Mexican Media Brands
Michelin Flexes Pothole-Resistant Tire Tech
Tiremaker Michelin & Cie and IOCHPE-Maxion SA’s Maxion Wheels unit have developed a more flexible wheel assembly they say improves ride comfort and the ability of tires to absorb pothole jolts.
Share
Tiremaker Michelin & Cie and IOCHPE-Maxion SA’s Maxion Wheels unit have developed a more flexible wheel assembly they say improves ride comfort and the ability of tires to absorb pothole jolts.
Using Michelin’s patented Acorus technology, Maxion’s Flexible Wheel is compatible with all tires, including run-flat units. The design features a pair of rubber flanges mounted on a narrow alloy wheel body. An optional cosmetic insert can be used to protect the wheel.
When a vehicle runs over a pothole or curb, the flanges flex to protect the tire and wheel. During recent tests, Michelin says, conventional tires punctured when running over a pothole at speeds as low as 17 mph, but vehicles equipped with Maxion Flexible wheels and the Acorus technology (named after a rugged wetland plant) didn’t puncture or sustain rim damage at any speed.
The technology is especially beneficial for vehicles with large wheels and low-profile tires with short sidewalls, which Michelin says otherwise are more susceptible to damage. The rubber flanges also help lessen noise and vibration, according to the tiremaker.
RELATED CONTENT
-
GM Seeks to Avert U.S. Plant Shutdowns Linked to Supplier Bankruptcy
General Motors Co. says it hopes to claim equipment and inventory from a bankrupt interior trim supplier to avoid being forced to idle all 19 of its U.S. assembly plants.
-
Plastics: The Tortoise and the Hare
Plastic may not be in the news as much as some automotive materials these days, but its gram-by-gram assimilation could accelerate dramatically.
-
Cobots: 14 Things You Need to Know
What jobs do cobots do well? How is a cobot programmed? What’s the ROI? We asked these questions and more to four of the leading suppliers of cobots.
