Emerson, a global automation solution supplier, is known for its solutions that help tyre manufacturers to have efficiency, safety and precise operations in five production areas- mixing equipment, wire and fabric calendars, extruders, tyre building machines, curing presses and finishing process.

Currently, the company is focusing more on solutions for the tyre curing process, which consumes the greatest amount of energy during the tyre production. If tyre curing process does not work correctly, it could also lead to tyre scrap and even breakdown.

“Today, we are focusing on increasing our value as a solution provider to monitor the health and performance of the curing system. Within the curing process, we are not just supplying valves or components, but we also deliver the controller, pneumatic valves and sensors that monitor each step of the process,” said Chris Bart, Director Business Development Automotive & Tire at ‎Emerson Automation Solutions.

According to Bart, the challenge in the tyre curing process is to have precise control on temperature and pressure. With Emerson’s technologies, tyre manufacturers can maximise output and reduce energy and costs through better diagnostics, sensing and monitoring.

 “The main challenge is the management of steam and nitrogen used to heat the mould and bladder pressure.  So, any small deviation in the inputs can have severe negative effects on the quality of the products and overall productivity of the production line or the plant,” explained Bart.

In the tyre curing process, Emerson’s pressure-operated valves work in demanding steam applications and provide reliable and precise control, enabling rapid cycling and tight shut-off to ensure the curing press operates correctly and efficiently.

“Emerson’s valves system controls the movement of the steam and nitrogen into the process. Our valves are critical to supply steam and nitrogen in the proper time with proper temperature and pressure and make sure that there is no leakage during the cycle or between cycles,” explained Bart.

Digitisation helps Emerson’s steam valves to monitor the travelling time of the steam valve and detect anomalies, which ultimately assist in a predictive maintenance programme. “If any deviation happens, the system alerts the maintenance team, and downtime could be avoided,” said Bart.

Traditionally tyre manufacturing companies put a temperature gauge and a pressure gauge to monitor temperature and pressure in the piping system. “Earlier, it was tough to point out the reason for the deviation in temperature and pressure.  We have developed our products that control the steam and nitrogen and also included the sensors that tell the exact position of the valves. So, we can also monitor the leakage of nitrogen, steam and the air we use in operation. It also monitors the air pressure that opens and closes the steam valves. We can monitor the total consumption of the compressed air as well,” said Bart.

“Today’s typical approach to see the only results, but with our system, we are giving is infinite detailed inside the system. This gives customers actionable insights to improve their tyre curing process.”

Emerson, not only provides the solution in the curing but also extends its offering to other components in the system. Historically the steam traps used to be checked manually.

If not work correctly, either a large amount of steam can escape or damage the valves and pipework. Emerson offers wireless acoustic transmitters that monitor steam trap health and detect failures in real-time. “The steam trap monitoring system is one of our biggest innovations in energy-saving efforts. With this, we can avoid damage or loss of steam and improve energy efficiency,” said Bart.

As part of its product development, Emerson regularly visits tyre companies to understand the pain point in the production processes. “Looking at their process and our expertise with the components as a solution supplier, we always look into further potential scope in monitoring, measuring and reporting in the tyre production,” said Bart.

For the mixing process, Emerson offers flow control and pneumatic directional control devices, such as pressure operated valves that optimise the mixing process. At a manufacturing production plant, the mixing is a crucial stage that decides the quality of tyres. All ingredients have to be mixed with accurate weight and in a controlled sequence. Emerson valves keep the weighing and hopper systems running efficiently and reliably while ensuring batch quality.

Emerson, for Fabric/wire calendars and extruder, provides products that increase reliability and material guidance precision of bead wiring and rubber coating, improves pneumatic system performance to avoid premature valve failures and reduces commissioning time through onsite/pre-set tuning. The overall company solution can significantly increase the lifespan of valves by purifying compressed air and regulating pressure and improve safety conditions for your workers by locking systems down during maintenance.

Repeatable, high precision pneumatic directional control ensures the production meets the highest quality specifications every time. Using Emerson’s modular and compact valve manifolds tyre manufacturing companies can achieve greater application flexibility, reduce costs, simplify commissioning, maximise the availability of tyre building machinery and achieve higher throughput targets. Increased visibility into the health of valves also lowers maintenance costs, says the company.

In the finishing process, Emerson’s products ensure precise and reliable motion control and positional accuracy. By offering higher repeatability and reliability, these devices reduce machinery downtime and maximise throughput. Emerson’s ISO and NFPA-conforming actuators and linear-guided cylinders are extremely durable, providing greater test equipment machinery reliability and extended lifespans.

According to Bart, the growing complexity in each process of tyre manufacturing is a challenge. “Complexity in mixing, calendering, tyre building, curing and in the finished products is growing, and it is demanding more control on each process. The evolution of the tyre manufacturing processes requires more insights and integration of process information. This enables continuous quality improvements and energy savings.,” said Bart.

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The Global Data Service Organisation for Tyres and Automotive Components (GDSO) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the RAIN Alliance, a move designed to accelerate the harmonisation of electronic tyre identification and support broader digitalisation throughout the international tyre value chain. This agreement formalises a mutual commitment to advancing interoperable, scalable and globally consistent standards that can be adopted across the sector.

GDSO is responsible for establishing and promoting global data standards for tyres, enabling comprehensive lifecycle applications that serve a diverse group of stakeholders – from manufacturers and logistics providers to fleet managers, recyclers and regulatory bodies. The RAIN Alliance, in parallel, champions the widespread implementation of RAIN RFID technology within a framework that is open, standards-based and interoperable.

The growing importance of electronic tyre identification is underscored by its role in enabling traceability, meeting regulatory requirements, advancing circular economy goals and improving operational performance. Within existing standardisation frameworks, embedded RAIN RFID technology is currently the sole passive data carrier capable of supporting item-level traceability across the full lifespan of a tyre. This partnership seeks to align data standardisation efforts with the underlying identification technologies, thereby reinforcing the ecosystem necessary for reliable and scalable digital identification solutions worldwide.

Although GDSO acknowledges the established position and technical maturity of RAIN RFID, the organisation maintains a technology-agnostic stance. Its primary focus remains on developing robust and adaptable global data standards that foster an inclusive and resilient identification ecosystem. Such an approach supports ongoing innovation and ensures that all actors across the tyre value chain can participate effectively, regardless of future technological shifts.

Through this alliance, GDSO and the RAIN Alliance intend to drive globally aligned standards, enhance system interoperability, support digital use cases throughout the product lifecycle and contribute meaningfully to sustainability and circularity targets. This partnership reflects a shared strategic vision to strengthen the digital infrastructure underpinning the tyre industry.

Riccardo Giovannotti, Secretary General, GDSO, said, “I’m pleased to share that GDSO has signed a collaboration MoU with RAIN Alliance. The collaboration is grounded in a shared commitment to industry-wide standards and to advancing digitalisation across the tyre value chain. As the organisation leading the definition and deployment of global data standards for tyres, GDSO focuses on enabling cradle-to-grave use cases through interoperable and scalable solutions. Within today’s standardisation landscape, the embedded RAIN RFID (i.e. passive RFID) is currently the only data carrier standardised and technically capable of supporting item-level identification across the full tyre lifecycle, which makes this collaboration both relevant and timely.”

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A new milestone in agricultural tyre technology has been achieved through the partnership of Titan International, Inc. and Cerebrum Sensor Technologies, Inc. Together, they have unveiled Titan Pressure Perfect (P2), a smart sensor system designed to transform how farm tyres perform and communicate. This system marks the emergence of a broader category known as Intelligent Tyre Solutions (iTS), developed jointly by the two companies.

At the core of Pressure Perfect (P2) is real-time monitoring of tyre pressure, temperature and load. This data enables continuous oversight and works seamlessly with onboard inflation systems, allowing automatic pressure adjustments while the vehicle is in motion. Whether shifting from roadway to field or responding to varying load demands, the system can reduce air pressure by as much as half. This flexibility helps lower soil compaction by up to 35 percent and has been linked to potential corn yield increases of four to six percent.

Pressure Perfect is compatible with all Titan and Goodyear Farm Tyre products and integrates with nearly all inflation management systems already in use. By supporting more precise tyre management, it contributes to longer tyre life, improved machine efficiency and reduced environmental impact through less ground disturbance.

The innovation draws on Cerebrum’s licensed portfolio of patented technologies, including advanced sensors, proprietary algorithms and sophisticated software capabilities. This technical foundation sets a new standard for intelligent tyre management in agriculture. While other industry players focus on replicating existing central tyre inflation and tyre pressure monitoring systems, Titan and Cerebrum are advancing a more comprehensive and forward-looking approach. Pressure Perfect reflects Titan’s longstanding engineering heritage and its continued commitment to leading the field through purposeful collaboration and applied innovation.

Dubbing it the ‘Holy Grail’ of innovations, Scott Sloan, Global Ag & LSW Product Manager for Titan, said, “This is the first system of its kind that delivers dynamic inflation management. Load, tyre pressure and temperature data are gathered by a single tyre-mounted sensor and integrated with tyre-industry load-inflation tables in real time. Imagine bringing together Central Tyre Inflation System (CTIS) and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) technologies, and now they can work together and talk to each other – all without operator intervention."

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Anyline is displaying its AI-powered TireBuddy platform at the 2026 National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show in Las Vegas (from 3–6 February), demonstrating how it brings objective, digital tyre inspections to automotive retailers. The technology, which standardises tread depth and condition assessments, is used by dealerships, reconditioning centres and independent shops to enhance operational consistency and customer transparency. At Booth 7649N, live demonstrations will show the system’s guided scanning and intuitive workflow, which technicians have adopted for its ability to generate clear, data-backed reports directly in the service bay.

A key adopter includes EchoPark, a national pre-owned vehicle retailer under Sonic Automotive, Inc., which utilises TireBuddy as part of its rigorous 190-point vehicle inspection process across multiple states. The platform provides repeatable measurements that strengthen technical recommendations and build buyer confidence by turning subjective checks into documented insights. Since its 2025 launch, the tool has been implemented by large-scale automotive groups seeking to improve decision-making and efficiency.

Anyline’s exhibition will focus on these real-world applications, showing how digitising tyre inspections creates a more transparent and trustworthy service experience. By replacing visual estimates with precise digital data, TireBuddy helps businesses streamline workflows, empower technicians and ultimately support safer, more reliable vehicle assessments for customers.

Christoph Braunsberger, CEO, Anyline, said, “Our goal with TireBuddy is to equip technicians with the tools they need to make accurate, fast and confident decisions, an important message we’re bringing to the forefront at this year’s NADA Show. By providing objective, AI-powered data, TireBuddy delivers a far clearer path to cost savings, operational efficiency and customer transparency for retailers – benefits that matter at every level of their operation.”

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As urban areas around the world grow increasingly louder, traffic noise has emerged as a critical environmental and public health challenge. Recognised by health authorities as a major risk factor, this pervasive issue extends from European cities to megacities across Asia and Latin America. Continental is addressing this problem by pioneering tyre technologies that significantly reduce rolling noise, thereby contributing to quieter urban environments and enhanced in-vehicle comfort.

The transition to electric mobility has brought tyre noise into sharper focus. With the near-silent operation of electric motors replacing traditional engine sounds, the acoustic contribution from tyres becomes far more prominent, even at moderate city driving speeds. In response, Continental engineers have developed specialised solutions that target noise generation without compromising the safety, durability or performance of the tyre.

One such innovation is the Silent Pattern tread design, featured on models like the EcoContact 7. This technology disrupts the conventional, uniform arrangement of tread blocks that typically creates a rhythmic humming sound on pavement. By intelligently varying the spacing and angles of these blocks, the pattern breaks up this acoustic consistency. Furthermore, it is tuned to cancel out specific sound frequencies, akin to the principle behind noise-cancelling headphones. This results in a measurable reduction of traffic noise at speeds around 50 kmph, where rolling noise is most perceptible to pedestrians and residents.

For reducing noise inside the vehicle cabin, Continental employs its ContiSilent technology. This involves lining the inside of the tyre with a lightweight polyurethane foam that absorbs vibrations caused by the tyre’s contact with the road. By dampening these air vibrations, the technology can cut perceived in-cabin rolling noise by up to nine decibels – a reduction the human ear experiences as nearly halving the volume. This substantial increase in acoustic comfort is integrated into various product lines, including high-performance summer tyres, without affecting driving dynamics or efficiency.

The company’s commitment to low-noise mobility spans multiple vehicle segments. From the Conti Urban NXT for city buses to passenger car tyres like the EcoContact 6 Q and van tyres such as the VanContact A/S Eco, these products are designed to meet stringent noise standards. Consumers can readily identify these quieter options through regulatory labels, like the EU tyre label, which provides clear decibel ratings for external rolling noise. Through these continuous advancements in tread design and sound-dampening materials, Continental is systematically working to diminish the acoustic footprint of road traffic.

According to Achillefs Tsotras, head of Continental’s Tyre-Vehicle Interaction department, “Noise, especially traffic noise from cars, buses and delivery vehicles, is a major burden for people and the environment. With tyre technologies like ContiSilent and innovative tread designs, we are actively reducing rolling noise without compromising safety. This makes every ride noticeably quieter, benefiting drivers, pedestrians, residents and the environment alike.”

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