Sumitomo Tyre Technology

4D Nano Design

Sumitomo understands the how important the relationship between materials and performance is. To develop some of the world’s most technologically advanced tyres, means focusing on the rubber used to manufacture them. When existing formulas did not suffice, Sumitomo developed their own from scratch.

Using state-of-the-art machinery to measure, in real time, the nano-scale changes of the tyre’s molecular structure, Sumitomo successfully unlocked the performance potential of the rubber.

Sumitomo’s 4D Nano Design Technology expanded the functionality of their next-generation tyres by improving fuel efficiency, reducing environmental impact and increasing grip in both wet and winter weather. 

By combining cutting-edge analysis using synchrotron radiation and neutron beams and advanced simulation technology, 4D Nano Design makes it possible to perform accurate simulations of the behaviours and internal structures of rubber materials at the Nano scale.  

One of the achievements of this technology is a new tread rubber that doubled the wear performance of Sumitomo Tyres’ standard tread rubber. This innovative technology that is the result of basic research in materials science is enabling Sumitomo Tyres to efficiently develop next-generation tyre materials.
 

The SMART TYRE CONCEPT

The motor industry is experiencing changes due to the increase of demand for vehicles that are more convenient and friendlier to the environment. This shift in consumer taste has prompted a response from Sumitomo to focus their technological advancements on "Even Greater Safety" and "Even Higher Environmental Performance". Sumitomo Rubber Industries has launched their ‘SMART TYRE CONCEPT’, a technology development concept for new tyres in anticipation of the dawn of a new environmentally friendly and aware era.

The SMART TYRE CONCEPT is made up of three major technology categories:
 

• Safety Technologies to support greater safety

• Enasave Technologies to make positive contributions to the environment

• Core Technologies to support these efforts through the utilisation of cutting-edge simulation and analysis technologies

 
Below are the five research and development trends at the heart of Sumitomo Rubber Industries SMART TYRE CONCEPT:
 

• Sensing Core

• Active Tread

• Performance Sustaining Technology

• Airless Tyres

• LCA (Life Cycle Assessment)

Sensing Core

Sensing Core is an innovative technology that transforms tyres into sensors. Installed in the brake computer, Sensing Core can detect both varying road conditions and tyre conditions, such as; wear, load and tyre pressure. All the data that is collected is provided as feedback to the vehicle so that potential hazards arising from road or tyre conditions can be detected in advance and avoided entirely.

Active Tread

With autonomous vehicles coming to the forefront of technology, the role of humans ensuring safe transportation is due to reduce as vehicles take on a wider range of responsibilities. Sumitomo Rubber Industries is working towards establishing a new technology which will enable the tyre to perform the same high level of performance, regardless of the road condition
 

Performance Sustaining Technology

Tyre Lifetime Simulation technology predicts how performance will be affected as a tyre endures wear. Sumitomo Rubber Industries is utilising these advanced simulations in their ongoing development of Performance Sustaining Technology aiming to suppress reduction of a tyre’s performance after wear and rubber deterioration. Performance Sustaining Technology is already used in DUNLOP WINTER MAXX 02 tyres.
 

Airless Tyres

Airless tyres contribute to greater safety and peace of mind by freeing the driver from worries about punctures and the trouble of having to manage tyre pressure. Sumitomo Rubber Industries is moving forward with research and development to bring tyres that do not require inflation to market.

LCA (Life Cycle Assessment)

Since releasing the Dunlop Enasave 100, the first 100% fossil resource-free tyre made from all natural materials in 2013, Sumitomo Tire Industries have been working hard to develop even higher value-added proprietary biomass materials based on raw materials derived from plants. Furthermore, efforts have been increased to develop and release more environmentally-friendly tyres such as the Dunlop Enasave Next 2.