Sika demonstrates windscreen adhesive in live Malaysia crash

Sika held Malaysia's first certified automotive windscreen crash test evaluation earlier today. The test at the MIROS PC3 lab in Melaka featured a live windscreen installation on a Perodua Ativa before a full-frontal collision at 48 km/h.

According to the Swiss specialty chemicals company, the demonstration aimed to shows how a structurally bonded windscreen strengthens a vehicle's cabin. A correctly bonded windscreen holds itself in place during a crash. It supports inflating airbags and ensures the crash structure works as designed. The bond also prevents occupant ejection and reinforces the roof in a rollover.

Sika Malaysia's head of automotive and industry, Daphne Wong, emphasized the safety role of the windscreen. "A windscreen is a safety component, yet it is often replaced on price and speed alone," Wong said. "What matters just as much is the adhesive used and the standard of the installation."

The Live Installation and Crash

The live installation used Sika's new SikaTack Drive adhesive. The company set a 60-minute countdown timer after the windscreen was fitted. When the timer reached zero, the Ativa was immediately driven into the barrier. The windscreen cracked at the base but remained intact and in place. The body structure was largely undamaged, allowing all four doors to open.

Sika states that poor installation, using the wrong adhesive or allowing a vehicle to drive off before proper curing, can lead to windscreen detachment in a collision. The firm notes Malaysia's hot and humid climate shortens an adhesive's working time, making expert fitting more critical.

Adhesive Performance and Specifications

The SikaTack Drive adhesive is claimed to offer a significantly faster cure time than conventional products. This enables workshops to improve productivity by reducing vehicle stationary time.

Sika says the adhesive has been crash tested as part of the US FMVSS 212 standard, which evaluates windscreen retention. The tests used 95th-percentile crash test dummies. The company adds that over 400,000 vehicles in Malaysia have windscreens installed with Sika adhesives annually.

Promotional Campaign for Certified Workshops

Concurrently, Sika is running a promotional lucky draw for customers. From September 15 to December 31, customers who get their windscreen replaced at a certified workshop can enter. Submitting a photo of the workshop's Sika signboard along with the receipt provides a chance to win a RM100 petrol card.

The event was certified by the Malaysia Book of Records as the country's first automotive windscreen crash test evaluation.