Get the tire production rolling

Tire manufacturing key visual

New challenges in a competitive tire manufacturing market

The global tire manufacturing market is expected to witness significant growth over the forthcoming years. At the same time, it has become more complex than ever. The increasing number of car types calls for a greater variety of tires. In addition, automotive trends such as eMobility and autonomous driving increase the demand for innovative concepts in tire design and tire production. That’s why competitive tire production needs to be highly flexible and able to react swiftly to meet volatile market developments. At the same time, it needs to meet today’s high requirements in terms of quality, safety, environmental standards and increasing internationalization. Tire manufacturers require consistent solutions that help them optimize their plants’ availability, reduce their TCO and improve time to market. Taking full advantage of digitalization and making use of new business models make it possible to get there.

The Siemens experts for tire manufacturing are happy to support you in solving the challenges of your individual project.

Get in touch

The challenges

Increasingly demanding requirements

The economical, technological and social environment of mobility is evolving, bringing about changes in the expectations of both end users and the vehicle industry. That’s why tire manufactures require innovative solutions for the entire value chain.
technological trends

Technological trends 

Tire manufactures as well as machine builders require innovative concepts in tire design and production, improved production processes featuring an increased degree of automation and more transparent production. Further key aspects are reduced downtime, detailed diagnostics and lower energy consumption. 

 

At the same time, many plants need to be refurbished to meet the latest requirements and new production facilities need to be built to meet increasing product demand.

Customers and consumers

Customers and consumers

The advancement of eMobility calls for optimized tread design for extended mileage through minimized rolling resistance, low noise emissions and the adequate handling of an EV’s high levels of torque while supporting additional weight from batteries and maintaining high performance in wet conditions.

 

At the same time, the optimal connectivity between tire and car, and the unique identification of a tire are becoming more and more important, especially in view of connected and autonomous driving.

 

Innovation such as the ability of tires to remain inflated at the optimum pressure without any need for external pumps and new approaches in the field of run-flat tires also attract attention.

Laws and regulations

Laws and regulations

Tire manufacturers are required to meet increasingly demanding regulatory frameworks. In the EU, for instance, tire performance labelling indicating fuel consumption, noise emission and wet grip classification is mandatory since November 2012 as part of the EU’s Energy Efficiency Action Plan.

 

In the U.S. tires are graded according to standards such as the “Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards (UTQGS)” issued by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation. They include regulations on treadwear, traction performance and temperature resistance. 

Tire industry digitalization

How digital twins’ end-to-end virtualization provides real-world improved results

From product and machine design to machine commissioning, production and all the way to product and production performance optimization- the consistent use of digital twins helps meet industry requirements and tackle challenges.
Digital Twin: Discrete Industry - Manufacturer

Continuous product and production improvements with digital twins

Digital twins of the product and production are fundamentally linked in a single integrated data model. This creates a complete picture and a closed loop of the digital and the real world. It enables continuous improvements for best possible results that are based on actual production and performance data. It also ensures consistency across the entire value chain and enables all stakeholders to access the data they require through Teamcenter – wherever they are.   

Digital product design, simulation and verification including aerodynamics, acoustics, hydroplaning and recipe management.

The digital twin of the product

While tire designers have to meet demanding requirements of car makers and end customers, the digital twin of the tire helps turn innovative design into a successful product. Design, simulation and verification of tires are performed in a completely digital environment for quick, smooth and efficient product development.

 

The NX CAD/CAE system enables comprehensive simulations of aerodynamics, acoustic behavior and hydroplaning properties. Recipe management is also supported.    

Virtual design

Virtual design

NX CAD, CAE and CAM software supports product development from the initial concept to industry design, construction, simulation and all the way to manufacturing.

 

The process starts with sketching with constraints, a sketch of the main section of the tire and a 2D draft to define this section. The section is used to create a solid model and for cutting grooves and cross-patterns. Finally, the groove is patterned around the rest of the tire, this way creating the tire tread.

Hydroplaning assessment

Hydroplaning assessment

When a tire travels in water, it changes its shape. If the forces on the tread are strong enough, the tire will eventually lift off the ground and skate on the water. The aim is to prevent this phenomenon for as long as possible.

 

In Simcenter, CFD (computational fluid dynamics) data are coupled to FEA (Finite Element Analysis) code to evaluate the entire deformation process. An overset grid allows for spinning the tire with mesh deformation, data of the material properties of the tire are included to ensure correct results.    

Simulation of tire forces

Simulation of tire forces

MF-Swift, which is part of the SimCenter family, makes it possible to predict the forces that a tire will produce and transfer to the vehicle when running over an obstacle.

 

The simulation in MF-Swift predicts occurring forces exactly and passes this information on to the digital twin of the vehicle. This helps optimize the passengers’ comfort this vehicle is able to provide.    

Production is digitally planned, simulated, predicted and optimized – including PLC code generation and virtual commissioning.

The digital twin of the production process

Just like the tires are designed and tested digitally before production, the entire production process is planned, simulated and optimized in a virtual environment with the help of its digital twin.

 

An entire suite of software from Siemens is available to cover the entire process from rubber mixing to the virtual commissioning of the machinery and even to efficient and error-free standardization based on libraries.

Mixing performance optimization

Mixing performance optimization

The production of a quality tire starts with the optimal rubber mixture.

 

Simcenter supports the precise analysis of the rubber mixing process. This way, local viscosity decreases in areas of high shear strain, bulk viscosity decreases due to average temperature rises and centerline areas of high viscosity due to local fluid stagnation caused by counter-rotating screws can be identified and avoided beforehand.    

Material flow and production process optimization

Material flow and production process optimization

Tecnomatix Plant Simulation enables the virtual design and visualization of the entire plant’s layout. This makes it an excellent tool for material flow and throughput optimization. It helps discover bottlenecks and even optimize energy consumption. Such visualization during the design phase helps reduce the overall time to market, ensure a safe and risk-free work environment and easily optimize the process by considering each production step – even down to a single production resource. 

virtual PLC code verification

Virtual PLC code verification

Virtual commissioning based on the “software in the loop” approach based on the TIA Portal, PLCSIM Advanced and Mechatronics Concept Designer is a crucial factor when it comes to reducing commissioning times in the real world and preventing costly machine crashes. At the same time, prototyping efforts are reduced noticeably, machines can be optimized during development, this way putting an end to the common trial-and-error approach in the real world and machine operators can be trained before a machine is actually commissioned.

 

The entire functionality of the machine can be validated and optimized within the PLC code while the complete manufacturing process is monitored by WinCC.

Virtual PLC code verification

Virtual PLC code verification

Virtual commissioning based on the “software in the loop” approach based on the TIA Portal, PLCSIM Advanced, and Mechatronics Concept Designer is a crucial factor when it comes to reducing commissioning times in the real world and preventing costly machine crashes. At the same time, prototyping efforts are reduced noticeably, machines can be optimized during development, this way putting an end to the common trial-and-error approach in the real world, and machine operators can be trained before a machine is actually commissioned.

 

The entire functionality of the machine can be validated and optimized within the PLC code while the complete manufacturing process is monitored by WinCC.    

Fast and efficient commissioning

Fast and efficient commissioning

Commissioning of the real machine is accelerated considerably thanks to preceding virtual commissioning and the integration of mechanical and electrical design with automation using a common database.

 

The validated manufacturing processes and the PLC code are transferred to the TIA Portal and directly passed on to the real machine.

Library-based standardization

Library-based standardization

A customized tire library is available to support a standardized operating philosophy independent of the supplier and modularization. The automation of multiple, identical and recurring work steps boosts engineering efficiency through the automatic generation of visualization objects and helps prevent errors.

 

The tire library generates more than 75,000 objects within less than 10 minutes and PLC program changes are automatically traced in the HMI for automatic HMI adjustments. Operators as well as other users of the data obtain identical information about the machine and misinterpretations are prevented.

Virtual PLC code verification

Virtual PLC code verification

Virtual commissioning based on the “software in the loop” approach based on the TIA Portal, PLCSIM Advanced, and Mechatronics Concept Designer is a crucial factor when it comes to reducing commissioning times in the real world and preventing costly machine crashes. At the same time, prototyping efforts are reduced noticeably, machines can be optimized during development, this way putting an end to the common trial-and-error approach in the real world, and machine operators can be trained before a machine is actually commissioned.

 

The entire functionality of the machine can be validated and optimized within the PLC code while the complete manufacturing process is monitored by WinCC.    

Production of a tire and the product itself create large amounts of data that can be used for continuous optimization.
Production of a tire and the product itself create large amounts of data that can be used for continuous optimization.

The digital twin of performance

Efficient production and product performance optimization based on real-world data. Performance and maintenance data from production equipment and entire production lines is captured and analyzed using MindSphere, the cloud-based, open IoT operating system. This increases plant availability and also allows need-based maintenance scheduling. MindSphere is the basis for the use of analysis apps for many applications.

Data analytics for a competitive edge

MindSphere, the cloud-based, open IoT operating system from Siemens makes it possible to collect and analyze data and transform them into valuable knowledge. 

 

The centerpiece of a powerful data eco-system, MindSphere provides analytics and connectivity capabilities, developer tools, applications and services to evaluate and utilize all available data in a meaningful way for maximized asset performance and uptime.

 

On top of that, MindSphere also makes it possible to immediately develop, deploy and run digital services and to create own applications and even new business models. 

Bridging all data levels

Bridging all data levels 

Siemens Industrial Edge closes the gap between local and cloud computing and facilitates high-frequency data exchange at the field level.

 

Siemens Industrial Edge includes a backend called Edge Management as well as tailored Edge Devices and Edge Apps for intelligent data analysis and increased productivity

Tire production and TIA

Tire production and the TIA portfolio

The TIA portfolio covers all process steps and machines in the tire industry from mixing all the way to labelling. In addition, a Center of Competence brings together product expertise and industry know-how for goal-oriented solutions.
Tire production with Totally Integrated Automation

Get your tire production rolling

Watch this video to gain an overview of how the seamlessly interacting solutions from Siemens help make tire production consistent, transparent and efficient, this way enabling manufacturers to win a competitive edge in the increasingly global tire industry. 

Mixing and extrusion 

Siemens integrated portfolio for controls, visualization, drives, motors and even mixer management and storage flexibly fulfil the high demands of the complex mixing process. They help ensure quality, efficiency and profitability and enable specific customer concepts and custom solutions for the utmost energy efficiency, optimum mixing results and the visualization of the entire mixing process to obtain useful information. 

Production of semi-products 

Thanks to a high level of standardization over the entire product range, Siemens solutions ensure outstanding flexibility in semi-product manufacture. Generous scalability makes it possible to customize drive solutions to all machines used for confection of the individual tire components, this way making available additional potential for maximizing productivity and profits through higher levels of standardization, lean automation solutions and considerable energy savings.

Tire building 

SINAMICS and SIMOTION drive solutions that are specifically adapted to the requirements of tire production machines, along with SIMATIC controllers to automate tire building machines, help minimize energy consumption and maximize productivity through improved cycle times, open, robust automation concepts and outstanding availability of the machinery. 

Vulcanization 

Curing workflows and vulcanization press automation can be optimized and made more efficient by digital simulation of the curing process, custom automation solutions for curing presses, plus innovative control solutions based on powerful control units installed near the presses for monitoring and the adjustment parameters like pressure, temperature and time.

Quality control 

Fully automated, space-saving  quality control solutions from Siemens combine X-ray monitoring, tire balancing checks and force variation tests with central data management, this way ensuring optimal test performance and complete tire traceability. 

Labeling

Tire performance labeling in the EU requires matching of data with SAP systems within a very short cycle time. Siemens products, such as the SIMATIC IPC enables compliance with European standards without compromising efficiency by supporting multifunctional, high-speed processes with extremely short cycle time of 1 ms, which makes it possible to handle a workload of about 800 tires per hour.

HMI designer
Web-based Training

HMI Design Masterclass

Join the HMI Design Masterclass with our UX expert Oliver Gerstheimer and learn what makes great HMI design and how you and your users can benefit – conveniently at your computer and completely free of charge.

Become a better HMI designer

Resource Library

Social Distancing with SIMATIC RTLS

Siemens Real Time Locating Systems (RTLS) – Location Tracking as Personal Protective Equipment:

  • Employee wearable RTLS transponders allow distances to be determined and ensure employees are maintaining safe social distancing.
  • RTLS monitoring software creates a history of employee movements.
  • RTLS location information allows employee movements to be analyzed and optimized.
Download now

Tire Vulcanization with Siemens PLCs

Curing Tires with Siemens PLCs:

  • Best in Class PLC & I/O Products
  • Ready for the Tire Manufacturing Plant
  • Designed to ISA Standards for Sulfur in the environment
Download now

Siemens presents digitalization for the tire industry

Siemens presented at the Tire Technology Expo 2019 a broad-based Digital Enterprise portfolio for the whole value chain especially for tire manufacturers and machine builders

Close cooperation between HF Mixing and Siemens

Siemens together with MESNAC

SAR and Siemens success – Digitalized automated robot cell

Tire handling solution – Güdel and Siemens together

Downloads and support

Further information about our offerings for tire manufacturing

Looking for more details? Look no further! Here’s where you can download brochures and datasheets for tire manufacturing, contact our support, and use our online services!

Brochures

Articles

Support Services

Within the framework of Online and Technical Support, Siemens Industry offers a wide range of services. Online Support, Technical Support, Application Support and Managed System Services.

Learn more

Spare Parts Services 

Siemens Industry's spare parts services are available worldwide and provide smooth and fast supply of spare parts – and thus optimal plant availability.

Learn more

SITRAIN - Digital Industry Academy

Further education for all Siemens industrial products - directly from the manufacturer, individually, with the latest methods.

Learn more
Contact

Ensure healthy business for the long term

Siemens’ integrated portfolio of software and automation, building technology and energy management solutions offers many opportunities for efficiency and margin improvements in tire production throughout the entire lifecycle of your assets through cost-effective planning, efficient data management, smooth logistics and high-quality service throughout the entire value chain.