RESEARCH FACILITY

RUBBER PROCESSING LAB

An entire section is allocated for processing rubber with different ingredients. Here, the sheets are made and further tested for different types of applications. Different permutations of the compound are tried and tested in its raw form and subjected to grinding and drilling. This is where the rubber is moulded into thin flat sheets before it goes on to take the shape of a tyre.

RHEOLOGY LAB

Rheological properties of the rubber or the compound is tested in this lab. Test output includes Mooney viscosity, scorch safety, cure rate, cure time, payne effect, and variable temperature curve to name a few. The performance characteristics include material evaluation, compound development, chain branching, gel content, compound process safety, rubber-filler interaction and cure simulation.

PROCESSIBILITY TESTING LAB

The lab essentially tests the mixing characteristics that includes torque, temperature and time profile along with extrusion characteristics including dye, swell, shrinkage and surface appearance and optimisation of different variables. The performance characteristics of these tests stand out to be material evaluation, compound development, processing characteristics and advanced material mixing technology development.

PHYSICAL TESTING OF VULCANIZATES

The compound goes under stress to check the strain properties, also subjected to Hysteresis, checked for hardness, creep and dress relaxation, coefficient of air permeability, rebound resilience and testing compression set. The performance determines material evaluation, compound development, durability, energy absorption, air retention performance of inner liner and tube along with state of curve.

WEATHERING/AGING TEST OF VULCANIZATES

The compound is put to test where it is observed for the retention of stress-strain properties after ageing along with retention of adhesion with subject to hot air/humid/salt and ozone resistance. The performance of the compound determines development, evaluation, life prediction, durability and weathering resistance.

3D SCANNING MACHINE AND 2D LASER PROFILE METER

The machine scans tangible moulds for scanning and creating a model that can be reversed engineered for multiple usage. It has a capacity of 500 and 200 FOV and a range for all tyres. The test output creates point cloud data, profile measurement, monitors tyre growth under change in inflation. The performance characteristics include reverse engineering, inputs for simulation and measurements and 3D analysis.

PLUNGER TYRE TESTING MACHINE

This is A fully automatic machine with controlled parameters like load, inflation pressure and speed. It is capable of measuring the plunger energy and tyre foot print as per National and International test Standards.

TYRE UNIVERSAL TESTING MACHINE (UTM)

UTM measures tyre stiffness characteristics (radial, lateral, longitudinal and torsional), static footprint (shape, size and pressure distribution), side wall profile through laser scanning, beat unseat and electrical resistance.

TYRE ROLLING RESISTANCE TESTING MACHINE

A fully automatic machine with controlled parameters like load, speed, inflation pressure and measures parameters tyre rolling resistance by force and torque method as per various standards (SAE, ISO, etc.) and regulatory requirements (ECE R 117).

ONLEVEL TYRE TESTING MACHINE

OnLevel tyre testing machine measures forces and moments; rolling resistance; high-speed uniformity; conicity and ply steer; Ply steer Residual Aligning Torque (PRAT); Conicity Residual Aligning Torque (CRAT); Rolling Radial Spring Rate; Revolution Per Kilometre (RPK) as per various standards (SAE, ISO, GMW, etc.).

MULTIFUNCTION LOAD DEFLECTION TYRE TESTING MACHINE

Multi Function Loading Deflection machine can test tyres upto 24-inch on following test parameters on a single unit: Load/Deflection

Stiffness

Bead Unseat

Footprint Analysis/Pressure Distribution

TYRE NOISE TESTING

State-of-the-art Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) testing facility and capability.

Testing Facility: Semi Anechoic Chamber, Pass by Noise

Testing Facility

Capability: Capable of doing following tests as per ISO, SAE, JASO, etc.:

Interior Noise and sound quality analysis

Tyre Noise Testing, pass-by noise testing as per ISO 362 and ISO 13325 (R117 Regulation)

Modal experimental analysis as per SAE 2710 Transfer Path Analysis (TPA)

Vehicle Ride Quality and Comfort Testing

SKID TRAILER

Used for On-Road Tyre characterisation (Force and Moment, Rolling Resistance dry and wet grip).

BRABENDER PLASTI-CORDER

To study the rheological behaviour (flow) and processing characteristics of rubber compounds (mixing and extrudability).

UNIVERSAL TESTING MACHINE

To measure the stress-strain properties of different cured rubber compounds, finished products, fabrics, wires, adhesion strength of composites, hysteresis etc. at ambient, high and low temperatures

TEAR FATIGUE ANALYSER

Characterisation of fracture mechanical behaviour of elastomer samples and determination of fatigue crack growth rate.

LAT 100 MACHINE

The Laboratory Abrasion Tester measure abrasion characteristics of rubber wheel under various test conditions (load, speed, slip angle, temperature etc.)

DYNAMIC MECHANICAL ANALYSER (DMA)

DMA measures viscoelastic characteristics of cured rubber under different operational conditions (strain, temperature, frequency, waveforms) and different deformation modes (tension, compression and shear).

OZONE CHAMBER

The precise control of Ozone concentration helps to check the Ozone resistance power of cured rubber compounds and finished products in different modes and wide test conditions or as per specific requirement.

ANECHOIC CHAMBER

A room designed to stop reflections of either sound or electromagnetic waves. They are also often isolated from energy entering from their surroundings. This combination means that a person or detector exclusively hears direct sounds, in effect simulating being outside in a free field. The chamber is quite big enough for testing a truck’s NVH levels.

Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act, Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemical (REACH), and compliances for End of Life Vehicles (ELVs). Then there is Labeling of Tyres: Tyre Rating/ AIS 142/ECE R117, End of Life Tyre(ELT), Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), Uniform Tyre Quality Grade(UTGQ) to name a few.

TYRE MATERIAL TRENDS

From raw materials to nano materials, a new trend is manifesting around the globe and reaching the Indian shores as well. Environment-friendly process of manufacturing is encouraged by the government, thus OEMs are pro-actively resorting to new trends. Mukhopadhyay said, “our labs and researchers are dedicated to finding alternate sources and perfecting the permutation in way that it does not compromise on performance.” Currently, OEMs are pursuing alternate source of NR along with modified NR. The pursuit also covers Functionalised Solutionpolymerised Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SSBR), Hydrogenated Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR), Bio Source Synthetic Rubber (BR, SBR, ethylene propylene diene monomer, EPDM, and Engineered Elastomer). For fillers, OEMs are resorting to austin black, latex-C black/silica master batch, functionalised C-Black, carbon black from biomass, silica from rice husk, lignin and corn powder starch to name a few.

Reinforcing materials like high tensile, low weight steel cord, recycled polyester, eco-friendly dip solution, polyster from bio source, carbon nano fibre, hybrid cord, celluosics are now in demand considering their sustainable characteristics, informed Mukhopadhyay. Similarly, chemicals and process aids are also following the suit. Mukhopadhyay averred, “practices like the elimination of zinc, REACH compliance is now the norm for OEMs. Pre-dispersed rubber chemicals, reversion resistance cure systems, resorcinol-free resin, chemically modified bio-oil and process aids-natural sources like soya, corn, sunflower, palm, neem and castor oil are a priority for our industry.” All these interventions lead to a simple goal of curbing emissions in every way possible.

Currently, the global rubber raw material trend stands at around 71 per cent dependency on petrochemicals, this includes SR/C-Black/chemicals/orginal tyre chords, 24 per cent on biosourced materials including NR/ eco-oil/silica and about 5 per cent on recycled materials. And at JK Tyre, these figures stand at 64 per cent for petrochemicals, 33 per cent for bio-sourced materials and three per cent on recycled materials. For 2024-25, the company looks at reducing the dependency on petrochemicals to 59 per cent, increasing bio-sourced material dependency to 35 per cent and recycled materials to six per cent, hailed as significant. Mukhopadhyay quipped “Fuel efficiency, safety, ride comfort, noise, vibrations, handling are the primary parameters that went on before construction of a tyre, up until now. Henceforth, we have a new parameter and that is resource-saving, one that will be looked after quite diligently.”