What dynamic tire testing entails and why it is a crucial part of the tire development process.
While the wheel has been around since the dawn of civilization, the process of producing modern tires during vehicle development is much more sophisticated than most consumers may realize. The quality of a vehicle's tire impacts its performance in various ways, from handling and control to acceleration, fuel economy and beyond. Producing tires that can meet the demands of today's automotive market requires a high level of innovation backed by rigorous product testing.
At XSENSOR, we are dedicated to helping our clients develop the safest, most reliable, and most high-performing automotive products on the market today through industry-leading automotive testing technology. This includes a High-Speed Tire System that enables testing engineers to capture complete tire footprint data at high speeds for the first time in the history of tire development.
To help explain how this innovative system is revolutionizing the all-important process of dynamic tire testing and tire technology, we'll take a look at what dynamic tire testing is, why it is essential, and how XSENSOR's groundbreaking High-Speed Tire System empowers the dynamic tire testing process like never before.
What is Dynamic Tire Testing?
As the name suggests, dynamic tire testing is the process of testing the performance of tires while they are in motion in real-world, "on-the-track" conditions. To acquire a comprehensive analysis of a tire's performance, dynamic tire testing tests performance across various conditions, including temperature, incline, speed, and road-surface conditions. This testing process enables engineers to capture data for a number of key metrics, including data on:
- Wet and dry traction
- Snow traction
- Stopping distance
- Noise
- Handling and consumer feel
Dynamic tire testing consists of multiple phases. In the first phase, a dynamic footprint test is used while the tire is in motion to ensure that the tire's profile and tread pattern have been optimized for peak performance. The second phase entails indoor testing that uses a dynamometer to determine the loads and speeds that a tire is capable of enduring before its failure. Finally, dynamic tire testing captures data on the rolling resistance of a tire - or the force required to maintain forward motion at a constant speed - to help engineers develop tires that will improve the fuel efficiency of the vehicles they are installed on.
Dynamic Tire Testing Vs Static Tire Testing
Dynamic tire testing and static tire testing both play essential roles in the tire development and tire testing process within the tire industry. Aside from the fact that these two testing processes measure entirely different metrics, the most significant difference between dynamic tire testing and static tire testing is that static tire testing is conducted on a motionless tire.
The primary goal of static tire testing is to evaluate the strength and durability of the tire compound, defined as the blend of materials used to produce the tire. Static tire testing evaluates stiffness, balance, weight, fracture points, and bruise resistance. Static tire testing is typically conducted before dynamic tire testing so that engineers can determine the ideal material makeup for their tire before putting it out on the track and testing its real-world performance.
At XSENSOR, we offer state-of-the-art solutions for both static tire testing and dynamic tire testing. Our X3 Tire Testing System enables engineers to perform tread contact analysis, evaluate tire bead pressures, and produce detailed tire footprint images and data for static tire testing. For dynamic tire testing, our High-Speed Tire System enables engineers to capture fine tire tread features and multiple footprint images at speeds up to 150 km/h. When these two solutions and testing processes are used in tandem with one another, engineers can easily acquire a comprehensive and wholly accurate evaluation of their tire's performance.
Challenges of Dynamic Tire Testing
Dynamic tire testing is a vital step in producing a tire that will live up to modern standards. However, dynamic tire testing also presents several challenges to testing engineers. The biggest of these challenges is the difficulty associated with taking key measurements of a tire's performance while moving at high speeds. Static testing alone is not enough to evaluate the quality of a tire's design. To get a complete picture of a tire's performance, on-the-track testing is a necessity. Gathering data on a tire across numerous conditions while it is moving at real-world speeds, though, is no simple task. It is partly due to this reason that the development and testing of a new tire design can often take up to three years to complete.
How XSENSOR's High-Speed Tire System is Revolutionizing the Process of Dynamic Tire Testing
At XSENSOR, we understand the enormous challenges that testing engineers face when testing the performance of a new tire design. To help engineers overcome these challenges efficiently and effectively, we have developed a dynamic tire testing solution that has truly revolutionized the dynamic tire testing process.
Our High-Speed Tire Testing System utilizes HX sensor technology and ultra-fast signal processing electronics to provide testing engineers with accurate, repeatable data on how their tire performs in even the most extreme testing conditions. This innovative technological solution enables engineers to evaluate the performance of their tires at speeds up to 150 km/h. In the past, the signal processing capabilities of tire testing systems were not advanced enough to collect accurate data at such high speeds. With the High-Speed Tire Testing System, engineers can now accurately assess how their tire performs at even the highest speeds.
We are committed to providing tire manufacturers with the most innovative and high-quality automotive testing equipment on the market today as we continue to bring our technology international. If you would like to learn more about leveraging the cutting-edge capabilities of our High-Speed Tire Testing System to revolutionize your dynamic tire testing process, feel free to contact us today for more about our products and services.