Yokohama
Tire Construction Flowchart
You may not be familiar with some terminology describing processes used in
tire manufacturing. Below are definitions of the terms unique to the tire
industry.
|
Internal Mixer
The internal mixer is a large multi-story enclosed mixer used to mix oil,
rubber & chemicals into all the rubber compounds used in manufacturing
tires.
|
Bead Wrap
This the process that forms the bead. After the bead wire is coated with
rubber it is wrapped forming the circle-shaped bead that will be used in
constructing the bead assembly.
|
Bead Wire
See Bead Assembly.
|
Calendaring
Calendering is a process in tire manufacturing where steel or fabric is
coated with rubber. Steel belts, body plies, cap plies & belt edge covers
are all produced using the calendering process. Steel or fabric is placed
between two large heavy rollers. Rubber is also inserted between the rollers
at the top & bottom of the material being coated. As the material moved
through the rollers the pressure forces the rubber to permeate & adhere to
the steel or fabric.
|
Curing
Is the process where a green tire is the assembeled components that make up
a tire before it is cured. Curing bonds all the different rubber components
of a tire together. The tread design & sidewall nomenclature are also
molded into the tire during the curing process.
|
Extrusion
Extrusion is a process used to manufacture shaped solid rubber. Treads,
sidewalls & bead fillers are manufactured using extruders. An example of
extruding is cake decorating. To decorate the cake the decorator squeezes
icing through tips shaped to form different shapes. The decorator is
extruding icing. |