How do manufacturers test tires?
Tire design determines the relevant basic indicators of the tire (such as specification, size, bearing capacity, pattern, etc.), on this basis, tire R&D engineers select the appropriate tire structure, frame material, rubber formula, size, pattern on the basis of scientific calculation, (It is now possible to directly generate tire design drawings directly with the help of computer series and big data analysis).
How the tires produced according to this design plan behave in the process of use is actually not easy for technicians to grasp. Therefore, for every type of tire, the manufacturer will do relevant tests, which are mainly divided into laboratory tests and vehicle tests.
The whole vehicle test can be divided into the whole vehicle proving ground test and the whole vehicle actual test, that is, the tire is directly handed over to the driver to use it to observe whether the usage situation conforms to the design situation and market positioning.
Laboratory tests mainly include:
1. Tire Section Analysis: The tire section is a sample cut radially from the tire bead in the tire anatomy test.The size and distribution of each component can be analyzed from the tire section. The tire section analysis is an important method to judge the inherent quality of the tire.
Cut the produced tire directly, observe the tire section, mainly to see whether the tire structure is consistent with the design, especially the shape, size, thickness, etc. After all, there are many uncontrolled factors in the production process of tires, especially in the vulcanization process, and no one can guarantee that they fully conform to the design. At this time, if there is an abnormality, the technicians will start to optimize and improve.
Car tires, truck tires and other special tires are not made by rubber only. It’s a combination of nylon, steel and beads and rubber.Cutting all the material with different hardness and get a flat, clear cutting surface is the most difficult part of tire cutting process.The latest technology on the market today is to use diamond wire loop to cut tires. Diamond tire cutting wire is also called tire section cutting wire. Below is the tire cutting video for your reference.
2. General testing of tires: outer edge size, X-ray inspection, dynamic balance inspection, uniformity inspection, bubble inspection, appearance inspection, etc. (this is an essential inspection item for all tires)
3. Laboratory test tires (only refers to the testing items in the laboratories of tire manufacturers and related testing institutions), mainly test the performance of tires, generally there are high-speed test, load test, strength test, wear test, tensile deformation test, braking coefficient, air tightness test, de-loop resistance, etc, passenger cars are also tested for noise, basically, one type of tire requires 10 to 20 tires in lab tests;
The test of the whole vehicle proving ground is mainly to install the tires on the vehicle for real vehicle testing. The main tests are its handling, safety performance, noise and performance under various conditions of use, at the same time, the problems existing in the actual use process are exposed for optimization and improvement; For example, the braking performance, noise, tire drainage, side slip performance, etc. that we are concerned about are all tested here;
After the above test, the tire manufacturer will find corresponding drivers, companies, etc. all over the country, and send the test tires to observe the effect of actual loading and use. Generally, the test will take about 6 months. If there is no problem, apply for the relevant certification. Only after qualification can it be put into the market.
