SURFACE TECHNOLOGY
GET A GRIP A
s cars and mobility advance, the performance requirements of their tyres must keep pace.
In support of the evolution towards connectivity, automation, ride sharing and electrification (CASE), a tyre’s safety, efficiency and environmental credentials are critical. Tyre makers, such as Falken and its parent company Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI), are turning to more advanced manufacturing technologies to develop increasingly intelligent tyre products. As car manufacturers invest billions
of dollars into developing CASE technologies – which are set
18
www.engineerlive.com
to revolutionise the mobility space within the next decade – Tier 1 suppliers are working on a plethora of technologies to support. One area of significant importance
that could reap dividends is tyres. The key interface between the car and the road, tyres are becoming smarter. Research and development is accelerating to create products that not only deliver the performance and safety required today, but also act as a key enabler for the advancing future mobility ecosystem. New processes, materials and technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), are enabling engineers to make step changes in this field.
Tyre manufacturer Falken has been experimenting with AI to gauge performance over time – here are the results
MATERIAL WORLD Tyres are produced from a range of materials like rubber, reinforcing filling substances (eg silica and carbon black), along with various chemicals and additives – providing opportunities to enhance the compounds and construction. A tyre’s properties are derived from the complex interaction between these materials. “With a combination of both
natural and synthetic materials, tyres generally degrade over time and during wear, which causes them to lose some of their performance attributes,” explains Sumitomo Rubber’s Dr Bernd Löwenhaupt.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
