For over 25 years, Bengio HST (High Safety Tech) has been producing safety devices for karting used by professional drivers in international championships, transforming the distinctive characteristics and properties of composite materials—such as carbon fiber—into certified, ergonomic and reliable protection systems. A Made in Italy company based in Medole, in the province of Mantua, Bengio HST combines craftsmanship, experience and innovation to create customized, high quality protective devices.
Founded in 2000 following the serious chest injury of young driver Alessandro Begnozzi, the company was born from his father’s desire to create a protective device capable of overcoming the limitations of traditional rib protectors. What began as a personal need gradually evolved into a mission shared by the entire karting community.
Bengio HST devices are designed to enhance drivers’ performance and agility and are the result of continuous research that combines careful material selection with the use of advanced machinery and production processes. The decision to manufacture every component in house allows for complete quality control and precise customization of the final product, while also requiring extremely precise, reliable and fast cutting and machining technologies capable of sustaining high production rates without compromising safety and ergonomic standards.
THE CONTEXT
From the design of body and rib protectors to the final production stage, Bengio HST manages the entire supply chain internally, applying an integrated industrial approach that blends artisanal expertise with advanced technologies.
The FIA approved models embody a wealth of technological know how that combines lightness, strength and comfort. The rigid composite structures (fiberglass or carbon fiber) are finished and shaped using CNC machining centers capable of meeting strict tolerances, delivering clean cuts and ensuring consistent quality for every single piece.
THE SOLUTION
Within the production process, Belotti CNC technologies play a key role: they enable precise and repeatable machining of composite materials, ensuring perfect geometries, high quality finishes and optimized production times.
To increase production and achieve precise series trimming, Bengio HST decided to install a Belotti TRIM 2515 machining center in its new production facility. This 5 axis machine tool Series is specifically designed for high speed trimming of plastic and composite materials.
The Belotti TRIM 2515 CNC center features a fixed table steel structure integrated into the base frame and uses a 5 axis head equipped with a 15 kW and 18 kW electrospindle (maximum rotation up to 24,000 rpm), liquid cooled to ensure extremely precise trimming.
To protect operator safety during machining and maintain a high level of cleanliness in the working environment, the CNC center is equipped with a total enclosure that prevents chips and dust from escaping, an extraction system with an electronic hood and horizontal filters, and dust extraction grids integrated into the worktable.
The configuration is completed by the following components:
- 8 position tool changer
- SDS measuring cycle
- Vacuum system
- Numerical control: Siemens One
The high precision of Belotti machining centers makes it possible to machine complex components without compromising their mechanical properties, preserving material integrity and ensuring a perfect assembly with the high absorption rubber padding. The result is a device capable of effectively dissipating impacts and vibrations that affect the ribs, chest and abdomen during driving, reducing the driver’s physical strain and raising safety standards.
Thanks to the reliability and flexibility of Belotti CNC systems, Bengio HST can sustain high production rates while maintaining a tailor made approach for each driver: a virtuous balance between industrial performance and attention to detail, essential in the world of professional motorsport.
For more information on Belotti TRIM machining centers, available configurations and application sectors, please refer to the TRIM Series CNC centers page.
SAFETY IN MOTORSPORT: “LORDS OF CARBON – DANCE OF DANGER”
Bengio HST’s mission—to protect drivers through advanced composite material devices—fits into a broader context that has transformed motorsport safety over recent decades. This evolution is narrated through stories and anecdotes in “Lords of Carbon: Dance of Danger”, the video documentary created by content creator Davide Cironi in collaboration with Belotti, retracing the key stages of the safety revolution in Formula 1.
In the world of motorsport, speed has always been the language of performance, and, for many years, safety remained a marginal concern. From the first single seaters to the racing apparel of the 1960s, risk was considered an inherent part of the sport. It was only in the 1970s, thanks to the efforts of figures such as Jackie Stewart, that the sector began to change direction: his battles for safer circuits and stricter protocols, together with the parallel introduction of advanced materials such as carbon fiber, marked the beginning of a new era, revolutionizing the industry and making driver protection an essential technical requirement.
To further explore the topic, we invite you to watch the documentary “Lords of Carbon: Dance of Danger” on YouTube.
