Table of Contents

Tire Uniformity

What is Tire Uniformity?

Tire Uniformity is:
D Actually “Non-Uniformity”
D A quantitative measure of variation within a tire
D Usual variations are in forces and runouts

Axis System
To measure tires, the tire industry uses an axis system which bisects the tire center.
Forces are measured along these axes:
D Fz = Radial Force
Z
D Fy = Lateral Force
Center of
D Fx = Tangential Force Tire
X
Y

X Y

Z
Figure 3-1 Axis Measurement System

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Radial Force (Fz)

D The vertical force between the tire and Z
the road (or loadwheel on the
ASTEC Machine).
The Radial Axis is perpendicular to the road. This
is the axis where radial force (Fz) is applied to
the tire.

Fz
(Load)
Z

Figure 3-2 Radial Axis

Lateral Force (Fy)

D The side-to-side force along the rotation
axis between the tire and the road (or
loadwheel of the ASTEC Machine). Y
The Lateral Axis is where side-to-side forces (Fy)
are applied to steer the vehicle.

Fy
(Steering Forces)
Figure 3-3 Lateral Axis

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Tangential Force (Fx)

D The driving force between the tire
and the road (or loadwheel on the
ASTEC Machine.) X

The Tangential Axis is parallel to the road, in the

direction of travel. This is the axis where the
driving force (Fx) is applied to the tire.

Fx (Driving Force)

Figure 3-4 Tangential Axis

Moments
Steering Moment (Mz) Z
Motion of Tire
D The moment that induces steering pull About the Z Axis

D Also called aligning torque

This is the torque that aligns the steering wheel
back to the center after a turn.

Z
Figure 3-5 Steering Moment (Mz)

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Rolling Resistance Moment (My)

D The moment that resists tire rotation

Motion of Tire
About the Y Axis

Figure 3-6 Rolling Resistance

Moment (My)

Overturning Moment (Mx)

D The moment that induces camber
This moment would tend to make a tire tip over on
X
its side.

Motion of Tire
About the X Axis

Figure 3-7 Overturning Moment (Mx)

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Tire Uniformity

Force Variations
Force Variation is the change in the forces as the tire rotates. The change in force is due to
inconsistencies in tire manufacturing.

The ASTEC Machine measures two types of Radial

Force
force variation:
D Radial Force Variation
D Lateral Force Variation
Note: There must be a load on the tire
to generate any force variation. Radial
and lateral force variations are
measured in both directions (clockwise
and counterclockwise).
Lateral
Force

Figure 3-8 Force Parameters

Measured

Radial Force Variation

D Once the tire is inflated, loaded and +10 Volts One Rotation
rotating, the radial force becomes periodic. (+2500 lbs.)
See Figure 3-9.
D There is only a slight difference in radial
force variation when the tire is rotated in
either direction.
1st Dir. 2nd Dir.
0 Volts
(0 lbs.)
Spindle Direction Change

Figure 3-9 Radial Force Variation

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Lateral Force Variation

D Once the tire is inflated, loaded and +10 Volts One Rotation
rotating, the lateral force variation (+1250 lbs.)
1st Dir.
becomes periodic. See Figure 3-10.
0

2nd Dir.

-10 Volts
(-1250 lbs.) Spindle Direction Change
Figure 3-10 Lateral Force Variation

Lateral Shift Variation

D The average lateral force in one direction. +10 Volts
(+1250 lbs.)
(See above paragraphs.)
LSCW

1st DIR
D Typically, a positive lateral shift in the

LSCCW
clockwise direction (1ST DIR), 0
becomes a negative lateral shift in the
2nd DIR
counterclockwise direction (2ND DIR).
-10 Volts
This statement is true if the absolute value (-1250 lbs.)
of plysteer is more than the absolute value Figure 3-11 Lateral Shift Variation
of conicity.

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Tire Uniformity

Conicity
D Is a lateral force defined as lateral shift Counterclockwise
Rotation
clockwise plus lateral shift
counterclockwise divided by 2.
Lateral Force
D Tire rolls like a cone.
D Used as an indicator of steering pull.
D Caused by off-center belt (about 30 N/mm Clockwise
of offset). Rotation
Figure 3-12 Conicity
D Force is exerted in the same direction,
clockwise or counterclockwise.

Plysteer
D Is a lateral force defined as lateral shift Belt Ply
Cords
clockwise minus lateral shift
counterclockwise divided by 2.
ÌÌÌ
ÌÌÌ
ÌÌÌ
D Plysteer force depends on direction Counterclockwise Clockwise
Rotation Rotation
of rotation.
ÌÌÌ
D “Crab Walk” effect. Plysteer
Force ÌÌÌ
ÌÌÌ
Plysteer
Force
D Does not affect ride performance.
ÌÌÌ
D Result of belt ply angles.
ÌÌÌ
D Outer-most ply has the dominant effect. ÌÌÌ
Figure 3-13 Plysteer

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Harmonic Analysis Waveform

Force Variation
Force variation is a complex waveform. See
example in Figure 3-14.

Fourier analysis expresses the complex

waveform as the sum of multiple sine waves,
or harmonics. Each harmonic is defined by an 0_ Tire Rotation 360_
amplitude and phase angle. Figure 3-14 Force Variation Waveform

Figure 3-15 is a Fourier analysis of the

complex waveform in Figure 3-14, broken
into four harmonics. The sum of these First Second
Harmonic Harmonic
four harmonics approximate the
original waveform. Waveform

Fourth Third
Harmonic Computation Harmonic Harmonic

A force variation waveform can be broken Figure 3-15 Harmonic Analysis

down into an infinite number of harmonics.

The ASTEC Computer can compute the first

through the tenth harmonic. Both the
harmonic amplitudes and angles are available
in the TIGRE Program (see Chapter 9).
Note: Generally, the first and second
harmonics of force variation influence
the ride quality of a vehicle the most.

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Tire Uniformity

Geometry Variations

Free Radius
D Radius between the tire center and outside
diameter when unloaded.

Free Radius

Figure 3-16 Free Radius

Loaded Radius
D Radius between tire center and road (or
Loadwheel) when loaded.
Note: A typical loaded radius is an
inch and a quarter less than an
unloaded radius.

Loaded
Radius

Figure 3-17 Loaded Radius

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Runout Probe
Radial Runout
D Variation in the free radius
Runout refers to the variation in
Runout High
roundness, or change in distance from (Point A)
the center of the tire outward to the
tread, as the tire is rotated.
Runout Low
(Point B)

Out Of Round Tire

Runout Graph

Distance A
+20

-20
B

0 Degrees 360

Figure 3-18 Radial Runout

Lateral Runout
D Variation in sidewall geometry while
inflated, loaded and rotating.

Figure 3-19 Lateral Runout

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Tire Uniformity

Bulge/Depression
Measurement
D Sidewall geometry variation running in
radial direction.
D Weak spots in the tire due to a lack of
cord material.
D Result of the sidewall splice overlap, gap
overlap or misalignment.
D Also caused by defects in calendared fabric
in sidewall ply.

Figure 3-20 Bulge

Quality Control
D Goal of every tire manufacturer is to make
as many tires as possible with acceptable
force variations.
D Process variations are so large that most
tire makers verify force variation by
100% inspection.

Bivariate Normal Distribution Curve

D Force variation exhibits a bivariate normal 100
specified force variation

Good Tires
Percent of tires with

distribution curve, bounded by zero.

See Figure 3-21. Cutoff Point for
Acceptable Tires
D Much longer and higher tail.
Bad Tires
D Significant number of tires do not meet
specifications because of force variations
or other uniformity problems. 0
0 4 9 13 18
daN of force variation

Figure 3-21 Bivariate Normal

Distribution Curve

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Grinding
Why grind? Rubber Removed to
Reduce Footprint
D Grinding increases production yield.
D Grinding reduces scrap.
D A 5% gross profit means you must sell 20
good tires to pay for one scrapped tire.
D Force variation may be corrected by
changing the footprint.

Force Correction using

Shoulder Grinding
D Reduces the footprint area by reducing Figure 3-22 Shoulder Grinding
tread width, at the point of high force
variation. See Figure 3-22.

Force Correction using

Center Grinding
Reduces the footprint area by reducing No Rubber Rubber Removed to

ÁÁÁÁÁ
D
Removed Reduce Footprint

ÁÁÁÁÁ
tread length, at the point of high
force variation. See Figure 3-23.

Figure 3-23 Center Grinding

Introduction 3-13