Michelin Patents New Tire Technology

Michelin Patents New Tire Technology

Tire manufacturer Michelin has recently been handed the European Inventor of the Year award along with a patent from the European Patent Office for what they call a "auto-regenerate" truck tire. This game-changing technology allows a tire's tread pattern to change as it wears down. The developers have dubbed the tires "Regenion" and plan to release it for resale under that name. 

Originally designed via 3D modeling, the tires are actually created through the process of 3D metal printing. Different layers or tread compromise each tire, allowing new layers to become uncovered as wear occurs. Instead of the normal "balding" process tires go through, the Regenions will constantly uncover new layers over time. This can lead to longer life by up to 20 percent. They also offer lower rolling resistance, increasing fuel efficiency. The increased fuel efficiency reduces the vehicle's carbon emissions as well to the tune of a projected 8,000 pounds over the lifetime of the tires. 

This technology has taken several years to develop, as the original patent was awarded in 2013. Michelin has credited their many breakthroughs to the advent of 3D printing technologies, which allowed then to produce prototypes at a much higher rate of speed and accuracy. 

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Written By: Todd Hendrickson
Source: tiresandparts.net