Please activate JavaScript!
Please install Adobe Flash Player, click here for download

BIW Compact 3-2015 English

3/2015 01 COMPACT When it comes to competence When it comes to competence INNOVATION AT A GLANCE Flexibility, Opportunities, Innovations Ralf Stoffels Dr. Markus Wiethoff — DIRK HOLSTEIN The ever increasing road traffic volumes and the challenges posed by almost noise-free electrical vehicles, have resulted in a number of innovations in vehicle safety systems. The protection of the people inside the vehicle has constantly been further devel­­­oped and optimised over recent years. Due to legal require- ments and adaptation of the Euro rating, the protection of pedestrians in traffic is going to become a key focal point in future. Active sensor systems in the front section of the vehicle are designed to improved safety. Airbags in the bonnet will be controlled by highly accurate sensors in the bumper. In the event of a collision, the airbags under the bonnet are triggered and the pedestrian is transported over the raised bonnet. Control of the sensors must be executed by way of an extremely precise and safely functioning system which is effective in all environments. As a high-performance elastomer, silicone is pre- destined for this task and for meeting the increasing legal requirements. Silicone is not sensitive to environ- mental influences, but is both media-resistant and displays precise and constant behaviour over an ex- tremely wide range of temperatures. The impulses for the activation of the acceleration sen- sors in the bumper are accordingly transmitted with maximum precision. Silicone piping is used since it provides a constant wall thickness in a low millimetre range, thus effectively bridging the gap between reliable transmission of signals and mechanical robustness. Depending on the project require- ments, this piping is available in various Shore hardnesses and colours and produced on certified machinery. When it comes to production, BIW relies on the competence gained in the manu- facturing of medical products, coupled with the long-term requirements of TS16949 as determined in-house. The comprehensive manufacturing testing and inspection spectrum has also be established and optimised for this purpose. Additional thermal tempering is used to ensure complete vulcanisation and any volatile, and thus disruptive, constituents are safely removed. The packaging system is carried out in accordance with customer requirements, optionally also in ESD packaging. The piping is available by the metre, or in project-specific lengths by way of optimised cutting technology. The BIW team will be happy to advise you with regard to your tailored project requirements. EDITORIAL Dear partners and BIW friends, As 2015 draws to a close, we take this opportunity to look back on our achievements and the outlook for the future. The positive development of BIW has remained constant over the course of the year, but has also shown that thanks to the 450 employees we now have, we are in need of new organisational structures. This structural reorientation will be one of the key tasks to be tackled in the new year. We will be specifically be forming smaller, more effective units in all three of the large production areas, these will then be headed by team managers. This process will be accompanied professionally in order to ensure that, at the end of the procedure, our customers will experience a tangible increase in flexibility and reliabilityaswellasimprovedservice.Theteammanagers will be subject to an internal selection process and training programme. Increasingly turbulent sales markets and international competition are also making future predictions more and more difficult. But here we will not just be taking the organisational approach, we will also be employing additional technical development in the sectors of silicone elastomers and textile technology with a focus on cable protection systems, extrusion and LSR moulded parts. Sufficient demanding and forward-looking projects are in the pipeline to ensure that we will continue to grow in 2016 as well. BIW SILICONE PROTECTS PEDESTRIANS

Overview