PLYMOUTH, Mich.—Johnson Controls Inc. has opened a state-of-the-art crash test facility in Plymouth.
The 6,000 sq.-ft.-facility houses a Seattle Safety ServoSled—a set-up that provides standardized safety testing for seats as part of a global standards program via matching facilities in Burscheid, Germany; Changchun and Shanghai,,China; and Yokohama, Japan.
Jeff Williams, group vice president and general manager of Johnson Controls Automotive Seating's global complete seat and supply chain group, said the move reinforced the company's commitment to safety.
Just 44 ServoSleds exist worldwide, including 10 in the U.S.
“Johnson Controls has one of the largest sled testing networks globally,” said Williams. The new lab addresses governmental seat safety specifications.
The sled is a closed-loop system that allows Johnson Controls to monitor in real-time what is happening to the seat or seat component as a test is being run.
Test results enable engineers to gain insight into the stability and dynamic behavior of seat structures, evaluate the effectiveness of head restraints in preventing whiplash, and find potential areas for improvement, the company said.