airless

Tires that don’t get punctured… because there is no tube to puncture. That’s what Michelin engineers have in mind and that, in fact, you can now buy. Of course, there is one small (big detail) that you should keep in mind: you cannot mount it on your car. And it’s not because they don’t fit the measurements. tweel. That’s what it’s called Michelin’s airless tire. For years, the company has been researching formulas to put airless tires on the market and the Tweel are the first commercial option that you can buy within the company. Of course, they are tires that are only available for vehicles and machinery with very specific functions. For example, they are available for lawnmowers, skid steers, all-terrain vehicles that are only used in the field, or golf carts. But also for military vehicles. What do you mean without air? Indeed, these Tweel tires consist of two clearly differentiated structures. The first of these is the tread that the company calls a shear beam. It is responsible for rolling on the surface and partially absorbing the irregularities of the terrain. Inside, the tire structure is radialwith plastic elongations that reach inside the tire. These are flexible so the tire can overcome curbs and other elements that clearly deform its interior. However, its technical capabilities allow it to return to the traditional rounded shape once the obstacle has been overcome. And for what? As we say, Michelin has these tires developed to be mounted on vehicles that are not going to step on the asphalt. The idea is that with them you can move over unstable terrain or terrain that presents continuous obstacles without the risk of suffering a puncture. But where it is really interesting, explain the colleagues of Motorpassionis in military applications. First because, as we say, its ability to overcome obstacles is very great but above all because, lacking an air chamber, it cannot receive a shot that leaves an entire armored vehicle out of combat. In fact, this technology is also being studied by the ‘Combat Capabilities Development Command Ground Vehicle Systems Center‘, one of the programs that the United States Department of Defense has open. Additionally, brands like Bridgestone either Hankook They have been researching them for years. And my car? At the moment, bringing airless tires to passenger cars is still not working. Michelin presented the Uptis in 2023a prototype tire with which they have been testing but which, for the moment, is far from being able to dress the wheels of our car. Putting a rubber of this type on the market continues to be an enormous challenge. And it is that air is essential to cushion small irregularities of the asphalt, reducing noise in the cabin and increasing comfort. Airless tires for these tasks are still too uncomfortable. But in addition, rolling the tire at high speed generates so much heat that it is also a problem for the materials used. For this reason, at least for now, they are only available for vehicles that circulate at a moderate speed and the bulk of activity is carried out at a very low pace. Photo | Michelin In Xataka | China conquered the European cheap tire market. The EU has just put the brakes on it