Tyre Manufacturing

Overview

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This infographic is used as a general indicative example only.

Actual factory and process configurations could vary, but our industry experts know them all. 

Collecting of Raw Materials

Components per tyre type recipe needs to be weighed and transported into the mixer.

Rubber Compound Mixing

Raw materials are mixed into a homogeneous rubber compound. There are two different mixing types in the market:

• 'Banburry' – material mixed between 2 big drums (3-4 stages)
• 'Continuous mixing' – material mixed between two belts (sandwich) for 15-20 minutes

Batch Off / Dip Tank and Wig Wag

The mixed rubber compound needs to be stored on pallets before the next manufacturing steps are coming. To avoid that the rubber sticks together it is dipped in a soapy water bath, cooled and stored with a wig wag unit on pallets.

Ply / Steel Belt Cutting

Finished steel cord (for Breaker Belt, Body Ply) and textile cord (Body Ply, Strip) is cut into appropriate sizes, shapes, and angles depending on the desired contour of the tyre.

There are three different cutting methods:

• Guillotine
• Rotary
• Hot blade

Tyre Tread and Sidewall Extrusion

Extrusion is the process by which heated rubber (80 °C - 120 °C) is pushed, under high-pressure, through an extruder head, to pre-shape the rubber. The next step is the cooling line where the rubber (tread, sidewall) is cooled and the dimensions are stabilised. The new semi products need to be stored before the next production step (TBM) and this is done via winding units (liner) or other storage systems.  

Innerliner Calendering

This is a mechanical process by which multiple rubber layers are pressed in a multi-roll calender towards one homogeneous rubber layer. An alternative is rollerhead equipment. The rubber compound plasticised in the extruder is conveyed via a wide extrusion die directly into the roll nip of a two-roll calender.

Tyre Building

The first step in final finishing involves the tyre-building machine (TBM), with over 40 components that work to form the green tyre. 

Tyre Curing

Curing is the process of applying pressure to the green tyre 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.

After the tyres are cured in the press, they are often cooled down on a conveyor belt and then transported to the trench line (collector line).

Inspection and Finishing

After the curing presses, the tyres are cooled before going for inspection and collecting. Finished tyres need to be handled with care, so transfer roller belts are used for conveying. 

Storage and Truck Loading

Finished tyres need to be stored (short term) before they are transported to the hubs of the sales channels.

This storage has a demand of intralogistics where conveyor belts are often used.
To quickly load and unload trucks it is common to use telescopic loading systems.