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The tire: a very familiar stranger
Tire investigation: it seems trivial but hides technological treasures
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The omnipresent tire is part of our daily lives, but its shyness hides its many qualities. We should look at it closely and study each of its production stages...
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A technical marvel - Tire technology |
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At first glance, the tire conceals a hidden complexity. It was provided with sophisticated technological elements to meet your requirements.
A tire that is mindful of your requirements
An object at the service of your mobility
Mobility and safety are the leading guidelines for producing a Michelin tire. It is the element connecting you to the road while you drive. It provides grip, enables you to be carried along and drive, while cushioning contact with the ground. It transmits acceleration and braking force, while efficiently guiding the vehicle.
The universally acclaimed radial tire
The radial technology was patented by Michelin in 1946. This revolution has never ceased to be emulated since then and is now used throughout the world. It is an inescapable reference, as almost all private vehicles are equipped with them.
The radial tire conquered numerous tire sectors, such as motorcycle, truck, civil engineering and airplane tires. The radial tire is still today a must in emerging markets such as China and India.
Contradictory requirements
A tire is made up of 200 components… assembled without glue !
The tire is always trying to please you. You have conflicting requirements towards it: both grip and endurance, as well as both driving accuracy and comfort… These constant efforts need a complex and sophisticated constitution.
It gathers together over 200 components. Natural and synthetic rubbers, of course, as well as reinforcing fillers, chemical additives, metallic and textile threads, etc… help to make it a high-performance product. To crown it all, the latter are assembled without glue, thanks to processes such as calendering, which incorporates wires in the thin layers of rubber via compression between two large cylinders. A technical achievement !
Decrypting: portrait of a tire
Uninformed observers only see a rubber tube, but the tire is far more complex than that ! Each element is well thought out to provide it with both a flexible and solid structure.
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 | Mandatory markings: a tattoo for life | | |
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| The tire is not tattooed for fun, but for safety reasons. These mandatory markings respect international codification. They notably indicate: - standard operational conditions
- origin
- manufacturing date
- identification (brand, type, size, etc…)
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QuizWhich tire does this tread design belong to ? A tire is mainly fearful of sliding on a wet surface. The tread design, made up of hollows in the tire surface, dries the road under the tire tread. It collects water in order to expel it away from the contact area in just a few thousands of a second. Each activity has its own tread design: winter tires, sports vehicle tires, 4x4 vehicle tires, etc… find the right one !  A  B  CSolutions A: winter tirer
The many networks formed by the furrows draw numerous blocks that are themselves highly siped. This enables the tire to grip the snow as if using multiple claws and improve driving and braking. Also, the rubber is designed to remain flexible, even at low temperatures.
B: 4x4 off-highway vehicle tire
The surface of a 4x4 vehicle tire has many deep notches that give it a very cut-out appearance, with solid high blocks. The vehicle can thus cross rocky obstacles, steep slopes and drive through mud.
C: sports vehicle tire
The notches of a sports vehicle tire are not deep and it has few blades. Grooves are mainly V-shaped, sometimes with longitudinal furrows. Thus, the tire is perfectly designed to provide high performance on dry roads and safety on wet surfaces.
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