On July 7, 2023, a team from Virginia Tech announced that it had been selected to participate in a $1.5 million (approximately RMB 10.86 million) project to explore the application of 3D printing technology in tire retreading.
△Virginia Tech researchers develop new method for retreading car tires
Why retread tires?
The specific goal of the project is to address wear and tear on commercial vehicles, such as tractor-trailers used to transport consumer goods and materials, and to increase the efficiency of their use. When commercial tires wear out, they are typically retreaded, buffing their surface and adding new tread layers. However, this process is said to result in wasting nearly 9 pounds of excess material per tire and increase the vehicle's fuel consumption. It is estimated that approximately 14.5 million tires require retreading each year.
△The university displays car tire treads that have been ground down
The project was initiated by the REMADE Institute established by the U.S. Department of Energy, a public-private partnership to advance the transition to a circular economy in the United States, and is supported by researchers at Arizona State University and Michelin industrial partners. Tim Long, professor and director of ASU's Biodesign Center for Sustainable Polymer Materials and Manufacturing, will provide the project with expertise in the synthesis of high-performance elastic materials suitable for 3D printing.
△Using 3D printing technology and a robotic arm, polymer materials are printed directly onto worn tires
3D printing technology provides a new solution for tire retreading
The Virginia Tech team, led by mechanical engineering professor Chris Williams, is working to develop a new manufacturing process using 3D scanning, 3D printing and industrial robotics to meet the performance requirements of the tire industry. They plan to use the method of selectively depositing the material to achieve directional deposition on the tire surface.
Williams said: "We are very excited to undertake this challenging project that combines advances in polymer science and manufacturing, including 3D scanning, 3D printing and industrial robotics. If all goes well, through this refurbished technology, The industry as a whole could reduce around 90 tons of tire waste and 800 tons of CO2 emissions per year."
