Designed with standard tyre  construction, self-sealing tyres have a great feature on the tyre durability having designed inner lining of the tyre—an extra lining of sticky gel-like polymer sealant , that helps in sealing tyre leaks. Such tyres are already in the market; Continental and Michelin are the major manufacturers worldwide for self-sealing tyres.

Continental  developed and designed to seal a damaged tyre tread. In case of penetration by foreign objects such as nails, for example (Fig.1), there is no need for immediate roadside tyre changes, and holes remain sealed even if the puncturing object becomes dislodged. Self-sealing tyre gel is a sticky, viscous sealant layer. They are designed to fix most tread-area punctures instantly and permanently and are not necessarily required to get to be repaired.  

In such tyre, Self-sealing gel is poured inside a tyre and remains in contact with tyre inner-liner (Fig.2) and is a type of an extra lining of sticky gel-like polymer  sealant,  a patented liquid, injected through tyre valve under pressure. A liquid contains patented polymer and fibre. During Puncture, when air rushes through, it also carries the gel liquid and solidifies there, causing air sealing. A tyre sealant is a complete puncture preventative, tyre repair and maintenance solution. It is a liquid and gel base substance, with the primary composition being either glycerine or latex and they are specially formulated with advanced Kevlar fibres, rubber particles and cooling agents, the solution permanently seals punctures and protects the tyre.

While the number of cars with run-flat tyres continues to grow slow, and the promise of airless tyres is on the horizon, it seems that long forgotten self-sealing tyres are finally reaching practicality. According to a recent article in the Detroit Free Press, Michelin tyres with their Selfseal technology will be available on the 2020 Ford Explorer. They are already fitted to the Chevrolet Bolt EV. Michelin's Selfseal technology uses a coating inside the tyre that can almost instantly fill in a nail or bolt hole up to a quarter of an inch in diameter (Fig.3).

Both run-flats and self-sealers are all about the tread. A cut in the sidewall will compromise a self-supporting run-flat tyre’s ability to hold up the vehicle. Self-sealing tyres do not have a sealant layer in the sidewall, and they can only handle punctures up to a certain size in the tread. Self-sealing tyres contain an inner layer of sealant material along the tread. If a nail or other foreign object punctures the tyre, the sealant layer closes the hole to prevent the air from escaping, and the tyre stays inflated and the self-sealing tyre will be having a typical symbol code on the tyre sidewall (Fig.4) to identify this class of tyres.

Self-sealing tyres are designed to fix most tread-area punctures instantly and permanently. These tyres feature standard tyre construction with the exception of an extra lining inside the tyre under the tread area that might be coated with a puncture sealant that can permanently seal most punctures from nails, bolts or screws up to 3/16 of an inch in diameter.

Since  these tyres are designed to seal the tyre immediately upon being punctured, most drivers will never even know that they just had a puncture. Also, because these tyres feature standard tyre constructions, self-sealing tyres may not require a low air pressure warning system (TPMS).

In such tyres, the puncture holes remain sealed with sticky gel even if the puncturing object becomes dislodged. Self-sealing tyre gel  is a sticky, viscous sealant layer. They are designed to fix most tread-area punctures instantly and permanently.  Self Sealing gel inside a tyre and in contact with tyre inner-liner  is an extra lining of sticky gel-like polymer  sealant,  a patented liquid, injected through tyre valve under pressure. A liquid contains patented polymer and fibre. During Puncture, when air rushes through, it also carries liquid and solidifies there, causing air sealing.

A tyre sealant is a complete puncture preventative, tyre repair and maintenance solution. It is a liquid and gel base substance, with the primary composition being either glycerin or latex. Specially formulated with advanced Kevlar fibers, rubber particles and cooling agents, the solution permanently seals punctures and protects the tyre. Tyre sealants have been adapted for every tyre usage, from bicycles, motorbikes, cars and agriculture to the most extraneous mining and military conditions.

These tyres have been reported to continue to operate years without getting the tread repaired. A few major tyre companies in the self-sealing tyre market are among ; ContiSeal  by Continental AG, DuraSeal by Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Co., Sealguard by Hankook Tyre Co. Ltd., and Seal Inside by Pirelli Tyre LLC ,NailGard by Uniroyal Goodrich Tyre Co. A few highlights of self-sealing tyres are:

• The sealant is just a layer inside a conventional tyre, and the ride is not affected.
• While a tyre pressure monitoring system is useful, self-sealing tyres can be used on vehicles that are not equipped with TPMS.
• They do not require a specialized rim, or special equipment to mount them.
• You can mix them with conventional tyres on a vehicle.
• There are not many downsides to self-sealing tyres. There is a limit to the size of nail or screw puncture that the tyre can handle, usually about 5mm in diameter, and ideally near the middle of the tread.
• The sealant layer is not for deep cuts across the tread, or cuts or punctures in the sidewall.
• While the tyre can close the puncture wound and prevent air loss, the tyre should still be examined and repaired if necessary.
• The technology still is not that common among many tyre companies.
• They are generally more expensive than a regular tyre.

*smajumdar501234@yahoo.co.in

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Chhattisgarh-based technology company Aarika Innovation has introduced KoolWheel, an automated tyre water spray cooling system manufactured in India.

The product is designed for freight vehicles and school buses to manage tyre overheating caused by road surface temperatures.

The system uses IR (infrared) temperature sensors, a 5-bar pump and solenoid valves to spray a mist on tyres when temperatures exceed a threshold. The hardware operates on a 12V setup and includes a controller that requires no driver intervention. Dashboard indicators and buzzers provide alerts regarding system status and temperature levels.

The company has introduced two variants of the product for KoolWheel Freight, which is designed for trucks, trailers and multi-axle vehicles, covering up to 22 tyres across six axles. And KoolWheel SchoolSafe, which is developed for school buses and coaches, featuring a 50-litre stainless steel tank and an automatic shutoff to prevent battery drain.

The company states the system can reduce tyre temperatures by up to 25deg Celsius and extend tyre life by up to 35 percent. The technology is intended to reduce the risk of blowouts and maintenance costs for fleet operators. The product is currently available in markets including Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana.

Swayam Agarwal, Founder, Aarika Innovation, said, “KoolWheel has been created to solve a very real problem faced by Indian transporters and school bus operators every day. Tyre overheating is not just a maintenance issue; it directly impacts road safety, operating costs, and fleet reliability. With KoolWheel, our aim is to offer an affordable, intelligent, and Made-in-India solution that helps fleets run safer, longer, and more efficiently.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

European tyre major Pirelli is starting production of its Cyber Tyre technology at its plant in Georgia. The facility produces tyres for the US market, including products for the motorsport segment.

The announcement occurred during the SelectUSA Investment Summit. Cyber Tyre is a system that collects data from sensors embedded in tyres. This data is processed through software and algorithms to communicate with vehicle electronics. The system is intended to integrate with driving systems to provide functionalities for mobility and safety.

Pirelli is also introducing the Modular Integrated Robotised System (MIRS) at the factory. This manufacturing process uses robots to manage productivity and quality. The system creates a link between product design and application. This update is intended to increase the production capacity of the site.

The Georgia plant has operated for over two decades and includes a research and development centre. The facility uses natural rubber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Claudio Zanardo, CEO of Pirelli North America, said, “The start of Cyber Tyre production in our Rome, Georgia plant is a significant milestone for Pirelli in this country. It reflects our commitment to bringing advanced technologies like Cyber Tyre closer to the market, further strengthening our industrial footprint and innovation capabilities in the United States.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. developed a proprietary tyre mould design support system in April 2026, integrating finite element method (FEM) simulations and the company’s own artificial intelligence technology. This new tool is designed to augment the expertise of development personnel, enabling even less experienced staff to efficiently design moulds. It achieves this by providing data derived from numerous virtual experiments, which clarify how different mould design factors influence tyre characteristics.

The system accelerates mould development, lowers costs and minimises the rework typically associated with realising new designs. Furthermore, by fostering a multi-perspective understanding of the links between mould design elements and tyre performance, the tool equips Yokohama Rubber’s developers with fresh insights. These discoveries are expected to aid in creating tyres capable of achieving higher performance levels.

Developed under Yokohama Rubber’s HAICoLab AI concept launched in October 2020, the system addresses longstanding challenges. Mould design critically affects tyre traits, but traditionally understanding this relationship required expensive, time-consuming trial production and evaluations. The process also depended heavily on the tacit know-how of highly experienced staff, leading to variations in accuracy and development time based on individual expertise.

The support system resolves these issues through automated simulations and AI-based prediction and visualisation. It first generates numerous tyre FEM models with varied mould shapes and calculates their characteristics in a virtual space. These results train an AI surrogate model that instantly predicts design factor-performance relationships. By applying explainable AI technologies like SHAP and Partial Dependence Plots, the company’s developers can quantitatively visualise each factor’s impact, easily determining necessary adjustments to achieve targeted tyre characteristics.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

VMI has announced that it will showcase multiple new automation solutions at The Tire Cologne, aimed at advancing the retreading process. Among the innovations is an automatic splice unit, which will be on display and available for short demonstrations at the event. VMI account manager Ronald Noppers is scheduled to present on automation in retreading on 11 June at 12:45.

The company is introducing the automatic splice unit and automatic recipe loading as initial steps towards greater industry automation. Designed for applying extruded hot cushion gum to buffed tire casings, the VMI RETRAXX system currently relies heavily on skilled manual labour, a resource that is becoming scarcer and more expensive. To address this, VMI introduced an automated wingformer setting upgrade for the RETRAXX in 2024, allowing operators to start an automatic cycle that positions the wingformers without manual intervention.

Key advantages of these automation solutions include reduced operator dependency and improved uniformity and product quality. VMI will be located in hall 7 at stand number C-041.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!