Airbag Deployment Energy Calculator
Occupant crash protection: Model pyrotechnic airbag inflation, internal cushion pressure, controlled vent throttling, and occupant kinetic energy dissipation.
Airbag Cushion & Occupant Kinematics
Energy Absorption & Ride-Down
Recommended Tools & Equipment
Tested hardware and components for high reliability
Frequently Asked Questions
Why must an airbag deflate immediately as the occupant hits it?
If an airbag remained rigidly inflated like a balloon, striking it at 40 km/h would be like hitting a hard rubber exercise ball, rebounding the occupant backwards at high velocity and causing violent whiplash. Controlled deflation through calibrated rear exhaust vents allows the airbag to act as a variable pneumatic damper, converting kinetic energy into thermodynamic throttling work.
How fast does an automotive airbag deploy?
From the instant the front crash sensors register an impact, a pyrotechnic inflator (containing sodium azide or guanidine nitrate) burns, filling the 60-liter nylon cushion with nitrogen gas in approximately 20 to 30 milliseconds (0.025 seconds) at speeds exceeding 250 km/h (160 mph)—faster than the blink of a human eye.
What is occupant "bottoming out" in airbag engineering?
Bottoming out occurs when an airbag cushion exhausts its gas too quickly or lacks sufficient internal pressure, allowing the occupant's head or chest to compress the bag entirely flat against the rigid steering wheel hub or instrument panel. Crashworthiness engineers tune the vent orifice diameter (typically 30–45 mm) to balance energy absorption and prevent bottoming out.