IM 2022 July 22 | Page 45

MINING TYRES
Tyre management software is used worldwide - here in Indonesia . Mark Fernie from enTIRE is third from right - the company and product remain fiercely independent

Running hot

Mining tyres remain a high cost consumable for operations , so more efficient designs and better tyre management are to the fore , reports Paul Moore

Before looking at new tyre types and sizes and the latest on tyre management and recycling technology , IM spoke with Francois Didion , Michelin Global Mining Sales Director on the current state of the global mining tyre market – he had this to say : “ Generally , the mining tyre market is in balance between demand and production . The global supply chain constraints have created some challenges for the industry as a whole in terms of raw material supply disruptions and the ability to manage downstream flows with the availability of containers and vessels .”

He also had some interesting comments on how mining tyre supplies respond to the transitions in the mining truck market – specifically towards more autonomous trucks and eventually , autonomous and battery electric trucks . Didion stated : “ Current technologies for autonomous haulage systems applied to traditionally designed manually driven trucks do not fundamentally change the tyre dynamics . Future vehicles designed to be autonomous by original design will bring new challenges to tire characteristics and tire manufacturers will need to bring new offers to market . Battery electric vehicles in mining will require cycle changes for charging or swapping , but the real change for tyre design will be the need to support different load capacities , higher speeds , and more torque .”
Looking at its tyre line-up , the newest addition is the Michelin XDR 250 + which it says increases tyre life by up to 8 % by improving wear resistance , optimising wear in front and rear axles , and offering increased aggression resistance by utilising an exclusive new mixing process . To date , Didion said that the new XDR
250 + has been very well received in the market . The benchmark tyre incorporates the second generation of two revolutionary compounds , MB4 and MB , that provide improved wear resistance . An exclusive new mixing process with a superior
level of carbon black dispersion creates a much more homogeneous mix that leads to a slower wear rate . Michelin multilayer technology provides optimised wear on front and rear axles .
Finally , MEMS4 is Michelin ’ s premium mining TPMS on which it has already brought many evolutions since the launch in 2018 ( new sensors , GPS upgrades , 4G , automated dashboard ). Didion exclusively revealed to IM that Michelin will also soon launch MEMS Lite , “ combining MEMS proven pressure and temperature sensors with fixed reading stations to deliver daily tire diagnostics remotely for operations that want to start the journey with limited features and limited investment .” For example , a mine equipped with 100 t rigid truck 49 in tyres .
On the wider maturation of the TPMS market , Didion added that since 2015 , the mining industry TPMS equipment rate has constantly increased to nearly reach 50 % on ultra class trucks . “ Mining companies are now considering TPMS not only as a safety tool , but as a
Testing is vital to new tyre development - here for Michelin ' s recently launched XDR 250 + tyre productivity / safety platform enabling delivering more production with less equipment . Also , our capabilities to integrate MEMS4 with truck autonomous systems is a must that we are proud to offer to the market . We are seeing more and more customers integrating MEMS in their Triggered Action Response Plan ( TARP ) which enables the right person to do the right thing in response to each MEMS alert . We are also seeing more and more customers implementing MEMS as an input to the autonomous vehicle brain . It is proof that our customers understand how MEMS4 data helps them work toward operational excellence .”
They are alerted in advance of a potential safety situation – a hot tyre event for example ; it helps them make informed decisions even when the truck can ’ t be accessed for safety reasons – quarantined caused by hot tyres for example ; and be alerted in advance of bad pressure / temperature leading to unscheduled downtime and premature tyre loss – which , in this situation of tense supply is even more critical .
“ Some customers also ask us to analyse MEMS data along with other data related to tyres , trucks , or roads . Thanks to our Michelin Mining Consulting & Services offer , we can quickly create a task force gathering tire and data experts to help our customer improve safety , productivity , and cost . Also , MEMS4 has a high impact on the life of tyres . With a very tight market on tire supply , mines are keen on having a better tire management with adapted rotation policy , better management of pressure and temperature of the tyre so that the tyres last longer . This where our Mining Consulting & Services can help with customised advice to the mine sites to ensure the best management of tyres and see if the mine site has implemented all the levers on tyre management and usage to ensure safety , productivity and cost reduction .”
MAXAM MS412 delivers extended tyre life
In 2020 , MAXAM Tire introduced the MS412 to the open pit mining series that features a unique tread pattern that provides extremely low wear rates . Over the past two years , this tire has been performing and exceeding mine sites expectations due to its many attributes and benefits .
The MS412 features a high net-to-gross tread pattern that provides extremely low wear rates that drastically increase tyre life . MAXAM ’ s engineers have also strategically placed stone ejectors to provide maximum protection from
JULY 2022 | International Mining 43