PPG announced that engineers from its aerospace business received the 54th annual Louis Schwitzer Award for their contributions in the development of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ Aeroscreen.
PPG employees Mike Briggs, Naomi Cassese, Casey McCarthy, Parker Smith, Colin Trinh and William Wittenberg helped to design and test this latest safety innovation, which reduces the risk of driver injury from flying debris or other objects striking the cockpit area.
Brent Wright, PPG global director, aerospace transparencies, accepted the award on PPG’s behalf.
The Aeroscreen consists of a PPG polycarbonate-laminated ballistic windscreen that is attached to a titanium frame produced by Pankl.
The PPG windscreen includes an anti-fogging device using an integral heating element as well as up to eight exterior tear-offs that can be removed during pit stops to clear the screen of accumulated track debris. Weighing 17.3 pounds (7.8 kilograms), the windscreen can withstand a four-pound object striking it at more than 220 miles per hour.
Red Bull Advanced Technologies, Dallara, Pankl Racing Systems, Aerodine Composites, Isoclima and INDYCAR also received the award for their involvement in Aeroscreen’s development.
“It is an incredible honor for PPG and our team of outstanding engineers to be recognized alongside past innovators such as A.J. Foyt Jr. and others whose expertise paved the way for motorsports engineering,” said Wright.
The annual award is sponsored by BorgWarner and the Indiana Section of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International. It honors engineers who innovate new concepts to improve competitive potential, with a focus on new technology for the engine, powertrain, profile, chassis or safety. The technology also must adhere to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES specifications.
“Between PPG’s industry expertise in aerospace transparencies and our stellar team of engineers, we have been able to harness technologies designed for aircraft use and modify them to suit the needs of INDYCAR,” said Khushroo Lakdawala, PPG global director, transparencies engineering and technology, aerospace. “The Aeroscreen already has played a key role in protecting drivers throughout the 2020 season, and we are proud of our PPG colleagues who helped to make this historic motorsports technology a reality.”
