over the last ten to fifteen | | | | In airbag systems, there are mainly five suppliers of |
| years. | | | | the airbag module itself, representing 32 per cent of |
| In the last decade, airbags or inflatable restraints | | | | the value of the airbag system. The key airbag |
| have received noteworthy significance as a | | | | control unit has four suppliers representing 24 per |
| safeguard for the driver and the passengers in case | | | | cent of the value, and the seat belt portion of the |
| of an accident. Initially, the bags were made for | | | | system has two suppliers with a 31 per cent |
| head-on collision, but now, there are many other | | | | contribution. Yet, the remaining part with only 13 per |
| safety devices like side impact bags, knee bolsters, | | | | cent of the value of the airbag system has over 40 |
| side curtain, etc, available for safety in any type of | | | | suppliers. |
| crash. Because frontal collisions are a main reason of | | | | Two years back INVISTA, formerly DuPont Textiles |
| accidental deaths, airbags are being presented as a | | | | & Interiors, had expanded nylon 6, 6 fiber |
| standard product in vehicles by legislation, which has | | | | production capacity, totaling 7.5 kilotons (kt.) at two |
| given the quick increment of airbags business in the | | | | facilities; one in Qing Dao, China, and the second in |
| last decade. NHTSA and HHS report that airbag | | | | Gloucester, UK. |
| systems have played an important role in saving | | | | A wide range of highly specialized polyamide 6.6 |
| thousands of lives since 1985. In 2002 alone, due to | | | | airbag yarns, Enka Nylon, are made by Polymide High |
| the airbag system a 20 per cent reduction in fatalities | | | | Performance at its Obernburg (Germany) and |
| resulting from fatal collisions has been observed. | | | | Scottsboro (Alabama/USA) plants. |
| In 1999, there were 55 million vehicles with 81 million | | | | Zapata Corporation in December, 2005 announced |
| airbags. In 2004, the number of frontal airbag units | | | | that it completed the sale of all of its 4,162,394 |
| was nearly 100 million and the number of side-impact | | | | shares of Safety Components International, Inc. to |
| airbags nearly 65 million. In the same year, nearly 23 | | | | private equity investor Wilbur L. Ross, Jr. for nearly |
| per cent of the new vehicles in North America had | | | | $51.2 million. Zapata's stake stands for nearly 77.3 per |
| side airbags for chest protection and 17 per cent had | | | | cent of Safety Components' total outstanding |
| side airbags for head protection. By 2005, this has | | | | common stock. Safety Components is an |
| increased to 180 million airbags and 65 million vehicles. | | | | independent producer of air bags and the company's |
| Fabric application demand has increased to 325 million | | | | fabrics are largely utilized for automobile safety air |
| square meters in 2005, and 83 tons of fibre, mostly | | | | bags and in niche industrial and commercial |
| nylon has been used. | | | | applications. Safety Components headquartered in |
| The world airbag market is estimated to rise from 66 | | | | Greenville, South Carolina, has plants situated in North |
| million units in 1996 to over 200 million units in 2006, a | | | | America, Europe, China and South Africa. |
| compound annual growth rate of 12 per cent. Over | | | | Takata is a manufacturer of automotive seatbelts. |
| this decade, Europe will put in 60 million units, | | | | Takata started researching seatbelt technologies in |
| Asia-Pacific 30 million units and North America 24 | | | | 1952. After eight years of research and development |
| million units. | | | | Takata became the first safety company to offer |
| While North American and Western European | | | | seatbelts as standard equipment to the Japan market |
| markets are growing, considerable development is | | | | in 1960. In the early 1970's, Takata worked with |
| also seen in the international market. As new | | | | NHTSA to satisfy new high speed crash test |
| applications are developing for airbags, including rear | | | | requirements and supplied the first energy absorbing |
| seat bags, inflatable seat belts and an outside airbag | | | | seat belt system to pass a 30 mph crash test. Irvin |
| system for pedestrians, new fabrics and | | | | Automotive is another company within the Takata |
| combinations are being applied. The front and | | | | Corporation. Irvin makes armrests, cargo covers, |
| passenger bags have different requirements because | | | | molded consoles, seat covers and sun visors. |
| of the distance from the occupant, but they both | | | | Narricot Industries, LP, located in Southampton, |
| have rapid increment and deflation in a very short | | | | Pennsylvania, is a producer of woven narrow fabrics |
| time span. | | | | in North America. With manufacturing facilities in |
| Rollover bags must remain inflated for five seconds. | | | | Boykins and South Hill, Virginia, Narricot is the number |
| In addition to new uses, expected trends include | | | | one supplier of seatbelt webbing to the North |
| lighter fabric for use with newer "cold inflators," | | | | American automotive industry. |
| blended with materials like fabric and film, new | | | | Autoliv is a manufacturer of airbag, seatbelts and |
| coating polymers (Silicone now dominates having | | | | other automotive safety devices. Autoliv has nearly |
| replaced neoprene). | | | | 80 wholly or partially owned manufacturing facilities in |
| Growth of safety devices in the car interior | | | | 30 vehicle-producing countries. Autoliv and its joint |
| Increasing electronics and safety devices require | | | | ventures and licensees make over 80 million seat belt |
| more space in the interior together with new | | | | systems annually. |
| concepts for arrangement. | | | | Toray Industries, Inc, that makes nylon 6, 6 fiber and |
| Worldwide market for PA airbag yarns | | | | textile for use in automobile air bags, plans to start |
| The fibre manufacturer Accordis Industrial Fibres BV, | | | | manufacturing base fabric for automotive airbags at |
| Arnhem/ Netherlands reported that the global market | | | | its Czech textile subsidiary in January 2006. The |
| for PA airbag was 84,000 tons in 2005. | | | | company plans to invest in the necessary equipment |
| Airbags | | | | to its subsidiary Toray Textiles Central Europe. The |
| Airbags were first introduced in the late 1960s, but it | | | | production output is projected at 600,000 meters in |
| is only in the 1990s that their use increased amazingly | | | | 2006 and 4 million meters in 2010. At present, Toray |
| and it is set to grow further. This validates the | | | | makes the fabric in Japan, Thailand and China mainly |
| research and development still being made on design, | | | | for airbags used in Japanese cars. |
| deployment and base fabric material. | | | | Performance tests and standards |
| The prospects for the textile and making-up | | | | Many individual tests carried out with airbag yarns and |
| indus¬tries are huge in the area of airbag | | | | fabrics is said to number over 50. The ASTM, the |
| production. This is due to its large requirement | | | | SAE and the Automotive Occupant Res¬traint |
| particularly in view of the legislation, which is already | | | | Council (AORC) have established various standards |
| imposed by many countries. | | | | that express appropriate tests for airbags. |
| Around 1.42 meter2 of fabric is required to produce | | | | Seat belts |
| driver¬ side airbags on light trucks. This | | | | The seat belt is an energy absorbing device that is |
| estimation gives the idea that the airbag market is of | | | | designed to keep the load imposed on a victim's |
| great importance for the use of technical textiles. | | | | body during a crash down to survivable limits. |
| Airbags are normally made by coated or uncoated | | | | Basically, it is designed to offer non recoverable |
| fabrics of PA 6.6 yarns with lesser air permeability. | | | | extension to decrease the deceleration forces that |
| A fabric cushion is included as a part of textile | | | | the body comes across in a crash. Non recoverable |
| ingredient for an airbag, which is folded into the | | | | extension is significant to prevent the occupants |
| center of the steering wheel (for the driver) or in the | | | | from being restrained into their seats and sustaining |
| glove compartment (for the front seat passenger). | | | | whiplash injuries right away after a collision. To |
| Generally, the bag is woven by nylon 6, 6 filament | | | | prevent more webbing from paying out after an |
| yarns, which are in demand in huge quantities | | | | accident, the automatic belt has a locking device |
| because of their high strength-to-weight ratio, | | | | known as inertia reel. An efficient seat belt will only |
| favorable elongation, adequate thermal properties and | | | | permit its wearer to move forward a maximum of |
| relatively low cost of production. Other properties | | | | about 30 cm to avoid contact with any fixed parts |
| required are high tear strength, high anti-seam | | | | of the car. |
| slippage, controlled air permeability and be capable for | | | | It is believed that the seat belts were invented |
| being folded into confined places for over ten years | | | | concurrently in America as well as Sweden. The only |
| without deterioration. | | | | difference was that the American belt was a strap |
| Function | | | | to encircle the waist and the Swedish belt was a |
| A triggering device sets-off explosive chemicals when | | | | diagonal band made to defend the upper body. Now, |
| it senses an accident above 35 km/h is about to | | | | a blend of the two designs is a most prevalent |
| occur. These chemicals hold back and cushion the car | | | | arrangement and is called the 3-point belt, which is |
| occupant from collision with harder objects. The | | | | secured by two fittings on the floor and a third on |
| fabric from which the bag is made must be | | | | the sidewall or pillar. Racing drivers wear other |
| competent for withstanding the strength of the | | | | patterns, particularly two shoulder straps and a lap |
| propellant chemicals. More over, the hot gases must | | | | belt. The earliest automotive seat belts were set up |
| not penetrate the fabric and burn the skin of the car | | | | and were adjustable so that they could fit the |
| occupant. | | | | wearer manually. The automatic belt superseded this |
| For airbags to perform their protective function, each | | | | pattern by providing the wearer more space to |
| function in the system must work with reliability and | | | | move. |
| predictability. In frontal airbag initiation, the cushion | | | | Seat belts are available in multiple layers and are |
| begins to deploy within 20 ms after collision and is | | | | woven in narrow fabrics in twill or satin fabrication |
| fully set up in 50 ms. Within this period of time, the | | | | from high tenacity polyester yarns, generally 320 |
| bag has to spread through the plastic cover, blown | | | | ends of 1100 dtex or 260 ends of 1670 dtex yarn. |
| up and fill the space between the dashboard and | | | | These structures permit highest yarn packing within a |
| occupant. | | | | given area for highest strength and the trend is to |
| Material applications | | | | utilize coarser yarns for good abrasion resistance. For |
| Airbags are generally made from high tenacity | | | | ease they require to be softer and more flexible |
| multifilament nylon 6, 6 in yarn quality fineness from | | | | along the length, but rigidity is needed along the |
| 210, 420 to 840 denier, although some polyester and | | | | width to facilitate them to slide easily between |
| even some nylon 6 is utilized. As Nylon 6 is softer, it | | | | buckles and retract smoothly into housings. Edges |
| is used to lessen skin abrasion. Airbag fabric is not | | | | require being scuff resistant, but not disagreeably |
| dyed, but has to be scoured to eliminate impure | | | | rigid and the fabric must be resistant to |
| substances, which could encourage mildew or other | | | | microorganisms. Nylon was utilized in some early seat |
| problems. Airbags are created in compact size, plain | | | | belts, but due to of its higher UV degradation |
| woven fabrics. | | | | resistance; polyester is now widely used worldwide. |
| The amount of fabric required to make an airbag | | | | Performance standards |
| depends on its location in the car and the market it | | | | Normally, the performance standards require a seat |
| serves. The fabrics utilized to produce a driver's and | | | | belt to restrain a passenger weighing 90 kg involved |
| a passenger's airbag are quiet different. Most drivers' | | | | in a collision at 50 km/h (about 30 mph) into a fixed |
| side airbags are coated by using lower denier yarns | | | | object. Straight pull tensile strength should be at least |
| that give strong and light-weight fabrics. The looser | | | | 30 KN/50 mm. Other tests include accelerated ageing |
| weave has been permitted by stronger nylon 6, 6 | | | | and in the made-up form, resistance to fastening and |
| yarns that create fabrics with lighter weight, less | | | | unfastening 10,000 times. The seat belt must be long |
| stiffness and better packagabiIity. | | | | lasting without any significant deterioration. In many |
| The fabric which is used to produce passenger | | | | cars, after ensuring the inclusion of the airbag, efforts |
| airbags is generally uncoated. These kinds of | | | | have been made to link the function of the two |
| passenger bags are larger so they create lower gas | | | | devices (seat belt and airbag). |
| pressures, have longer inflation times, and possess | | | | Conclusion |
| gas which is cooler. The constituent yarns are of | | | | No doubt that the airbags help to save lives, but at |
| relatively heavy denier. Normally, airbag fabrics are | | | | times they can also be a source of serious injury. |
| made by rapier weaving machines or air jet looms | | | | The search for a uniform smart airbag, which can |
| with electronic dobbies. | | | | perceive the size of the passenger or whether the |
| Airbag fabrics varieties | | | | seat is empty and react in that manner, is in |
| The earliest airbags were Neoprene coated and | | | | progress. Such a 'smart' airbag will incorporate sensors |
| woven Nylon 6, 6, but later lighter and thinner silicone | | | | to judge the weight, size and location of the car |
| coated versions followed. Afterwards, though, | | | | passengers and hence deploy more appropriately. |
| uncoated fabrics have emerged. The majority of | | | | In addition, incorporated safety devices associated |
| these fabrics are coated with an elastomeric material | | | | with the seat belt along with other safety items, |
| such as neoprene or silicone. The long lasting | | | | particularly for child passengers, are under |
| popularity of coated materials for airbags has been | | | | development. The trend towards uncoated fabrics is |
| seen because of its capability to work as a heat | | | | anticipated to continue and so is the improved trend |
| shield and the comparative ease that design | | | | towards more airbags per car and fuII-size bags. |
| engineers can expect wider performance in their use. | | | | There is also a technical challenge of producing the |
| Though, there are some intrinsic problems with | | | | bag by using more rational techniques and related |
| coated airbags, which cover their large thickness, | | | | specifications made by the automotive industry. |