Tires are universal. Tire production globally averages 2 billion each year. However, tire manufacture, retreading, and selling are complicated. It is complex since the tire industry is one of the few that takes all raw components and produces a completed, ready-to-use product. Manufacturer flaws caused by process failures may be fatal. It is mandatory for the tire providers to assure that planes will land safely and truck and vehicle tires will not fail owing to poor materials or construction. Tire makers in light of the same are always under pressure to enhance quality, reduce manufacturing costs, provide additional services, and lower customer pricing to maintain customer trust and satisfaction.
The latest Smithers report, The Future of Tire Manufacturing to 2024, found that global tire demand and industry growth support manufacturing facility development. The total value will climb from $239 billion to $281 billion in 2024. Global giants like Continental will dominate industry capital investment, although regional manufacturers are also expanding beyond their home regions. Ultra-high performance (UHP) and low rolling resistance (LRR) motorcycle tyres are the fastest-growing technology and market categories, with large OEMs seeking better profit margins. Meanwhile, light trucks are replacing passenger cars, and high-performance vehicles are getting bigger OEM tire sizes/rim diameters, but these are reaching their limitations.
In sync with the same, the manufacturers of the best grip tyre for bike and other vehicles will be adopting the following to keep pace with the market demands:
Smart Planning
Since 2000, production planning in the tire industry has seen significant changes due to the proliferation of sub-brands and sizes. Due to customer demands for faster delivery times, the order-delivery cycle has shortened, resulting in warehouses no longer accumulating inventory. Tire manufacturers are striving to achieve a balance between their production runs and customer orders. However, shorter production cycles and a diverse range of products create difficulties in planning and managing daily operations in the plant.
An effective tire factory relies heavily on a well-designed production plan as the foundation for material flow planning. While brownfield and greenfield projects provide distinct difficulties, dangers, and potential hazards, the development of a comprehensive, analytical, and future-oriented production strategy is crucial for any new process.
Modularization in production
Despite the growing variety of motorcycle tyres sizes, it is still feasible to control the quantity of partially completed goods by using modulation as a potential solution. Not all tires need distinct components, and modularization proves to be an effective approach, particularly when using steel belts and carcass components. Adjusting tire widths by rounding them up or down may be a minor but extremely efficient method of reducing the number of distinct goods stored in a plant's inventory.
Systematic and strategic modularisation, in collaboration with expert partners, may significantly enhance productivity, especially when dealing with a complex product mix, and with minimum or no financial investment.
Specialization and outsourcing in plant operations
The manufacturers of the best grip tyre for bike and other vehicles are gradually shifting away from producing tires of several sizes and types, particularly for new plants, especially those that are being built from scratch. This enables the customization of methods and equipment that are well-suited for a certain size or type of tire, leading to a significant reduction in complexity and a substantial increase in efficiency. The outsourcing of compounding, mixing, and component preparation is becoming more prevalent. This has resulted in contemporary tire manufacturing facilities primarily focusing on assembling tires using ingredients and components received from various outsourced sites.
In the global market, this corresponds to the inclination of motorcycle tyres companies to manufacture their products in proximity to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) assembly sites. This strategy reduces transportation expenses and shipment time while circumventing existing and possible future trade limitations or tariffs.
RFID
RFID has had many ramifications for automobiles utilized in conjunction with more intelligent and automated driving platforms. The same technique might also be advantageous in industrial settings. The usage of barcodes in conjunction with it provides the industry with enhanced understanding and a wider array of conveniences.
RFID tags can record significant data, such as tire manufacture, size, or type, which can be easily and rapidly accessed. This aligns with the current movement towards more automation. RFID tags have the advantage of being readable even when they are hidden by other objects or incorporated in the tire itself, unlike barcode labels. Prominent providers of tire equipment and automation like Mesnac and Rockwell Automation, are actively involved in disseminating this technology. Similarly, smaller, more specialized firms like Computype are also engaged in this endeavor.
Although the use of RFID and tire sensors may be beneficial in production, the rate of implementation is expected to be sluggish unless there is a distinct push from new regulatory mandates. The first use of this technology will be mostly seen in higher-priced sectors, namely in off-the-road tires.
IR 4.0
Automation helps tire producers handle worldwide competition and consolidation, technology advances, and outdated procedures. IR 4.0—the fourth industrial revolution—combines automation with clever artificial intelligence software, including learning algorithms. Notably, substantial advancements are occurring in this field, namely in the most advanced economies. Automation may be used throughout a whole factory or focused on certain manufacturing process equipment, such as a tire-building machine.
Significant efforts have been made at the plant level to enhance outdated factories and develop new ones with a focus on automation. To maintain their competitiveness, type companies in India and the United States are implementing automation in their current facilities, despite the considerable difficulty posed by plant layouts designed for manual operations. Full-plant automation offers many advantages, including reduced inventory levels, optimized use of space, less buffer stock, and the ability to track every tire produced with complete traceability.
Concluding Remarks
Collectively, all these trends and factors may result in the production of superior tires and increased productivity. However, they do need more consistency in materials and the use of grades that are better suited for automated handling. And, needless to say, the Indian motorcycle tyres manufacturers in this context are making their mark globally.