Where the rubber meets the road—it’s a common enough expression, but we don’t typically spend much time thinking about what it means. Of course, “we” refers to the general population. If you’re an automotive engineer, vehicle testing facility, tire specialist, or regulator, you likely spend time thinking about tire safety.
And you should. Factors such as traction in wet and dry conditions weigh heavily into how safe a vehicle is. The same goes for stopping distance and snow driving. There are more than cosmetic reasons to think carefully about a tire’s design, such as road noise and handling.
Together, you’ve got plenty of motivation to use cutting-edge systems for dynamic tire testing and crash testing, which we specialize in here at XSENSOR—and are critical to safe vehicles.
We will focus on how to take tire testing to the next level. That will not only improve your reputation with consumers, trade magazines, and institutions of higher learning, but it will keep you in compliance and ensure your financial stability in the long haul.
Why Do We Need Tire Testing in the First Place?
Testing is a keystone for any prototyping process. Science gives us the information we need to create safer, better systems. Engineering helps us take that information and turn it into machines that perform at high levels while protecting people.
Therefore, tire testing is a critical ingredient in any automotive testing process. From manufacturers to research labs, regulators to universities, we need the right systems to eliminate issues in tire production and use. Otherwise, cars can’t do their best, and families can’t feel their safest.
Unfortunately, it’s not just tires that can be flawed. The systems are also vulnerable to errors and issues. Eliminating them means designing the best experiments and then ruthlessly weeding through problems to find an ultimate solution.
Safer Vehicles = Designing the Best Experiments
Whether you set priorities, design projects, run tests, or view test reports, you already understand the importance of thorough testing. These consist of:
- Measuring tire footprints at speed and rest.
- Examining the tire’s profile and tread to ensure peak performance and safety.
- Measuring the loads and speeds of which a tire is capable before failing.
- Capturing data on rolling resistance.
Together, these tests help you ensure that tires brake efficiently, operate in all road conditions, minimize fuel usage, and provide an excellent consumer experience. Doing so requires experiments that use quality hardware and software to take accurate and time-sensitive measurements, with the ability to refine them endlessly.
They must perform well and repeatedly, without the need to continuously recalibrate while you do so. Otherwise, they require tons of time and hassle, which takes away from your ability to get through the testing phases and may create more errors.
Challenges in Tire Testing Data
Many aspects of tire testing can produce errors. These arise from:
- Difficulties taking measurements at high speeds lead to inconsistent results and difficulty eliminating errors.
- Gathering data across numerous real-world conditions without repeated recalibrations that bring the process to a grinding halt.
- Limitations to the portability of technology that keeps tires in a lab instead of out on a track where they produce accurate information.
- Equipment dedicated to only one task rather than the comprehensive range of tests required to ensure truly optimal performance.
- Hardware and software systems that have short obsolescence times, so you spend more time figuring out how to upgrade or replace systems than actually testing.
How to Eliminate Testing Errors through Technology
To eliminate such errors, you must focus more on the tests than the systems that drag them down. You can do this in several ways:
- Choose hardware and software systems that are made to work together so you can eliminate the chore of integrating them yourself.
- Use portable tools that work equally well on the road and in the lab, permitting you to test in the real-world conditions your drivers will face.
- Employ systems that don’t need much recalibration and perform well right out of the box.
- Look for snags in testing or areas where data is inconsistent, then tweak systems yourself or speak to the manufacturer for help. (Hint: Only choose a sensor technology provider that’s available for help on an ongoing basis!)
Improving the tire testing process will inevitably enhance the tire production process. With that comes higher safety standards, vehicles that protect people, and happier consumers.
Better tires increase performance significantly. Braking, handling, and noise are all related to the wheels' and tires' construction and performance. Tests pinpointing and addressing problems are crucial, whether your drivers are professionals or parents.
If you want to build a reputation that will withstand the test of time— and the rigors of the road—it’s time to work with XSENSOR.
High-Speed (HS) Tire System: The Tire Testing System That Works
Here at XSENSOR, we’ve spent years refining our sensor-based testing systems to ensure the best possible tire performance. Using incredibly sensitive sensor nets and proprietary software, we can help you determine precisely what’s happening where the rubber meets the road—all without the headache of daily customization or calibration.
Our goal, and the reason we have an excellent worldwide reputation, is to get you what you need quickly so you can focus on better designs and happier buyers.
If you’d like to learn more about the difference between XSENSOR and our competitors, we invite you to schedule a demo today.
