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EQUIPMENT FOR HEADLIGHT CRASH TESTS

Milan Majer

Abstract

In the design of new cars, great demands are placed on the passive safety of a vehicle. This is especially true for the front part of a car. Each item for this part of a car must absorb a part of energy which arises when a pedestrian is hit. The headlights also belong among the core elements here. The size of the energy that a headlight is capable of absorbing is first calculated by the finite element method using specialized software. It is necessary that these theoretical values are validated in practice, using a unique device. The test itself is performed as the crash of an impact into the relevant headlight with a given weight, shape and speed. In this device, the headlight is fitted and positioned to correspond to its exact placement in the body of the car. The speed impactor is accurately measured during the entire crash test. During these tests, the exact conditions must be set as for a simulation so that it is possible to compare the results. In the event that the results of the test differ from the theoretical calculations, it is necessary to carry out those calculations again and set the marginal conditions so that they correspond to the actual situation. For the headlight manufacturer, these tests are costly, as they damage the tested headlights. Nevertheless, the manufacturer can be sure that the designed headlight meets the safety requirements given by the relevant car manufacturer, and thus they do not have to rely solely on theoretical calculations. Some car manufacturers require these practical tests directly.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2018/5.1/s20.044

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