Modern vehicles are typically fitted with multiple airbags as standard to protect both the driver and passengers. Airbag materials are usually made from densely woven nylon or polyester fibres and are often silicone coated to achieve the desired air permeability. Airbags may be flat woven, where the bag is made up of several fabric pieces stitched together, or one-piece woven (OPW), where the structure of the airbag is fully formed on the loom. After weaving, both require a cutting process to form specific geometric shapes.
Traditional processing predominantly uses mechanical die-cutting technology, which has the following process limitations:
- Mechanical stress causes damage to fibres or coating delamination, affecting the airtight performance of the airbags
- Simultaneous cutting of multiple layers of materials reduces cutting accuracy and batch consistency
- It relies on customised tools with long development cycles, which cannot respond quickly to varied vehicle needs
The laser process is efficient and reliable, minimising waste by cutting with consistently high quality. The non-contact nature of the process means that handling of the fabric is minimised and the silicone coating is, therefore, less likely to incur any damage which may compromise the integrity of the airbag.
During cutting, the ends of the fibres melt to form a self-sealing effect. This avoids fibre damage and preserves the coating, thus safeguarding the structural integrity and airtightness of the fabric. Based on CNC-controlled X-Y worktables or high-speed galvanometer scanning systems, precise cutting paths can be achieved, maintaining maximum material utilisation and optimised production efficiency even in complex contour processing.
As this is a digital process, the cutting profile and process parameters can be changed at the push of a button. Short production runs and frequent design changes present no problem, as each new cutting path can be implemented quickly and easily with no downtime or tooling costs.
Luxinar’s SCX 35, OEM 65iX and OEM 100iX CO2 laser sources have successfully cut a range of airbag materials with excellent quality, resulting in smooth, burr-free edges and no discoloration or charring of the fabric.
CO2 laser scoring of car dashboards
CO2 lasers can also be used to score lines in the material of the car dashboard and door skins, selectively weakening the structure so that a flap breaks open to release the airbag in the event of a collision. A laser, operating at extremely tight tolerances, scores the reverse side of the interior panels, where it is not visible to the vehicle occupants.