BROUGHT TO YOU BY CONTINENTAL TIRES
P104
Tire Talk
Continental, in collaboration with the
Fraunhofer Institute of Molecular Biology and Ap-
plied Ecology in Germany, has made an impor-
tant discovery; we've learned how to obtain the
raw material latex from the roots of a dandelion.
The synthetic rubber is made of a copolymer-
styrene-butadiene. In that compound we add a
series of additives (30%).
Some textiles and metals used in the carcass
represent 15%. The remaining components
represent 14%, which are what we call chemical
additives that assist in the process of manufactur-
ing or that they help to increase tire life.
The manufacturing process begins in a large
machine called Banbury, which is a big mixer. In
this machine, sulfur, carbon, solvents, natural and
synthetic rubber, are mixed.
This mixture goes through rollers that mix the
components again and create a thin sheet with the
desired thickness.
The beads are
made with steel
wire covered in
rubber.
The beads are among
the most important
parts of the tire because
it creates the air-tight
attachment to the rim.
THE MANUFACTURING
OF A TIRE IS DIVIDED
INTO A FIVE-PART
PROCESS:
1 I CONSTRUCTION OF
THE TREAD
2 I CONSTRUCTION OF THE
BEAD (STEEL WIRES COVERED
HEAVILY IN RUBBER)
3 I CONSTRUCTION OF THE
CARCASS LAYERS
4 I CONSTRUCTION OF THE
CARCASS BELT
5 I CONSTRUCTION OF
THE SIDEWALL
