- Honda Car Owner's Manual

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OntheInsight,eachframemember'ssizeandstrengthisoptimizedsothattheframeisstrongwhereit
needstobe,andlighterinlesscriticalareas.Avarietyofshapesareused,includinghexagons,ovals,H-
sectionsandreinforcedbox-sections.Thedoorandwindshieldpillars,frontandrearside-framemembers,
lowerbodysills,crossmembersandfloorframemembersareallformedinthismanner.
In more highly loaded areas of the body (such as the front and rear sub frames), larger, internally
ribbed,hexagonalaluminumframemembersareused.Thesearejoinedtootherframemembersviarigid,
die-castaluminumjoints.Die-castingsarealsousedatengineandsuspensionmountingpoints.Thesedie-
castingsoffer versatility and cost savings,becausetheycan be designedtosuit specificsize, space and
strengthrequirements.
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ThixotropicDieCasting
Someof thedie-cast jointsusedin theInsight'saluminumbodyare madeusinga newlydeveloped
castingtechnologyinventedbyHondaengineers,calledThixotropicDieCasting.ThixotropicDieCasting
uses aluminum alloy that has been heated to a semi-solid condition, instead of the molten, liquid state
normally used in die casting. Pieces made with molten aluminum must be more highly processed and
refinedbeforecasting;however,ThixotropicDieCastingrequireslessenergyforsmelting(animportant
considerationsincealuminumismoreexpensivethansteel),andowesmuchofitsstrengthtothecontrolled
formationofdiscretealuminumcrystalswithinthemetalcasting.
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Safety
TheInsightwasdesignedtomeetorexceedthelatestU.S.,EuropeanandJapanesesafetystandards.
Theinteriorisdesignedtomeetthe2003safetystandardsforside-impactandhead-injuryprotection.
The Insight's aluminum body and frame are designed to meet the safety and impact-protection
standardsHondaengineerssetforit.Attheheartofthisdesignisanewlydeveloped
Honda technology called G-Force Control Technology, or G-CON. G-CON
optimizes each part of the Insight's aluminum body and frame to best absorb a
specific type of impact. The cabin floor, for example, forms a strong and rigid
foundation,designedtominimizedeformationinanimpact.Outsideofthisarea,thesurroundingaluminum
framemembershavebeentailoredtocontrolimpactforces.
Full-frontal and offset-frontal impacts are first absorbed by the large-section,
hexagonalextrusionsthatserveasthefront-sideframemembers.Thesehexagonal
sections are made up of six individual equilateral triangles and are designed to
progressively collapse like the bellows of an accordion in an impact. A die-cast
aluminumjoint connected to the rear of these extrusions transfers anyadditional
impact energy rearward to an oval-shaped, curved hexagonal extrusion, which
furtherabsorbsenergybybendingupward.
The aluminum extrusions that extend fromthe passengercompartment allthe
waybacktotherearoftheInsightoneithersidearealsodesignedtoprogressively
absorb rear-impactenergy. In addition, the spare tire and wheel, andthe Insight's
aluminumsuspension, including thetires and wheels, are designed to aid in rear-
impactenergyabsorption.
Seealso:
• RestraintSystem
• BodyPanels
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