Load cells in tyre modelling

When you’re developing a new product design, CAD and CAE methods can save a lot of time and effort and also improve the quality of the end product.

Except if you are in the business of making tyres. According to an article in DPA (Design Products and Applications), the ability to model tyre performance is less advanced. However, Jaguar Land Rover  have developed methods to generate sufficient real world data for reliable tyre modelling.

The key is to measure the forces and movements of a rotating wheel when being driven in the real world. Using one of their iconic 4×4 vehicles, Jaguar land Rover fitted four measuring wheel using six 3-component strain gauge load cells. According to DPA,

“The data signals from the six 3-component strain gauge load cells are amplified in the load cell and fed to the wheel electronics where the data is filtered, digitised and coded. This significantly reduces signal noise and crosstalk before the data stream is transmitted via a rotor/stator pair to the wheel inner side, transformed in the on-board electronics unit and output to a data acquisition device.”

This setup results in an impressive 170 data channels with high sampling rates that creates a large amount of data for each type of road condition and/or surface the vehicle is tested on. This includes the standard test track, but also includes more challenging road surfaces such as ice, snow and mud. 

The data acquired will then be used in computer simulations for new tyre testing, allowing for less physical testing in environments with a short window of opportunity, such as ice and snow. 

Load cells are commonly used in testing tyres for uniformity at the dealer/workshop level. Tyre uniformity test machines measure both the radial and side load, for a more detailed structural analysis than by balance alone. 

Load cells can also be used to measure the forces exerted across all three directions (Fx, Fy and Fz) at the point where a tyre makes contact with the road,]. By placing a series of tri-axial load cells in a base plate flush with a test road surface, the forces exerted by the tyre can be measured. This enables manufacturers to compare the effectiveness of different tread patterns. 

Bespoke data collection solutions

If you need to collect real world data sets for computer modelling, talk to us here at Richmond Industries. We help designers, engineers, manufacturers and universities with the design of load cell systems to test and collect data on a whole variety of products, from racing cars to trampolines. We can also manufacture load cells to your specific requirements, here in the UK, at highly cost-effective prices and with no long delivery delays.