A method for measuring a degree of cross-linking of a component of elastomeric material obtained as a result of a hot-forming process, includes a preliminary calibration step in which a plurality of samples are provided, made of the same material as the component. The samples have different degrees of cross-linking following respective hot-forming processes conducted for different periods of time. The preliminary calibration step includes providing a measuring device having an electrical circuit, in which a voltage generator is arranged in series with metal contacts configured to selectively receive a sample, and an ammeter, positioning a sample between said metal contacts, providing a predetermined voltage value, and detecting the corresponding current value by means of said ammeter. The aforesaid steps are repeated for each sample so as to obtain a calibration map that associates a given degree of cross-linking of the material constituting said component with each determined value of electrical conductivity.

Disclosed herein are devices and methods for determining the identity of markings on tires. A portable tire scanner can comprise one or more light sources and detector that reflect light off tire markings and capture imagery of them. The scanner is operable to process the imagery to determine the identity of the markings. The marking can be the same color as the area of the tire around the marking (e.g., black-on-black) and the scanner can identify the marking by determining angular edges of the markings. Plural light sources and/or detectors can be used to provide plural perspectives to better determine the edges of the markings. The housing can have a form factor that allows the scanner to be hand-held, such that a user can aim the scanner at tires even while on a vehicle or in hard to reach positions. The scanner can be used to scan and identify several tire marking in succession.

An apparatus and a method for checking tyres is described. The apparatus has a first check unit having an inlet for tyres and a plurality of check tools. The apparatus has a second check unit having an outlet for the tyres and a plurality of check tools. The apparatus has an overturning and transport device operatively interposed between the first check unit and the second check unit. The first check unit, the second check unit and the overturning and transport device define a check path configured to be traversed by each tyre step by step. The first check unit and the second check unit have the same check tools configured for executing the same checks on respective axial halves of the tyres.

Provided is a validation tool and a method for validating optical equipment that is used for measuring a plurality of characteristics of one or more tyre components during winding application of said tyre components around a tyre building drum, wherein a first tyre component of the one or more tyre components includes a first characteristic of the plurality of characteristics which, after measuring, is overlapped by the same or another tyre component of the one or more tyre components including a second characteristic of the plurality of characteristics, wherein the validation tool is provided with a first reference element that is arranged to represent the first characteristic and a second reference element that is arranged to represent the second characteristic, wherein the second reference element is offset with respect to the first reference element to at least partially expose the first reference element.

A tire uniformity testing machine that includes a base, a pair of vertical spaced apart columns supporting an upper cross frame member. The base carries a load wheel carriage movable towards and away from a testing station. The vertical uprights establish a peripheral footprint plane that does not extend beyond a plane that is tangent to an outer rolling surface of the load wheel when it is redirected. The upper frame member includes clearance spaces and cutouts that enable at least a portion of an upper chuck to move into the upper frame member and a super structure mounted to a top of the cross member that mounts at least a portion of an actuator for translating the upper chuck. The configuration establishes a machine height that enables the machine to be loaded into a standard shipping container and reduces the overall footprint of the tire uniformity machine without compromising its ability to precisely sense tire uniformity parameters.

A method for segmenting the surface of a tire including at least one groove, includes: irradiating a portion of the surface of the tire by means of electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength in the visible spectrum; acquiring an image of the irradiated portion of the surface; and processing the image so as to segment it into regions corresponding to regions of the tire which do or do not belong to the at least one groove. Additionally, processing the image so as to segment it includes: calculating a statistical quantity associated with the irradiation by electromagnetic radiation for each region of the image; and determining whether the region of the image does or does not belong to the at least one groove according to the value of the statistical quantity. Equipment for segmenting a surface of a tire including at least one groove.

An apparatus and a method to control manufacturing and feeding of semifinished products in a tyre building process, includes detecting at least one first image representative of a semifinished product; dividing the at least one first image into a plurality of first sub-parts, wherein each one of first sub-parts is composed of a plurality of first portions, each one associated with a respective brightness value; defining a first threshold for the brightness values; making a first comparison between the brightness values of the first portions and the first threshold; as a function of the first comparison, determining for each one of the first sub-parts a first operative parameter representative of a total area occupied in each first sub-part by the first portions associated with a brightness value smaller or greater than the first threshold; making a second comparison between each one of the first operative parameters and a second threshold; and causing the generation of a first notification signal as a function of said second comparison.

In a tire uniformity testing apparatus which measures uniformity of a tire by measuring a load applied to the tire pressed against a rotary drum, a load estimation model is generated which is used to control a pressing position of the rotary drum, and generates a load estimation model indicating a relation between the pressing position of the tire with respect to the rotary drum and the load applied to the tire. The load estimation model is generated by: holding the tire in which uniformity has already been measured for each characteristic value; acquiring a nominal model depending on the characteristic value of the tire; and generating based on the acquired nominal model.

The present invention comprises methods and apparatus for inspecting a tread. Such methods include providing a tread having a top side and a bottom side, one of the top and bottom sides including a tread feature extending into the thickness of the tread. Such methods further include bending mechanically a transverse extent of the tread relative the tread thickness along a portion of the tread to be inspected about a bending member to form a bent portion of the tread, the portion of the tread to be inspected including the tread feature such that the step of bending expands the tread feature to further expose a depth of the tread feature within the thickness of the tread for inspection. Such further methods include constraining the tread on opposing sides of the portion of the tread to be inspected to maintain the bent portion of the tread in a bent arrangement.

A tire uniformity testing apparatus (1) measures uniformity of a tire (T) by measuring a load generated on the tire (T) pressed against a rotating rotary drum (2). A load model used to control a pressing position of the rotary drum (2) and express a relation between the pressing position of the tire (T) against the rotary drum (2) and a tire load generated in the tire (T) is configured to successively measure the tire load, while changing the pressing position of the tire (T) against the rotary drum (2), and to estimate the tire load using the measured value of the measured tire load.