LAS VEGAS (Nov. 9, 2000)—Goodyear has introduced what it says is the industry´s only commercially available intelligent tire system, which provides real-time data on internal pressure and temperature in off-the-road tires.
The system, which debuted in October at MINExpo 200 in Las Vegas, allows operators to identify potential tire problems before they become serious, thereby reducing downtime and helping to control tire costs, Goodyear said.
The heart of the system is a lightweight sensor the size of a hockey puck (3 inches in diameter by 1.3-inches thick) that is attached to the tire innerliner.
The sensor measures temperature and pressure within the tire cavity and transmits the data every three minutes to a receiver in the vehicle´s cab. The in-cab receiver, which can be programmed with each tire´s identification and truck number, logs the data and transfers it to a mine management system unit, also located in the cab.
Depending on the mining company´s preference, the data can then be transmitted to and viewed at mine dispatch or downloaded onto a laptop computer. The data also can be viewed in the truck using an optional in-cab receiver/display unit.
The intelligent tire system is compatible with the mine management system from Modular Mining Systems, Goodyear said.
"Operators can now see, on a real-time basis, which tires are getting hot and adjust routes accordingly," said Darren Landes, a Goodyear OTR engineer. "This is the most significant benefit of the system, since excessive heat is a tire´s worst enemy."