Tyres seem like relatively simple objects, right? After all, they are just big, black doughnut-shaped pieces of rubber to help your car roll. While this is true from a simple observational perspective, there is actually a lot more to a tyre than you might think.
From the history of the humble tyre to the modern manufacturing process, there is plenty to learn.
History
You may or may not be surprised to know that the first tyres were actually bands of iron that lined the wooden wheels of carts in the old days. However, in the mid-1800s, rubber made its way onto the scene for the first time. While this was a marked development, it was still just solid rubber that replaced the iron bands. It wasn’t until 1895 that the first air-inflated rubber tyres started to appear on vehicles.
The next major progression came in the mid-1900s when steel-belted radial tyres were invented to provide greater tyre life and longevity. This brought inflated rubber tyres into the mainstream of vehicle production and provided vehicle manufacturers with a new resource.
Modern Tyres
So with the broad history of the tyre out of the way, how are the tyres on your modern vehicle actually made? The entire manufacturing process is extremely complicated due to the materials and the machinery involved, but we will outline the general process.
Materials
The materials needed to make a standard tyre include:
- Synthetic rubber
- Natural rubber
- Carbon black
- Silica
- Nylon belt
- Steel belt
- Fabric
- Wire
- Antioxidants and antiozonants
- Sulphur
- Vulcanisation accelerators
- Activators
Compounding and Mixing
The first step in the tyre manufacturing process (after sourcing the raw materials) is to create the rubber compound by mixing the materials together. This process is usually done in three or four stages and is similar to mixing cake batter ingredients in a large mixer.
Textiles
Cords are then manufactured to help the tyre withstand the loads imposed on it. These can be either fabric cords or steel cords. After this, the cords are put through a machine that allows them to be securely bonded with the rubber compound.
The inner layer of the tyre goes through a separate but similar process.
Tyre Bead
The next step in the process is preparing the tyre bead. This is a crucial part of the tyre, as it keeps the tyre mounted onto a wheel. For this reason, it is made from steel and hard rubber and is fastened securely. Accuracy in this process is critical, as any errors can make it unsafe or difficult to fit to a wheel.
Tyre Tread
After this, the rubber is put through a machine that effectively marks out the tread pattern (often the part we most identify with when thinking about a tyre) and the sidewalls, based on the different compounds used.
Curing
The curing process then gets underway, which involves chemical treatment of the rubber and fitting the tyre to a mould. This mould ultimately determines the shape of the tread. The tyre is inflated on the mould and then heated (known as the vulcanising process) to an extreme temperature, causing the tread to form on the outside and solidify.
The result of this process is what we see on our cars.
Inspection
The final step is inspecting the tyre for quality assurance purposes, ensuring that the performance and safety of the tyre meet Australian safety standards.
Tyre development and manufacturing are constantly undergoing innovation, and it’s interesting to know what goes into the process. So, the next time you go for a drive, think about the process that was required to create each of your tyres.
