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IAA REVIEW
The Tyre Safety Limited Booth at the IAA trade fair in Hanover.
Goodyear Present SUPER
FUELMAX Prototype Tyres
at the IAA
Goodyear SUPER FUELMAX prototype truck tyres were unveiled at the 2016 IAA commercial vehicle show. The prototype steer and drive tyres, which boast fuel saving A EU alabel grades, were fitted to one of the trucks on display at the DAF stand.
The Goodyear prototype truck tyres displayed were the SUPER FUELMAX S steer tyre in size
performance criteria but before we bring any new product to market it must meet our stringent requirements covering 50 different performance criteria. The SUPER FUELMAX A grade rolling resistance tyres demonstrate our commitment to develop advanced fuel saving truck tyres for our customers with a balanced performance in the other important criteria.”
385/55R22.5 and SUPER FUELMAX D drive tyre in size 315/70R22.5, and are a further development of the low rolling resistance Goodyear FUELMAX range. At the IAA, these tyres were mounted on a fuel efficiency optimised DAF XF 4x2 tractor unit. In addition, the drive tyre qualified for the 3 Peak Mountain and Snow Flake (3PMSF) winter tyre certification. The super fuel efficient prototype tyres demonstrate Goodyear’s commitment to developing products that reduce Total Cost of Ownership for fleets.
Benjamin Willot, Director Marketing Commercial Tyres at Goodyear Europe, Middle East and Africa said; “The EU tyre label covers just three
Both the steer and the drive tyres’ tread compounds feature a specifically developed new formulation based on silica. With a combination of material processing and curing, the silica blends with the polymer network in a way that lessens rolling resistance whilst ensuring long tread life.
The tread design of the SUPER FUELMAX S steer tyre features Goodyear’s IntelliMax Groove Technology. This limits slip, especially when cornering, due to hidden raindrop grooves, which close when rolling through the footprint. The ribs support each other reducing their movement and stiffening the tread.
Pressure Alarm, however, is that his system uses a reference chamber inside the sensor, which activates the alarm when pressure is lost. This, says Mathot, allows the company to guarantee that a warning will be sent to the driver once a tyre loses 6 PSI per tyre or +/- 5% of the total pressure.
When activated, the LED alarm flashes on the tyre. An alarm is then sent to a dashboard display and optionally by telematics to the Fleet manager. The key benefit of the system is that the sensors compensate automatically for all
internal or external temperature variations, thereby avoiding false alarms.
Other benefits, says Mathot, are a reduction in fuel consumption, longer tyre life, minimal truck downtime, and enhanced road safety The sensor can be installed easily directly onto the tyre valve with an anti theft key, and it calibrates automatically on the tyre pressure. One model is suitable for all valves. The system costs 329 Euros for tractors or 600 Euros for a tractor and trailer.
CommercialTyre
Management
and Fleet Business
ZC Rubber Already Working on Series
2 of Westlake Range
Westlake’s current range of commercial vehicle tyres was launched at the IAA two years ago, but this year the Chinese manufacturer showed a similarly strong profile in conjunction with its German agent, the wholesaler Interpneu.
During the show we managed to track down Jonah Gu, a Sales Manager from the International Department of ZC Rubber, the manufacturer of the Westlake brand, who was
keen to point out the continuing evolution of the Westlake brand.
The current Westlake range, he explained, is available in nine different patterns/applications and is positioned in the middle segment of the market. However, according to Gu, ZC Rubber, who have ambitions
to become the world’s largest truck tyre manufacturer, is already working on series 2 of the Westlake range, which, he says, will aimed to be positioned closer to the premium segment, with a view to moving the company forward and achieving continued progress in the market.
In the UK, the Westlake brand is distributed by Grantham based retreader and tyre wholesaler Vacu-Lug.
Jonah Gu, Sales Manager for ZC Rubber’s International Department, on the Interpneu stand at the IAA in Hanover
LED Pressure Alarm for Visual and Radio Control of Tyre Pressures
According to Marc Mathot, CEO of Hong Kong based Tyre Safety Ltd, one of the key problems with tyre pressure monitoring systems is that they are typically activated by the temperature of a tyre, and the alarm triggered according to a reference temperature supplied by the tyre
manufacturer. However, tyre temperatures can vary hugely depending on a number of factors, not least for how long the tyre has been running. The result is that TPMS systems are prone to false alarms.
The benefit of Mathot’s LED
Commercial Tyre Business 23