How tyres are manufactured
Tyres are a vital component of any vehicle, but the importance of how tyres are manufactured is often overlooked. They are available in their millions in garages across the world, but where do they come from and what processes take place to make them so resilient?
It is important to remember that there is no uniform process for how tyres are manufactured – different brands spend millions on research and development, aiming to provide the most innovative tyres that help them stay ahead of the competition. There are several characteristics of the vehicle that must be taken into account when designing a tyre: steering, braking and road handling, and this relies heavily on the rubber compounds that are used in the tyre.
Other key components include:
Bead wires – designed to ensure the tyre stays on the rim of the wheel
Casing ply – provides strength for the tyre
Bracing plies – designed to maximise the tyre’s contact patch with the road
The aforementioned contact patch is designed to resist wear and tear, as well as withstand the high temperatures that are created by the friction between tyre and road. This helps with vehicle stability and handling, so it is vital that it’s preserved.
The manufacturing process
The creation of a tyre follows this procedure: as we said before, though, this is a general procedure – different manufacturers may add extra steps in order to accommodate for their tyres’ unique features:
1. Blend
Tyres are created using a mixture of 30 different kinds of rubber, and these different kinds are quite literally mixed in a giant blender, ready to be sent for milling.
2. Mill
After cooling, the rubber compound that was created by blending is cut into strips that will form the basic shape and structure of the tyre.
3. Build
The other elements of the tyre are added at this point – the steel belts, beads, tread, ply and textile materials are all placed in a machine that puts them all together, resulting in a ‘green tyre’ – the early stages of a finished tyre.
4. Cure
The ‘green tyre’ is placed in a curing machine, where it is vulcanised using hot moulds, which press all components together, forming the final shape. This includes tread patterns and manufacturer branding.
5. Inspect
Any imperfections during the manufacturing process can be very dangerous, so specialist equipment is used to meticulously inspect each tyre before it is shipped for sale. Certain tyres are x-rayed, too, as well as random tyres being selected and cut open to check for internal faults.
At Tyres Northampton, we only supply the finest quality tyres from the leading brands and budget manufacturers alike. We pride ourselves on offering the highest quality service for every single customer – get in touch with us today to find out more.
