Innovation and Trends in Truck tires

Impact of safety, legislative and customer requirements on truck & bus tire developments.14 january 2010

agendaCostumer / Safety requirementsRegulatory requirementsDevelopment constraintsTruck / Bus tire componentsMaterial TrendsTread Pattern trends

High mileage

Low cost per kilometer

All season capabilities, winter traction

Robustness, durability and retreadability

Fuel efficiency

High efficiency (max. load / cargo volume))

Flexible vehicle usage (long haulage, short haulage, distribution service)Customer requirements:Stability and Handling

High load capacity Light weight

Fuel efficiency

Low noise Low overall diameters FLEETSOEMs

Low Rolling Resistance - (new) limits for tire RR (rolling resistance)- 2 stage implementation (2012 / 2016)

Low noise emissions - tighter tire noise level requirements (2012)

Safety, wet grip - applies only to Consumer and light truck tires (at this stage)Regulatory requirements:EC regulation 661/2009 (13july2009)New, more stringent requirements for tires with regard to safety, rolling resistance and rolling noise 2012 onwards.

EC regulation 1222/2009 (25nov2009)EC has decided on the introduction of a tyre labelling system, based on EC 661/2009 regulation, and with regard to tire rolling resistance, tire noise emission and wet grip.

The aim of this regulation is to increase the safety, and the economic and evironmental efficiency of road transport by promoting fuel efficient and safe tyres with low noise levels.

Tyre manufactures will have to communicate the fuel efficiency class as well as the external rolling noise class and, where applicable, the wet grip class in their promotional literature as well as on their web sites.Regulatory requirements (contd):Note:for truck/bus tyres, a common wet grip class measurement method is under discussion.

More restrictive emission standards upcoming High oil pricesVehicle manufacturer:Emissions reductionConsumption reductionIncreased engine efficiencyLower energy lossesTire manufacturer:Reduction of the tire rolling resistanceEuro 4Euro 5Euro 6In addition to the tyre specific legislative requirements, vehicle legislations do have an impact on truck/bus tyre developments e.g.:Regulatory requirements (contd):Truck emission standards evolution

Impact on Tyre DevelopmentTruck tire development is faced with a multitude of evolving requirements (OEMs , legislation, fleet needs, ecological, economical, .)

Conflicting performance characteristics need to be addressed.

Trade Offs in other areas to be minimized.

Modern truck / Bus tyre development; a walk between conflicting performance requirements

ChaferCarcassWedgeShoulder wedgeSidewallTreadFlipperBeltsChipperInnerlinerBeadsBeadsSample :

Components41Compounds10Steel types 5Fabric 1Truck tire componentsApexes 1-3To cope with these evolving requirements, continuous developments are required on a variety of tyre components

Material TrendsInnovative Tread Compound generations:

High level silica tread compounds,for improved braking on wetand low rolling resistanceNew Reinforcement materials:

High strength carcass and belt wires,enhanced durability, light weight

conventional compound"high silica" compoundhigh tensile cordsSUPER tensile cords

Trends in Pattern DesignDirectional tyre designsimproved traction and brakingbetter torque resistanceWider tread widthsimproved braking on wetimproved stability and handlingInnovative sizeshigher load capacitylow aspect ratiohigher cargo volumenon directionaldirectional355/50R22.5 steer (7.5 tons axle load)455/40R22.5 trailer < 1m diam..

Trends in Pattern Design (contd)Flat Wave"Waffle" or "3D BIS"Increase interlocking effect, improved braking on wet & winter gripIncreased blading densityenhanced braking on wetbetter all season performancesNew blading technologiesimproved tractionenhanced brakingall season capabilities

Same BlockLengthsDifferentBlockLengths - RegularDistributionDifferentBlockLengths - IrregularDistributionLow noise tread pattern geometriesdiagonal tread block shifting

Blocks do not impact all at the same timeL1L2L3L4L1 < > L2 < > L3 < > L4Pitchingdifferent blocks lenthgsLowerNoiseemission

Innovative Tyre featuresBuilt in sealantimproved safetyenhanced mobilitySoft rubber material built into casingSpecific Winter Truck/Bus tyresimproved safetyenhanced traction insever winter conditions

SUMMARYEcologylow noise emissionfuel efficientSafetyenhanced braking and tractionstability and handlingEconomyhigh mileage, low cost per kmdurable and retreadableModern Truck and Bus tires are developed to suit todays and futuretransport requirements in terms of:

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