PPG employees awarded for role in IndyCar ‘Aeroscreen’

PPG has announced that a number of engineers from its aerospace business have been honoured 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.

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.

The windscreen weights around 8kg and can withstand a 2kg object striking it at more than 350 km/h.

Brent Wright, PPG global director, aerospace transparencies, accepted the award on PPG’s behalf.