Ormiston Wire boosts safety of Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

Ormiston Wire has revealed how it successfully developed, prototyped and manufactured a vital component for the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren that has significantly enhanced driver and passenger safety. The company provided a custom-designed restraint for the engine block for the entire production life of the model between 2003 and 2009.

Following high-speed collision tests, it was apparent that additional restraints would be required to hold the engine block in place to ensure it did not shift into the driver and passenger compartments in the event of a collision. Ormiston were tasked with sourcing Zylon, a highly-tensile synthetic polymer material that offers a tensile strength of 5.8. The prototype was developed using stainless steel rounded ferrules and, following thorough testing, the solution was found to surpass the required specification tolerances.

A key element of the solution was Ormiston’s braided wire, one of the many speciality products that the company produces. Wire braid’s versatility and strength means it can be used in a wide range of applications, such as electrical conductivity and as armouring for other cables. It’s available in a wide variety of stock specifications, including copper (plain and tinned), aluminium, clear PVC coated, and antenna braid, and Ormiston is renowned for providing valuable advice and support to customers in specifying and selecting which type best suits their purpose.

“Our work alongside Mercedes-Benz required us to work with a material we had not used before,” stated Mark Ormiston. “However, our experience in bespoke applications ensured we were able to efficiently and correctly specify this custom-made and innovative solution. The focus of the project from start to finish was passenger safety and we are delighted that this was wholly achieved”.