Cooper Tire & Rubber Company’s latest endeavor to develop custom, innovative tire solutions has resulted in a joint development agreement with Resilient Technologies, LLC to produce a new, state-of-the-art, non-pneumatic (airless) military tire prototype.The non-pneumatic tire (NPT) has been under development at Resilient for more than two years because of the growing number of military vehicles and personnel being stranded in Iraq, and elsewhere, due to flat tires caused by gunfire or shrapnel. Cooper Tire brings design, manufacturing, testing and performance expertise to this project. These attributes, coupled with Resilient Technologies’ experience with unique, engineered, advanced polymer products, pave the way for a revolutionary new product for the military. The NPT provides better mobility, range, functionality and reliability and requires less maintenance than a standard military HMMWV (Humvee) run-flat tire.
"We value the opportunity to work with Resilient Technologies on a project that directly helps save the lives of U.S. military personnel," said Chuck Yurkovich, Vice President of Global Technology for Cooper Tire. "The initial field tests, at speeds up to 55 mph, have reinforced that we’re on the right path regarding the tire’s structure and composition."
The airless tire abandons the traditional tire and rim design for a structure comprised of a unique rim, honeycomb and tread package, thereby eliminating the need for the cavity that typically retains air for a traditional tire. The honeycomb design allows bullets and shrapnel to move through the tire without disabling it. In fact, the NPT will continue to run even if a substantial portion of the honeycomb cells have been disabled.
"Cooper Tire’s expertise in tire manufacturing, testing and innovation uniquely complement Resilient’s expertise in polymer-based engineering," said Edward Hall, Vice President of Business Affairs and General Counsel for Resilient Technologies. "We are pleased to work with Cooper Tire in our efforts to safeguard those who protect our freedoms."
In its current design, the NPT is lighter than a traditional Humvee run-flat tire; does not require as much oil to manufacture; and is fully retreadable. After additional testing, Cooper Tire and Resilient Technologies will deliver prototypes to the U.S. Army, which will be manufactured for use on military Humvees.
Under the agreement, Cooper Tire and Resilient Technologies will introduce the NPT technology to commercial markets. "The strategy is to investigate how pieces of this technology could apply to advances on other vehicle platforms," added Yurkovich. "There are a lot of potential consumer benefits with a non-pneumatic tire and we’re looking forward to assessing the practicality of implementation in our markets."
