Advancements in Tracks and Tires Improve Machine Performance and Operator Experience

BKT USA INC.

Advancements in Tracks and Tires Improve Machine Performance and Operator Experience Track and tire designs continue to evolve to meet ever-changing customer and off-highway equipment requirements. By Sara Jensen

Tracks and tires are an integral part of any heavy equipment design, as they ensure mobility and productivity. The

Combining features improves customer experience

OEMs and their end use customers have a variety of requirements, includradials offer lower rolling resistance, which leads to improved fuel economy, as well as improved traction and puncture resistance. wrong selection can greatly impede an end use customer’s ability to accomplish their work.

“Winning in the off-highway tire business is all about giving customers higher performance and lower total cost of ownership (TCO),” said Brian Sheehey, Vice President—Sales, Yokohama Off-Highway Tires America, Inc. (YOHTA).

As such, he said tire manufacturers are continually focusing their efforts on improving rubber compounds and tread patterns. Doing so can help ensure better performance in various applications, as well as improve comfort for equipment operators and minimize unplanned downtime. ing being able to travel over a wide range of terrain and withstand use in harsh operating environments, among other things. Track and tire manufacturers need to develop products capable of meeting this variety of needs. Sheehey said YOHTA has been developing “hybrid” tread patterns, combining the best aspects of tread blocks from industrial and truck designs with the traction and self-cleaning advantages of various lug configurations. Bringing these different qualities together into a single tire helps to ensure maneuverability and other performance factors. He said this hybrid tread pattern can be seen on the company’s Alliance 550 Multi-use radial, “where the blocks are laid out in a curved configuration, like self-cleaning tractor lugs flanking a dense centerline for more stability on the road. “We are also becoming much more innovative in our use of sipes and stepped blocks, or lugs, for added Use of radial tires are increasing in applications such traction, which are evident in the as mining because of their combination of benefits Yokohama RS02 radial snow tire for like low-rolling resistance and improved traction. graders or the all-season performer, the Galaxy Mighty Trac ND skid steer tire,” Sheehey said. He said increased interest in ergonomics and worker safety has also brought about an awareness of the effects sidewall and tread patterns can have on vibrations and other impacts. According to Scott Holub, Manager – Technical Services at BKT USA Inc., there used to be a relatively even split between sales of radial and bias tires. However, the company is seeing a shift toward more radial tire sales. Whereas bias tires tend to be used for more price conscious applications, he said This combination of features can benefit a customer’s bottom line, which is vital in off-highway applications such as mining. Improved puncture resistance will help to reduce costly unplanned downtime. Holub said mine sites are getting larger, requiring equipment to travel longer distances. Improving their fuel economy through lower rolling resistance can help to reduce fuel costs. In addition, he said the further a machine travels the more strain and heat placed on the tire.” Sheehey also sees continued growth of radial tires in construction and industrial applications. He said they perform better than bias tires on machines with

hauls in excess of 100 yards or which spend a significant portion of their time on the road. “Radials, especially steel-belted or all-steel ones, minimize heat buildup and dissipate heat much better than bias-ply tires do, so they last longer,” he explained.”

In North America and Europe, he says YOHTA has seen greater adoption of radial tires on large agricultural equipment, as well as construction machinery in Europe. Although adoption of these tires in the U.S. and Canada for construction equipment has been slower, he believes it will increase in the coming years as customers see the benefits and there is increased pressure to perform in an economical manner.

What lies ahead for tire designs?

There are many areas tire manufacturers will continue to focus their design efforts, as well as evolving heavy equipment design trends.

By integrating sensors into tires, manufacturers can track the entire life of a tire. Manufacturers and their customers can always know where the tire is and how it is performing. Sensors can also help to determine if any issues may arise so equipment fleets can be more proactive about maintenance and avoid unplanned downtime.

Industry megatrends, such as electrification and automation could bring about new requirements for tire designs, although it hasn’t yet brought about any demand for new tread designs or other features, Holub said.

According to Sheehey, electric powered equipment is heavier than its diesel counterparts, which tire manufacturers will need to keep in mind as they develop tires and electric equipment increases in the market. “Electric motors also deliver a lot of torque—and deliver it instantly—so a tire’s bead has to have outstanding grip and the sidewalls have to be reinforced to avoid excess deformation when that axle jumps into action.”

Gaffney and Smith said some electric equipment applications may require tracks to have thicker rubber, more surface contact and an adjustment to the lug-to-void ratios. Overall, they don’t foresee electrification and automation impacting rubber tracks’ performance.

“The biggest requirement of electrification is reduced power consumption of components (including tracks), since the energy source is limited by battery capabilities. For rubber tracks, this means reduced rolling resistance becomes a key focus.”

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