Bandag berate how UK trucks operate
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II UK operators are wasting money and natural resources by sending too few tyres for retreading, said Bandag at the launch of its Euroline production system and training centre.
Figures produced by the company showed that on average only 53.3% of tyres are retreaded, against 88% in France and Germany. In Finland and the USA the average Om is retreaded between 1.5 and 2.5 times.
By introducing Euroline to its franchisees Bandag expects to improve both the quality and speed of tyre retreading. At the heart of the process is the computerised Non Destructive Indicator (NOD casing analyser.
First the tyre is buffed and any visible defects that are repairable are dealt with in the normal way. The tyre is then put on to the NDI. This sends ultrasonic pulses through the casing to detect faults such as belt-edge separation which are invisible to the naked eye.
Euroline is a production-line sys Lem which moves part-treated tyres between work stations on an overhead conveyor. Computerised buffing machines help speed up the process. To ensure the tread is applied evenly and precisely the process has been semi-automated.
Euroline will be implemented immediately in new Bandag franchises and introduced to existing sites as soon as appropriate. Around 400 trainees are expected to pass through the company's new training centre near Brussels to learn about the process as it is installed through the network