Old Tires Are Retreaded To Be Good As New

When your tire wears out , you take it to a shop where it's tossed out for a new one .

The discarded tire is typically recycled ground up and chemically broken down to use as a building material in streets or parks .

Some companies hope to recycle differently for years .

Companies like Maroni have been saving tire casings , replacing the old tread , the rubber that touches the ground with new tread in a process called retreading .

These tires are not only easier to make , they typically take 20% of the energy of creating a new tire .

They perform well too standing up to the same tests that one used tires are subjected to .

The main advantage of the tire retreading process comes from reusing the casings , which accounts for about two thirds of the value of a new tire reusing tires also cuts down on the amount of raw material used and co two emitted during the industrial production process .

Let's take a look at the retreading process .

Step by step .

A worn tire that is to be retreated comes into the factory and undergoes visual and instrumental checks .

These checks ensure the tire casing is suitable for a second or even third life integral to this step is a laser geography device , a tool that scans the tire in a vacuum to detect damage or defects not visible from the outside as well as separation of the plies .

The group of cords and metal wires within the tire tires unsuitable for retreading are not discarded .

They are destroyed in a thermal processing plant that burns the tires in an enclosed furnace , converting the tires into usable energy without emitting harmful gasses .

The unburned materials were covered .

Casings deemed suitable for retreading are tagged with the bar code and are ready to be buffed casings enter a machine that busts off the remaining tread .

The amount of tread that's removed varies according to the type and size of the casing .

The surface is now ready for the application of the new tread .

The buffed casing moves to the crater processing stage .

Here it is inspected and any surface imperfections are repaired .

The buff tire is coated with a sticky layer of non vulcanized rubber or gum .

A pre vulcanized ring tread liner is stretched and fitted around the tire .

A laser ensures the machine is centered on the tire while clamps emerge and press the tread liner down the machine holding the tread , withdraws , rollers emerge and smooth the tread liner to the casing .

Each tire is fitted with a rubber envelope and vacuum sealed .

They are brought to an autoclave or pressure chamber where each tire will be cured the tires are simultaneously subjected to immense heat and pressure .

The chamber heats up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and imposes around £88 of force per square inch or 2.5 to 3 hours .

Finally , a technician applies the finishing touches the streets but she .