How Tyres Are Made

Learn How Tyres Are Made By Goodyear

What springs to mind when you think about buying a shiny new set of All Season tyres?  We’ll bet it’s not pizza.

Rather than tell you about how good our award-winning Vector 4Seasons tyres really are, we wanted to give you a different experience. Something you might not be considering when you look at your tyres but might just stick in your mind when you do come to buy a new set.

We’re working with DOUGH&co, makers of beautiful Italian pizzas across the UK to bring the Four Seasons pizza out of re-tyre-ment and bring it up to date for 2022. Are you ready for the new Four Seasons?

We bet you’ve got great taste in pizza and great taste in tyres too... Be ready for all seasons, whatever the weather.

 

What Are Tyres Made Of?

 

Many different materials are used to make tyres. In fact, tyres can be made of up to 30 different kinds of rubber as well as other components such as textiles, steel, antioxidants and fillers. To combine these ingredients into high-performance Goodyear tyres that meet our strict quality criteria is a complex process that has taken many years of research and development. 

Pizza Ingredients

  • Italian Flour
  • Fresh Yeast
  • Olive Oil
  • Water

Tyre Ingredients

  • Rubber
  • Textiles
  • Steel
  • Antioxidants
  • Fillers 




How Tyres Are Made

Each individual component of the tyre is produced in the factory throughout the manufacturing process – all coming together to produce the finished tyre. Initially, the raw materials (or ingredients) are blended and milled, before being built and cured into the tyre’s final shape. Every tyre is inspected before being approved to ensure they meet Goodyear’s standards. 

Goodyear tyre compound mixer and pizza dough mixer

Tyre Manufacturing Process

1. Ingredients are Blended Together

Rubber, fillers, antioxidants and other ingredients blended together to create a black, gummy compound that will be sent on for milling.

2. The Tyre Compound is Milled to Form the Basic Structure of the Tyre

The compound of ingredients from step one is milled and then cooled, before being cut into strips to form the basic structure of the tyre itself. Other elements of the tyre are also prepared at this stage, such as the fabric cords and steel belts.

3. The Tyre is Built from the Inside Out

Using special machinery, the materials that make up the tyre are assembled into what is known as a ‘green tyre’. Starting from the inside, the casing is built first, followed by the tread, shoulder and sidewall. The tyre is now starting to look like the finished article.

4. The tyre is Cured (or Vulcanised)

Using hot moulds in a curing press, the green tyre is then vulcanised, compressing all the parts of the tyre together and giving the tyre its final shape. This includes its tread pattern and manufacturer’s sidewall markings. It is this process of curing which enhances the tyre’s flexibility and elasticity.

5. Quality Control Inspections

No tyre is finished without being inspected to meet Goodyear’s high standard. This is a task performed by trained inspectors using special machinery. Some tyres will also be pulled from the line to be checked by x-rays. Not only that, but Goodyear’s quality control engineers will also randomly select tyres off the line and cut them open to ensure they meet our high standards.

Pizza Manufacturing Process

1. Ingredients are Blended Together

Activate the yeast in water until it starts to bubble. Mix Italian flour, fresh yeast, olive oil and water together to make a sticky dough. Leave to prove

 

2. Dough is Beaten and Stretched

The basic dough is then inserted into the mixer to be kneaded to create a nice stretchy texture after which it proves again.

 

3. Pizza is Shaped and the Toppings are Added

The chef stretches the dough to get a good shape, sauce and toppings are added as per the order.

 

4.  The Pizza is Baked

The chef using a long-handled peal inserts the pizza into a wood-fired oven for approximately 60-90 seconds.

 

5. The Pizza gets Chef's Approval

Once Chef is happy the pizza is ready for eating!



How long the tyre is baked or cured for?

  • Tyre around 10-15 mins
  • Pizza 60-90 seconds

What temperature are they cured?

  • Pizza 400°c
  • Tyres 170°c mark 

Average size of a tyre vs pizza

  • Tyre 16"
  • Pizza 12"


Car Tyre Materials

  • Rubber – Both natural and synthetic rubbers are used to form the core component of your car tyre. Rubber contains properties that help to provide slip resistance and elasticity in a tyre, which are two vital characteristics for high performance tyres.
  • Textiles – Fabrics such as rayon, nylon and polyester are used to reinforce the strength of a tyre, so it can support the weight of your vehicle. The fabrics are used as cords, which provide stability.
  • Steel – Steel is used in the form of steel belts and steel beads, which help to stiffen up the tyre and lock it to the wheel. The steel under the tread can also improve tyre wear performance and overall handling.
  • Antioxidants – To protect the rubber from exposure to oxygen and varying temperatures throughout the seasons, antioxidants are added to the materials used to make car tyres.
  • Fillers – Carbon black and silica are used to reinforce the strength of the tyre and to maximise the lifespan of your car tyres by reducing wear. 




Goodyear tyre in factory going through quality checks


Components of a Car Tyre

During the manufacturing process, the materials used to make tyres are formed into individual components which make up the overall structure of a car tyre. Each structural component plays a vital role in the performance of the tyre.

  • Tread – Tyre tread has one of the biggest impacts on the overall performance of the tyre. It is the soft outer area of the tyre which meets the road and provides grip on the road and reduces rolling resistance.
  • Beads – Made from high-strength steel, the beads help to connect your tyre to the wheel and secure it firmly in place with an airtight seal between your tyre and the rim of the wheel.
  • Sidewall – The sidewall is made of extra-thick rubber and forms the exterior wall of your tyre, providing lateral stability. It needs to be extra-thick to prevent damage. If your sidewall is damaged, you will likely need to replace the tyre rather than get it fixed. The sidewall also contains markings denoting manufacturer information about the tyre.
  • Shoulder – A tyre’s shoulder connects the tread to the sidewall and plays an important role in helping you take corners smoothly. Well designed and constructed tyre shoulders will help to provide excellent handling on the road.
  • Sipes and grooves – Sipes and deep grooves on the tread blocks improve aquaplaning resistance in the rain, dispersing water from underneath the tyre. They can also improve dispersion of snow, ice and mud as well as providing enhanced grip in wintry weather conditions. For this reason, you will see deeper grooves in the tread of all season tyres and winter tyres.
  • Ply – The plies are the layers of fabric that make up your tyre’s skeleton and helps to maintain the tyre’s shape, as well as giving it strength and flexibility.
  • Belt – Steel belts are positioned around the tyre to provide rigidity and reinforce strength. The belts also provide directional stability and help the tyre to retain its shape. Sometimes Kevlar cord is also added for extra strength, puncture resistance, and durability.




NEW: Vector 4Seasons Gen-3

More test wins than any other brand tested*.

Popular choice for: Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Golf, Skoda Octavia, Nissan Qashqai, Vauxhall Astra
Available in sizes: 14" - 20"

Snow Grip Technology

Better grip on snow through large amount of sipes at the center of the tread. The sipes influence each other at their intersection, stimulating their opening for better grip.

Dry Handling Technology

Shorter dry braking & Improved dry handling. Reduced deformation of the tire during heavy maneuvers through strong crown & shoulder blocks.

Aqua Control Technology

Lifetime Aqua Planing Resistance. Over time grooves evolve to continuously ensure water dispersion.





Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 SUV Tyre Shot


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