The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

National Technical Systems Expands Automotive Testing Services at Detroit Facility

CALABASAS, Calif.--April 27, 2004--

  Introduces Rollover Airbag Testing; New Safety Feature Subjected to a Wide Range of Design Validation Tests  



National Technical Systems, Inc. (NTS), a leading provider of quality, conformance and certification testing, quality registration and managed services, announced today the recent expansion of its automotive testing services at its Detroit facility. According to NTS Chairman and CEO Jack Lin, Ph.D., the expansion was made in the airbag testing area to include rollover airbags. Recognized by every major auto manufacturer, the Detroit facility offers a complete range of automotive testing services including acoustic, vibration, power train and environmental conditioning.

NTS conducts tests to domestic automobile manufacturers specifications, providing a wide range of programs that require special fixtures and oversized chambers. As a key safety device for the new rollover airbags, each manufacturer has developed a tight set of performance requirements. Testing consists of a combination of environmental tests, including vibration, thermal cycling, mechanical shock, and thermal shock to simulate the vehicle transitioning, for instance, from a warm garage to an icy winter environment.

NTS President and COO William C. McGinnis commented, "We have stepped up our capabilities in automotive testing to meet the demands of automotive manufacturers. Rollover airbags are the latest innovation in passenger protection and require intensive testing to verify their performance. Vehicle safety has become an industry focus so we expect to see many more innovations in this area."

The new rollover airbags, some of which are eight feet in length, are designed for multi-passenger vehicles and are factory installed within the interior lining of the vehicle roof. They inflate when the built-in sensor mechanism determines that the vehicle is becoming inverted. Unlike traditional airbags that instantly inflate and then immediately deflate, these air bags are slower to inflate and remain inflated while the vehicle is inverting in an effort to prevent injury to the occupant's head. In most cases, after the airbags are tested at NTS, the manufacturer installs them in a vehicle and deployment tests are performed.

Testing, data acquisition and analysis are performed to industry or SAE standards. Real time, remote access to tests and test data enables customers to complete test programs on schedule with minimum onsite monitoring required by the manufacturer's personnel. The Detroit laboratory serves a spectrum of industries including the automobile, electronic manufacturing, heavy equipment and defense markets. In addition to compliance testing, NTS offers value-added services including initial product design review, assistance with selection of the appropriate industry specifications, test planning, failure analysis and test reporting.

To learn more about NTS' automotive test capabilities and related services, call 800-946-2687, or visit its web site at www.nts-pr.com.

About National Technical Systems, Inc.

National Technical Systems, Inc. is a business-to-business services company providing organizations in the aerospace, defense, information technology (IT) and high technology markets integrated testing, certification, quality registration, systems evaluation and IT staffing services. For additional information about National Technical Systems, visit its web site at www.ntscorp.com.