The assessment of the technical condition of a tire belt using computed tomography.

Abstract

Car tire belting is a key structural element. Its operation in the tire determines the maintenance of the geometrical stability of the pneumatic wheel in conditions of variable operational loads. The belt creates a spatial composite structure in which the structural component is usually made of braided steel strands. The even arrangement of the fibers in the belt determines its mechanical properties. Under normal conditions, the belting is invisible in used tires and its technical condition is difficult to assess. The arrangement of the belt wires in the tire can be seen using X-ray imaging, which was used in this work. In the conducted research, various configurations of the lamp settings and the detector of the measurement system were tested. On the basis of the tests performed, it is possible to assess irregularities in the belting resulting from manufacturing errors. However, a more important application of the obtained results is the possibility of assessing operating wear. Delamination in the belt detected during the tests reduce the safety of using such tires.