Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin

Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.a.

7 Michelin Recherche Et Technique

Societe Detechnologie Michelin

James Michael Traylor

William David Mawby

George Phillips O'Brien

Fang Zhu

Jonathan Sauls

Verner Steve Nicholson

Anton Felipe Thomas

Eugene Marshall Persyn

Julien Matthieu Flament

Jimmy Jeter

Steve Simons

Casey Appleman

Clarence Vernon Hair

William Mawby

Systems and methods for improving the uniformity of a tire by identifying the effects of tooling elements used during tire manufacture on tire uniformity, such as effects resulting from building drum elements, form elements, mold elements, and other tooling elements, are provided. More particularly, a tooling signature of a tooling element can be identified by analyzing a plurality of uniformity waveforms measured for a set of tires manufactured using the tooling element. The tooling signature can be analyzed and used to modify tire manufacture to improve the uniformity of a tire.

Uniformity of a tire using tooling signature analysis

Methods and systems for improving the uniformity of a tire by determining one or more high speed uniformity parameters of the tire are provided. The high speed uniformity parameters can be determined by continuously acquiring uniformity data while ramping the tire to and from high speeds. For instance, measured uniformity data can be continuously collected for the tire as the tire is increased to high rotational speeds and decreased from high rotational speeds. The measured uniformity data can then be analyzed to determine one or more high speed uniformity parameters for the tire. For instance, the measured uniformity data can be corrected for non-high speed uniformity contributions to the uniformity measurements, such as contributions resulting from non-uniformity of a road wheel use to load the tire during uniformity testing, contributions resulting from mass unbalance of the tire, and contributions from low speed uniformity parameters of the tire.

Efficient high speed uniformity measurements using speed ramps

Systems and methods for improving tire uniformity using estimates of process harmonic magnitude(s) from static balance measurements for a set of tires are provided. In particular, a sequence of observed magnitudes of static balance can be obtained for a set of tires. The sequence of observed magnitudes can be analyzed in conjunction with a baseline magnitude pattern associated with the process harmonic to derive a magnitude of the process harmonic. The magnitude of the process harmonic can be used to improve the uniformity of tires.

Tire uniformity improvement through identification of process harmonics from static balance measurements

Improved and more easily implemented methods for predicting uniformity parameters such as uneven mass distribution, radial run out and high speed radial force variation utilize other measurements such as the tire crown thickness variation. When high speed radial force variation is calculated, low speed radial force variation is also measured. Tire crown thickness variation can be measured in different fashions depending on the particular tire manufacturing process employed. By electronically determining resultant uniformity parameters, tires can be improved by rectification to address the uniformity levels. In addition, tire manufacturing can be improved by altering the resultant location of tire crown thickness variation relative to other aspects of the tire and/or tire manufacturing process.

Method for prediction and control of tire uniformity parameters from crown thickness variation

Systems and methods for improving tire uniformity include identifying at least one candidate process harmonic and corresponding period. A set of uniformity waveforms is then collected for each test tire in a set of one or more test tires. To provide better data for analysis, the collection of waveforms may include multiple waveforms including measurements obtained before and/or after cure, in clockwise and/or counterclockwise rotational directions, and while the tire is loaded and/or unloaded. The uniformity waveforms may be re-indexed to the physical order of the at least one candidate process harmonic, and selected data points within the waveforms may optionally be deleted around a joint effect or other non-sinusoidal effect. The re-indexed, optionally partial, waveforms may then be analyzed to determine magnitude and azimuth estimates for the candidate process harmonics. Aspects of tire manufacture may then be modified in a variety of different ways to account for the estimated process harmonics.

Tire uniformity through identification of process harmonics using re-indexed partial uniformity waveforms

A tire manufacturing method includes a method for optimizing the uniformity of a tire by reducing the after cure radial force variation. The after cure radial force variation vector is modeled as a vector sum of each of the vectors representing contributions arising from the tire building steps&#x2014;the 'tire room effect vector' and a vector representing contributions arising from the vulcanization and uniformity measurement steps&#x2014;the 'curing room effect vector.' In further detail, both the tire room and curing room effect vectors can be further decomposed into sub-vectors representing each radial force variation contribution for which a measurable indicator is available. For a series of tires, the method obtains such measurements as the before cure radial runout (RRO) at one or more stages of the building sequence, measurements of loading angles on the tire building equipment, and measurements made during vulcanization process.

Tire manufacturing method for improving the uniformity of a tire

A tire manufacturing method includes a method for optimizing the uniformity of a tire by reducing the after cure radial force variation. The after cure radial force variation vector is modeled as a vector sum of each presenting contributions arising from the tire building steps&#x2014;the 'tire room effect vector' and a vector representing contributions arising from the vulcanization and uniformity measurement steps&#x2014;the 'curing room effect vector.' In further detail, both the tire room and curing room effect vectors can be further decomposed into sub-vectors representing each radial force variation contribution for which a measurable indicator is available. For a series of tires, the method obtains such measurements as the before cure radial runout (RRO) at one or more stages of the building sequence, measurements of loading angles on the tire building equipment, and measurements made during vulcanization process.

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Greer, SC, United States of America

James Michael Traylor