subject: Information About The Assembly Process Of Hankook Tires [print this page] If you have ever wondered how a quality set of Hankook tires are formed, you just might be amazed at how it is actually done. Given that there are so many tools and materials that go into the numerous steps in this process, it may seem a bit overwhelming at first, but it's not quite as complex as you might think. By following a new tire from one step to the next, not only would you be able to learn a lot about the process, you might even enjoy yourself.
Instead of jumping straight into the assembly of the tire, we should first take a quick look at the pieces being assembled. The innermost part of the tire is known as the bead, which is at the very hub and fits the tire to the rim. The bead is a piece of steel cable that is covered in rubber and is necessary for keeping the tire tightly seated in place.
The next piece is called the sidewall, which is exactly what its name implies: the side of the tire. Sidewalls are needed to give tires the vertical support they need to keep your vehicle off the ground. A lot of what gives the sidewalls their strength are the various layers of materials and the thick rubber that coats them and keeps them bonded together. The strength of the tire is usually determined by how many plies it has.
At the highest point of the sidewalls you have the tread, which is the part that actually comes in contact with the road. The tread is made up of all kinds of different types of rubber to give it a sturdier bond. There is a steel belt underneath the tread that is there to reinforce it and keep the tire square against the road.
Now that all the pieces are ready, the manufacturer uses a special tire-forming machine that can put all the pieces together as they are intended. The raw rubber tire is then placed into a curing machine so that all the various patterns, numbers, and letters can be applied all around it. During this process, a certain amount of heat is applied to the tire that strengthens the bonds between all of the tire's many components. After a successful inspection of the tire and all of its parts, it is ready to be shipped to wherever Hankook tires are sold.
