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The tire industry is undergoing a transformation, with increasing quality control requirements demanding innovative solutions. Wipotec has responded with its HC-MWS meter weight scale, a cutting-edge system that enhances precision and efficiency in tire production. In this interview, Jens Alder, global sales director of Wipotec, discusses the industry’s evolving demands and the benefits Wipotec’s weighing technology brings to the sector.
Entering the tire industry: A natural progression
Wipotec has long been recognized in various industrial sectors, but what led to its expansion into tire manufacturing?
“We’ve been involved in the tire industry for years,” explains Alder. “Historically, our heavy-duty scales have been used for final inspections of finished tires and intermediate products such as cut treads.”
This long-standing relationship with tire manufacturers opened the door to new challenges. As an expert in weighing technology, Wipotec was approached to help meet increasingly stringent quality requirements. “We rarely turn down a challenge when it comes to weighing,” Alder says.
The growing demands on tire manufacturers
Tire manufacturers face a dual challenge: adhering to regulatory requirements while maintaining internal quality standards. These internal benchmarks create competition within manufacturing groups, driving continuous improvement.
The decisive factor in this shift has been the demand from automobile manufacturers for stricter quality controls on original equipment (OE) tires. These tires, precisely matched to specific vehicle models and chassis, require exceptional uniformity. Even minor deviations can impact safety and performance, making precision non-negotiable.
“Simply tightening quality standards for finished products would likely result in significant waste,” says Alder. “To avoid this, manufacturers must begin quality checks earlier in the process.” This is where Wipotec’s expertise becomes invaluable. By assessing material quality immediately after extrusion — when the tread and sidewalls are still in continuous form — manufacturers can make real-time adjustments based on thickness and weight per meter, preventing defects before further resources are invested.
Overcoming industry challenges with innovation
Tire production presents a host of unique challenges. Although Wipotec is experienced in handling heavy, irregularly shaped items from various other sectors, the tire industry introduces new complexities. Large and heavy industrial production machines create vibrations that can compromise weighing accuracy, leading manufacturers to invest in costly foundation decoupling solutions.
“For us, this was an unnecessary complication,” Alder explains. “Our scales are equipped with advanced vibration compensation technology, which allows us to measure and eliminate external disturbances in real time. This ensures accurate results without requiring expensive infrastructure modifications.”
Another significant challenge lies in the product itself: measuring the weight of an endless, warm and tensioned rubber strip with extreme precision. “Fortunately, our vertically integrated approach — where we develop and manufacture in-house — allowed us to tailor a solution specifically for this application. The result is a product that meets industry requirements and introduces entirely new possibilities for manufacturers.”
Competing with established industry players
Wipotec entered this market with a game-changing solution, ready to compete with the established suppliers. “None of the production lines we’ve encountered use weighing systems that come close to our level of precision and reliability,” says Alder.
When the first Wipotec scales were installed, manufacturers quickly realized they were obtaining data of unprecedented quality. “Initially, they weren’t even prepared to utilize this level of insight. But that’s precisely the kind of information we provide — reliably and at an early stage.”
By identifying deviations immediately after extrusion, manufacturers can prevent defective products from progressing further down the production line, saving raw materials, energy and labor costs. “This marks a paradigm shift in quality control,” Alder states. “The feedback from our customers confirms that this level of precision was previously unheard of in the industry.”
The future of Wipotec in tire manufacturing
With increasing interest in its meter weight scale, Wipotec is poised for a long-term impact on the tire industry. “We are just at the beginning of an exciting collaboration filled with new possibilities,” Alder concludes.
Through its innovative weighing solutions, Wipotec is not only raising the bar for quality control but also helping tire manufacturers optimize efficiency, reduce waste and enhance overall product performance. As the industry evolves, Wipotec stands at the forefront, shaping the future of tire manufacturing.
