QUALITY

CONTROL
AND
INSPECTION
OF TYRES
SAI ANJANEYA
CONTENTS
Structure of Tyres
Manufacturing Processes Involved
Inspection Processes
Pre-Production Inspection
Materials Inspection
Production Inspection
Visual Inspection
Weight and Measurement Inspection
Final Inspection

Parameters of Testing
Machines Used
ISO Standards
References and Gallery
STRUCTURE OF A TYRE
Different parts of the Tyre are:
Tread: The part of the tire in contact with the ground. It must provide
traction, long wear and cut resistance. The tread depth and design vary
based on site and application.
Carcass: Contains the inflation medium. The greater its strength, the greater
the pressure it can hold.
Breakers (Belts): These are placed between the tread and carcass. They help
to join these parts. They also distribute road shock to protect the carcass. In
bias/belted and radial constructions, they control the diameter of the tire.
Bead: Bundles of high tensile steel wire. They anchor the tire to the rim.
Sidewalls: The protective rubber covers on the side of a tire.
Inner liner: A specially formulated rubber compound inside the tire that
minimizes permeation. It works with the rim and O-ring to contain the
inflation medium in tubeless designs.
MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

Manufacturing Processes Involved:

Compounding and mixing:
Compounding is the operation of bringing together all the
ingredients required to mix a batch of rubber compound. Each
component has a different mix of ingredients according to the
properties required for that component.
Mixing is the process of applying mechanical work to the
ingredients in order to blend them into a homogeneous
substance. The mixing is done in three or four stages to
incorporate the ingredients in the desired order.
The ideal compound at this point would have a highly uniform
material dispersion; however in practice there is considerable
non-uniformity to the dispersion
 Component Separation:
Components fall into three classes based on manufacturing
process: calendaring, extrusion, and bead building.
Theextrudermachine consists of a screw and barrel, screw
driver, heaters, and a die.
The extruder applies two conditions pressure. The extruder
screw also provides for additional mixing of the compound
through the shearing action of the screw.
Thecalendaris a set of multiple large-diameter rolls that
squeeze rubber compound into a thin sheet, usually of the
order of 2 metres wide.
Tire building:
Building is the process of assembling all the components onto
a tire building drum.
Typical TBM operations include the first-stage operation, where
inner liner, body plies, and sidewalls are wrapped around the
drum, the beads are placed, and the assembly turned up over
the bead. In the second stage operation the belt package and
tread are applied and the green tire is inflated and shaped.
 Curing:
Curing is the process of applying pressure to the green tire in a
mould in order to give it its final shape, and applying heat
energy to stimulate the chemical reaction between the rubber
and other materials.
Final Finish:
After the tire has been cured, there are several additional
operations.Tiremeasurement is a test where the tire is
automatically mounted on wheel halves, inflated, run against a
simulated road surface, and measured for force variation. Tire
balance measurement is a test where the tire is automatically
placed on wheel halves, rotated at a high speed and measured
for imbalance.
Large commercial truck/bus tires, as well as some passenger
and light truck tires, are inspected by X-ray or magnetic
inductionbased inspection machines that can penetrate the
rubber to analyze the steel cord structure.
In the final step, tires are inspected by human eyes for
numerous visual defects such as incomplete mould fill, exposed
cords, blisters, blemishes, and others.
TYRE INSPECTION PROCESSES
Pre-Production Inspection:
As per SAE J 332, each machine to be used for composition
and manufacturing of different tire types will be thoroughly
inspected for any damage or defects and any other potential
damaging factors detected.
The purpose of this inspection process is to verify that all of
the equipment and devices to be used for tire production is in
working order to ensure quality products.
Machines that show damage and/or defects should not be
used for production to ensure that no production anomalies
will take place as much as possible.
TYRE CODE
 Materials Inspection
All of the materials to be used for tire construction will be
thoroughly inspected for any imperfections to avoid defective
products the soonest it has been detected. The purpose of
this inspection process is to ensure that all of the materials to
be used are free from damage and/or defects.
Materials that show signs of damage or defects will be
automatically rejected and will not be used throughout the
entire production process.
 Production Inspection:
All of the materials that pass theinspection processwill be then
transferred to the assembly line where the entire tire
manufacturing process is initiated. Throughout the duration of the
manufacturing process, each material will undergo different
departments before getting the final product.
These departments are:
Mixing and Compounding rubber materials to be used will be
mixed with different agents to form a rubber compound to be
used for tires.
Calendar, Extrusion and Bead Building all of the needed
components for tire manufacturing will be prepared during this
production queue to ensure all of the materials are complete prior
to the next production process.
Tire Assembly after, all of the materials have been prepared
and gathered, tire building will be performed and will be inspected
on a regular basis until all of the components are properly coated.
Curing all of the tires that are halfway finished will undergo
curing process where immense pressure will be applied in a mould
in order to create the suitable shape of the tire. By using a
machine to assist with the roundness, the success rate of curing
items is above 80 percent.
TYRES IN
ASSEMBLY
LINE

CURING
 Visual Inspection:
After the production process, all of the finished products will
undergo a thorough inspection regarding the condition and
overall quality and design of each tire. The purpose of this
inspection process is to verify that all of the tires out of
production show no signs of damage or defects to ensure
product reliability and durability as per quality control
standards.

It is important that each surface area of the tire on queue must

be visually inspected and machine tested to ensure that no
hidden damage is detected.
Tread Depth the surface area of each tire will be inspected
thoroughly to ensure that there are no cracks, moulds or
bubbles detected.
X-RAY inspection the internal parts of the tire will be
inspected for any underlying defects that could take place
during initial use to ensure that all of the tires are structurally
sound and reliable right out of production.
 Weight and Measurement Inspection:
Each tire will be measured will deflated and once again once
inflated to properly specify the gross and net weight of each tire
according to its category.
Tire Uniformity Analysis tires under the same category will be
measured and weighed according to its product specification to
ensure durability, reliability and strict quality control standards.
Tire balance tires, regardless of type, will be attached to a
machine that emulates the vehicle will be used in order to properly
measure the specifications of each tire assembly. Tires that are out
of balance will be checked for air pressure and overall build to
ensure proper size and weight on all tires.

Items that fail the weight and measurement inspection protocol will
be evaluated for alternative repairs and reconstruction (depending
on the damage) to save overall production time if applicable. Items
that are beyond repair will be automatically marked as DEFECTIVE
 Final Inspection:
The purpose of this inspection process is to verify that all of the
tires under the production process will undergo a series of
performance and battery tests while maintaining a defect-free
product at the end of the testing and inspection phase. The
common tests involved for this inspection process are:
Tire Balance and Performance Analysis all of the tires will be
placed on mechanisms to emulate the vehicle specified to check
tire balance and if tires are structurally sound and round.
Tire rotation analysis each tire will be put into spinning action
to evaluate and analyze the behaviour of the tire being inspected
while in operation to properly assess the condition of the tire and
its overall composition.
High-Speed Test all of the tires will be tested on a road-like area
where tires will be tested under high speeds to check tire balance
and roundness at high speeds of at least 70 miles per hour.
Damage-Rate Inspection tires that have finished the entire
inspection process will be re-analyzed for any incomplete mould fill
and will be checked for damages like blemishes, blisters, exposed
cords and other post-production anomalies that have taken place.
PARAMETERS OF TESTING

Outdoor
Braking on a dry surface (also for motorcycles, trucks and buses)
Handling on a dry surface (also for motorcycles)
Handling on a wet surface
Braking on a wet surface ECE R 117 / EC 1222/2009 (also for trucks
and buses)
Longitudinal aquaplaning
Lateral aquaplaning
Steady-state circular test on a wet surface (also for trucks and
buses)
Indoor
Rolling resistance
Measurement of force and torque
Temperature (online measurement of the temperature inside the
tyre, on the inner liner and at the tyre surface)
AQUAPLANING

Aquaplaning or Hydroplaning by tyres of a road vehicle

occurs when a layer of water builds between the wheels of
the vehicle and the road surface, leading to a loss of traction
that prevents the vehicle from responding to control inputs.
Aquaplaning is different phenomenon from water on the
roadway merely acting as a lubricant.
MACHINES USED

Tire Component Profilometer

 Tire Colour Inspection Tire Length Inspection

Tire Component Offline Profilometer Tire Component

Profilometer
 Tire Piece Weight Inspection

Tire Component Profilometer

STANDARDS
REFERENCES
http://www.intouch-quality.com/blog/tire-inspection-qc-china/
http://www.issia.cnr.it/wp/?portfolio=ndt-quality-control-of-tyres
http://www.micro-epsilon.com/download/products/cat--systems--rub
ber-tire--en.pdf

https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:63769:en
http://www.iso.org/iso/home/store/catalogue_tc/catalogue_tc_
browse.htm?commid=47686
http://optotechnik.zeiss.com/en/products/tire-testing-intact/intact-
otr
http://www.tuv-sud.com/industry/automotive-transportation/aut
omotive-solutions/automotive-component-testing/tyre-testing#t
ab_1427765935891907481211
http://www.dunlop.eu/dunlop_ie/what-makes-dunlop-different/tire-
tests/
GALLERY

An opened tire mould being cleaned.

The deflated rubber bladder is on
the central post
Structure of a Tyre

Inspection in
process
 Inspection in
process

Tyre Balance
Inspection