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Tire

technology Maturity 7-9

A tire is a round ring.

Large tyre.jpg
Large tyre.jpg
It goes around a wheel. It helps cars move on the road. It also makes the ride soft.
Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg
Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg
Tires help us go places. Do you see tires on your bus?

42 words

A tire is a round ring.

Large tyre.jpg
Large tyre.jpg
It goes around a wheel. It helps cars move on the road.
Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg
Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg

Tires hold air inside. This air makes a soft cushion. It helps the ride feel smooth. It also helps when the road is bumpy.

Tires have a part called a tread. The tread helps the wheel grip the ground. Some tires have big gaps. These help on snow or mud.

Long ago, tires were made of metal. They were put on wooden wheels. Now, most tires use rubber. They also use wire and fabric.

Studded winter tyre.jpg
Studded winter tyre.jpg
Tires are used on many things. You can find them on bikes. They are on big trucks too.

119 words

A tire is a ring that goes around a wheel.

Large tyre.jpg
Large tyre.jpg
It helps a vehicle carry its weight to the ground. Most tires are pneumatic. This means they are filled with compressed air. This air makes a soft cushion. It helps absorb shocks from bumpy roads.
Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg
Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg

Tires have two main parts. The first part is the tread. The tread helps the vehicle grip the surface. The second part is the body. The body holds the air inside. Modern tires use rubber, fabric, and wire. They also use carbon black.

Studded winter tyre.jpg
Studded winter tyre.jpg

In the past, tires were different. Some were made of leather. Others were metal bands on wooden wheels. A worker called a wheelwright would heat the metal. He would fit it tightly to the wheel. Later, John Boyd Dunlop made a practical air-filled tire in 1888. He did this to help his son ride a tricycle.

John Boyd Dunlop (c1915).jpg
John Boyd Dunlop (c1915).jpg

Tires are used on many things. You can find them on cars, bikes, and planes.

Boeing-777-300 chassis .jpg
Boeing-777-300 chassis .jpg
Some tires are made for snow. These have deep gaps to help with grip. Other tires are for racing. Racing tires might have no tread at all.

202 words

{ "text": "A tire is a ring-shaped part that fits around a wheel's rim.

Large tyre.jpg
Large tyre.jpg
It has a very important job for any vehicle. It transfers the weight of the vehicle from the axle through the wheel to the ground. Tires also provide traction, which is the grip needed to move across a surface. Most tires used for cars or bicycles are pneumatic. This means they are filled with compressed air. This air creates a flexible cushion. This cushion absorbs shocks when the tire rolls over bumps.
Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg
Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg
\n\nModern pneumatic tires are made of several different materials. They use natural rubber and synthetic rubber. They also contain fabric, wire, and carbon black. A tire is built with two main sections. The first part is the tread. The tread is the outer layer that provides grip. The second part is the body. The body holds the compressed air inside.
Tire components -- NHTSA The Pneumatic Tire.png
Tire components -- NHTSA The Pneumatic Tire.png
Tires also create a footprint called a contact patch. This patch is designed to match the vehicle's weight. It exerts pressure so it does not damage the surface.\n\nBefore rubber was common, tires were very different. People used metal bands on wooden wheels to hold them together. A skilled worker called a wheelwright made these. He would heat the metal in a fire to make it expand. Then he would fit it over the wheel. He would quench it in water to make it contract. This made the metal fit very tightly.
John Boyd Dunlop (c1915).jpg
John Boyd Dunlop (c1915).jpg
Later, Robert William Thomson filed a patent for a pneumatic tire in 1847. However, John Boyd Dunlop made the first practical one in 1888. He wanted to help his son ride a tricycle more smoothly.
John Boyd Dunlop (c1915).jpg
John Boyd Dunlop (c1915).jpg
\n\nTire technology has changed a lot over many years. In 1895, Michelin made the first pneumatic tires for cars. They used them in a car called L'Eclair during a race.
Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg
Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg
During World War II, the United Kingdom had rubber shortages. Scientists looked at using things like leather, paper, and even felt. In 1946, Michelin also created the radial tire method. This method was better for handling and fuel economy. In the United States, the Ford Motor Company finally adopted radial tires in the early 1970s.
Tire plies.png
Tire plies.png
\n\nToday, we use many different types of tires for different tasks.
A stack of tractor tyres - geograph.org.uk - 1409842.jpg
A stack of tractor tyres - geograph.org.uk - 1409842.jpg
Snow tires have large gaps in the tread to grip ice. Some even have metal studs to help. Aircraft tires are small but must handle the shock of landing.
Boeing-777-300 chassis .jpg
Boeing-777-300 chassis .jpg
Race car tires can be \"slicks" with no tread at all. We must also be careful with old tires. If they are not recycled, they can become waste. People use mechanical recycling to make things like crumb rubber. This helps protect the environment from toxic chemicals.", "media": [ "File:Large tyre.jpg", "File:Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg", "File:Tire components -- NHTSA The Pneumatic Tire.png", "File:John Boyd Dunlop (c1915).jpg", "File:Tire plies.png", "File:A stack of tractor tyres - geograph.org.uk - 1409842.jpg", "File:Boeing-777-300 chassis .jpg" ] }

514 words

A tire is a ring-shaped component that fits around a wheel's rim.

Large tyre.jpg
Large tyre.jpg
Its primary purpose is to transfer a vehicle's load from the axle through the wheel to the ground. Tires also provide traction, which is the grip needed to move across a surface. Most modern tires, like those on bicycles or cars, are pneumatic structures. This means they are filled with compressed air. This air creates a flexible cushion that absorbs shocks from rough surfaces.
Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg
Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg

Tires work by creating a footprint known as a contact patch. This patch is designed to match the vehicle's specific weight. It exerts pressure to ensure the tire does not deform the surface it rolls over. A pneumatic tire consists of two main parts: the tread and the body. The tread is the outer layer that provides traction. The body is the internal structure that contains the compressed air.

Tire components -- NHTSA The Pneumatic Tire.png
Tire components -- NHTSA The Pneumatic Tire.png
To make these parts, manufacturers use synthetic rubber, natural rubber, fabric, and wire. They also add carbon black and other chemical compounds to the mix.

Tire technology has evolved significantly over centuries. Early tires were simple metal bands fitted onto wooden wheels. A skilled worker called a wheelwright made these. He would heat the metal in a forge to make it expand. After placing it on the wheel, he would quench it. This caused the metal to contract and fit the wheel tightly.

John Boyd Dunlop (c1915).jpg
John Boyd Dunlop (c1915).jpg
In 1847, Robert William Thomson patented a pneumatic tire idea, but it was never mass-produced. The first practical pneumatic tire arrived in 1888. John Boyd Dunlop created it in Belfast to help his son ride a tricycle more smoothly.
John Boyd Dunlop (c1915).jpg
John Boyd Dunlop (c1915).jpg

Engineering breakthroughs allowed tires to become more advanced. The vulcanization of natural rubber using sulfur was a key step. This process made rubber more durable. The development of the "clincher" rim also helped hold tires in place. In 1895, Michelin created the first pneumatic tires for automobiles. They used them in a car named L'Eclair during a famous race.

Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg
Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg
Later, in 1946, Michelin developed the radial tire construction method. This method improved handling and fuel economy. While Europe adopted radial tires quickly, the Ford Motor Company did not switch to them in the US until the early 1970s.

Tires are classified by the vehicles they serve and the loads they carry.

Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg
Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg
Light-duty tires are used for passenger cars and vans. They are categorized by speed ratings, ranging from winter tires to high-performance models. Snow tires are special because they have large tread gaps. These gaps help grip snow and ice. Some snow tires even use metal or ceramic studs for extra traction. All-season tires offer a middle ground with smaller tread gaps. They are quieter than snow tires but less effective on ice.

Heavy-duty tires serve much larger vehicles like buses and trucks. These tires carry massive loads, often ranging from 1,500 to 4,000 kilograms on the drive wheel. Off-road tires are designed for soft terrain like mud or sand. They feature deep, wide treads to provide grip in loose dirt.

Gianttires ontruck.jpg
Gianttires ontruck.jpg
Aircraft tires are quite different from car tires. They are often small compared to the plane they support. However, they must be built to handle the intense shock of landing. Most aircraft tires use radial-ply construction to manage these forces.
Boeing-777-300 chassis .jpg
Boeing-777-300 chassis .jpg

While tires are essential, they also create environmental challenges. Tire waste is a major part of global waste. If they are not recycled, they can release toxic chemicals. Regular tire use also produces micro-plastic particles. These particles enter the environment and can risk human health. To solve this, engineers use mechanical recycling to create crumb rubber. They also use pyrolysis, which is a chemical process to create tire-derived fuel.

655 words
🖼️ Images & Media (28)
File:Large tyre.jpg
Large tyre.jpg
File:Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg
Assorted stacked automotive tires.jpg
File:A stack of tractor tyres - geograph.org.uk - 1409842.jpg
A stack of tractor tyres -...
File:John Boyd Dunlop (c1915).jpg
John Boyd Dunlop (c1915).jpg
File:The Employment of Women in Britain, 1914-1918 Q28265.jpg
The Employment of Women in Britain,...
File:Studded winter tyre.jpg
Studded winter tyre.jpg
File:Studless_tire_2.jpg
Studless_tire_2.jpg
File:Rali Portugal (168).JPG
Rali Portugal (168).JPG
File:Gianttires ontruck.jpg
Gianttires ontruck.jpg
File:Boeing-777-300 chassis .jpg
Boeing-777-300 chassis .jpg
File:Tire plies.png
Tire plies.png
File:2005 091112-28rim0051 compressed.JPG
2005 091112-28rim0051 compressed.JPG

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