Boron Extrication An in-depth look into vehicle extrication and rescues involving today's automobiles
Body Structure
The 2016 Honda Civic Body Structure has several unique features that responders should know about. Besides a body structure made up of an increased percentage of Ultra-High Strength Steel (UHSS) soft zones are designed into the vehicle.
In-Die Softzone
The Honda Civic has a selectively-tempered “soft zone” technology in the lower B-pillars and rear frame rails which saved 15.6 pounds compared to the previous-generation Civic.. This special forming technique allows the creation of specially tempered areas, or soft zones, within an ultra-high-strength hot-stamped steel part. As a result, simpler, lighter components can provide the appropriate energy pathways necessary to absorb crash forces. The process minimizes both parts count and weight. In the 2016 Civic Sedan, this technology
Side crash area
Located where the B-pillar joins the lower sill, a new built-in soft zone is designed to bend during a side collision, channeling crash forces away from the passenger compartment and into the B-pillar and lower sill. The soft zone’s rated material strength is 550-650 MPa advanced high-strength steel, compared to the much stronger 1500 MPa hot-stamp steel of the overall B-pillar and lower sill. Using the technology in the B-pillars saved 6.8 pounds.
For extrication purposes, the pink area below would be the best location to make a cut since the metal is nearly a 1/3 of the strength of the other hot-stamped b-pillar.
The process involves heating the sheet steel to 930-degrees Centigrade before simultaneously stamping and cooling key areas of the part. A laser cutting trimming process then completes the component.
