MAGOG, Quebec — Camso Ltd. has developed an anti-static forklift tire that is engineered to resolve the safety issue of static electricity generated by non-marking tires.
Camso will debut the product, the Solideal PON 775 NMAS (Non-Marking Anti-Static) press-on tire, at the CeMat trade show in Hannover, Germany, April 23-27. Camso claims it's an industry first.
Camso said the Solideal PON 775 NMAS features anti-static rubber compound technology coupled with a "thermally efficient" construction and abrasion-resistant tread compound. The technology provides 63-percent better resistance to heat build-up and 33-percent greater energy efficiency compared with the company's Solideal Magnum SM NM (smooth non-marking).
It also ensures greater operator safety while minimizing human electrical shocks, outages, electrical component damage and fire risks, Camso said.
"Last year, we brought solutions to respond to forklift usage intensity. This year, we're tackling the issue of static build-up," Darren Stratton, Camso's product management director – material handling, said.
"The accumulation of static electricity on forklifts is common in non-marking tires because of the silica used as reinforcing filler, allowing the tire to have isolating properties," he said. "This can lead to a number of problems like driver electrical shocks, forklift onboard electronic issues or outages and fire hazards."
Camso said the design is covered by patents in the European Union, Japan and U.S. until 2027.
A patent filing assigned to Solideal Holding S.A. shows that static is dissipated by means of a column of carbon-black-reinforced rubber from an inner layer that protrudes through the outer non-marking layer. This column appears as small, round black area offset to one side of the tread face, Camso said, allowing static to be discharged once every revolution.
Camso is launching the tire in 25 sizes, in rim diameters ranging from 6.5 to 22 inches.
The tire will be available in North America May 11. Camso said the non-static version will be priced as a premium product.