Tire Technology & Manufacturing

NEXEN TIRE has announced the development and implementation of its AI-based automated tire product inspection system. As the first instance in the tire industry, the system has been developed in a platform format, allowing easy application to new factories or equipment. With the introduction of this automated product inspection system, NEXEN TIRE, which has been expanding AI applications in the tire development process, has now extended the scope of AI utilization to manufacturing processes.

The research, commissioned by Bridgestone’s globally trusted fleet management solution, was conducted among 1,800 fleet managers across 15 countries to shed light on the current and future landscape of fleet digitisation. The findings show that fleets plan to increase their investment in digital fleet solutions in future and indicate significant planned adoption related to AI and EV technologies.

“The move towards digital solutions, including AI, is no surprise to us and a clear indication of where the future of fleet management is headed,” said Jan-Maarten de Vries, President Fleet Management Solutions at Bridgestone Mobility Solutions.

Bridgestone EMEA (Bridgestone), Grupo BB&G (BB&G) and Versalis (Eni) announced the signing of an agreement aimed at establishing a closed-loop ecosystem to transform end-of-life tires into new tires. The agreement will bring together the innovation, experience and technological skills of all three companies. The partnership aims to develop a model for the creation of a scalable and increasingly sustainable supply chain.

India’s Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) reports that June 2024 saw actual natural rubber availability at merely 30,000 tons, falling significantly short of the projected 60,000 tons.

The crisis deepened in July, with ATMA noting an almost complete halt in natural rubber sales for most of the month. This scarcity has had wide-ranging impacts across the rubber industry, affecting both small and medium enterprises as well as major tire manufacturers.

Rajiv Budhraja, Director General, ATMA, highlighted the severity of the situation, stating, “Some tire plants of ATMA member companies have witnessed production sliding over 10 per cent in July owing to the natural rubber crunch. Production planning is in total disarray.”

Noise-reducing wheel resonators are made from lightweight resin, and through a unique, well considered structure, are fitted to the wheel rim without the use of connecting parts such as bolts. Centrifugal force actually secures the resonators to the wheel more firmly. The resonators can withstand 1,500G during high-speed driving, and bond to the wheel stronger without losing their shape

Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. has announced the development of a new technique for predicting noise resulting from the combined vibration of tires and vehicles. Employing a tire rolling motion simulation, the method allows both tire and vehicle manufacturers to reduce product-generated noise. This reduction enhances passenger comfort and shortens delivery time by minimizing development hours and physical prototypes. The company plans to address various user needs, including model-based tire and vehicle development, while promoting environmentally friendly tire solutions.

Smithers announces the launch of Virtual Tire Lab, a unique, comprehensive toolset for analyzing raw data and comparing, contrasting, and adjusting virtual tire models for use in design analysis, simulation, and model certification. Virtual Tire Lab utilizes an annual subscription model to provide clients with access to a library of passenger and light truck tire models. During the subscription period, models are added to the Virtual Tire Lab library and include a variety of popular brands, sizes, and categories; such as all-weather, all-season, and EV-specific tires. All models are MF6.2 UM14 Handling Models.

Join the Rubber Division for their new webinar series MANUFACTURING MONDAYS – TIRES on Mondays June 3 through July 22, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET.

This webinar series is intended for those engaged in the tire and rubber industry and in academia. The focus will be on tire manufacturing beginning with raw materials receiving through production, final finishing and product shipment. Many of the fundamental manufacturing principles apply equally to other rubber product production such as conveyor belts, so the webinars will have very broad applications.