Automotive Crash Test Dummies: Production, Calibration, and Safety Application
Humanetics, a prominent manufacturer of automotive crash test dummies, operates facilities that produce devices essential for vehicle safety assessments. These humanoid devices are utilized in safety tests to collect data on potential human impact during collisions. Recent developments include an updated design for a female dummy, which is progressing towards widespread adoption.
Manufacturing Physical Components
Crash test dummies are designed to replicate human body movements and record forces experienced during a crash. Their design integrates data from living individuals and cadaver studies. The latest female dummy design incorporates specific data from female bodies, addressing prior concerns that earlier "female" dummies, modified from male designs, contributed to higher injury rates among women in real-world crashes.
Manufacturing processes at Humanetics' Huron, Ohio facility involve crafting skeletal components from metal, such as aluminum, and using rubber for flexible elements like the spine. The outer layers, replicating human tissue, are formed from polyurethane in varying consistencies, vinyl for the 'skin', and foam for cushioning. These components undergo finishing processes, including trimming and smoothing, before assembly.
Sensor Integration and Calibration
Once physical components are complete, dummies are transported to a facility in Farmington, Michigan, for the integration of their internal systems. This involves installing numerous sensors within the body parts to measure acceleration, force, and other critical data points. Each sensor system undergoes rigorous calibration, which includes subjecting dummy heads to precise drops, chests to pendulum strikes, and other parts to controlled compression tests to ensure accurate data reporting.
Application in Vehicle Safety Testing
Automotive crash test dummies represent a significant investment, with costs ranging from hundreds of thousands to over $1 million for advanced models. Primary clients include automakers, government agencies, and independent organizations such as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a nonprofit funded by auto insurers that publishes vehicle safety ratings.
At the IIHS test site in Virginia, dummies are routinely used in physical crash tests. For instance, a test involving a Subaru Crosstrek included a dummy replicating an average adult male in the front seat and a dummy sized for a 12-year-old in the rear seat. Prior to impact, engineers apply indicator paint (commonly referred to as clown paint) to the dummies' faces to mark contact points with the vehicle's interior during the collision.
Advanced vehicle safety features have led to increased durability for crash test dummies; severe damage requiring replacement is now less common compared to previous decades. While virtual testing and computer models are increasingly employed for simulating a broader range of crash scenarios and body types, physical tests continue to provide essential raw data necessary for safety ratings. After each test, dummies are cleaned, their data is analyzed, and they are recalibrated for subsequent use.