Michelin has launched a new XDR3 range of tyres for rigid dump trucks operating in surface mines with new features that increase tyre life by a claimed 10%.
The global French tyre powerhouse said the new 40.00 R 57 and 53/80 R 63 XDR3 tyres have been designed to face one of the main challenges confronting mine operators who use rigid dump trucks that of reducing the cost per ton of excavated material while ensuring safety and increasing profitability.
The new XDR3 range incorporates three key innovations, which together increase tyre life by a minimum of 10% compared to its predecessor, the XDR2, Michelin said in a statement.
According to the manufacturer, the first of these is a new tread pattern that offers multiple benefits, such as better endurance due to improved heat dissipation capabilities, which makes it run 8°C cooler in the tread area. The second feature is an exclusive new mixing process that ensures a more uniform composition of four rubber compounds and a superior level of carbon black dispersion, increasing wear resistance.
The third innovation, the statement added, is the use of high-strength corrosion isolating steel cables in the tyres casing, which are 10% stronger than in the XDR2 and are encapsulated in rubber to prevent the spread of corrosion within the casing, extending the life of the tyre.
The XDR3 is also MEMS ready, a feature that makes it possible to quickly install data sensors to record temperature and pressure information in real time, Michelin said.
The XDR3 was developed over more than six years, during which it travelled more than 25 million kilometres, equivalent to circling the Earth 625 times, the company added. The 40.00 R57 XDR3 is now available, while the 53/80 R63 will be available from January 2017.
