By Ralf Berres and Dr Dieter Barz

The Industry Grip Testing System (IGTS) is a brand new measurement trailer, developed as a joint project between tyre maker Michelin and solution provider Altracon. It comprehends the knowledge of both tyre and measurement equipment experts and represents the technical feasibility in terms of tyre characteristics measurement on the road with state of the art ease of use.

The Altracon Industrial Grip Trailer System IGTS consists of a modular concept design. One development target was to keep the system variable for existing as well as for future test- and measurement tasks and to adapt to any kind of on the road testing requirement.

The IGTS grip testing trailer is built for straight dry and wet-braking tests. The trailer’s frame and wheel load station are optimised by FEM technology for highest stiffness and lowest deformation.

Design features

The trailer is made of a stiff frame with independent wheel suspension for the left and right wheels and is equipped with a variable towing bar to level different heights of the vehicles hitches. It may be pulled from any drawing vehicle with sufficient trailing load and engine torque for the measurements, no matter if it is a Pick-up, SUV, or truck. The IGTS hosts an independent test wheel load station. It is placed in the center of the trailer between the carrying wheels and presses the test wheel to the road surface on a path between the trailer wheels. The test-wheel load station is equipped with a high-performance disk brake to apply the braking torque/ force to the test wheel for grip testing. All functions are independent from the drawing vehicle while it carries all the necessary supplies on board except of the water tank, which is carried by the drawing vehicle.

The concept design is prepared to be extended with dynamic test capability with camber and slip variation, which will be included in the IGTS “Force and Moment” trailer. The test wheel load station and its media supply and control system may also be built into other vehicles such as busses or trucks, which must be prepared accordingly as a matter of course. 

The trailer is equipped with a modular undercarriage set-up. The basic trailer requires only one axle to perform grip measurements, which are done straight rolling/ braking. The directional stability of the trailer is enhanced by two additional lift axles, one in front and one behind the carrying axle of the trailer, to run dynamic tests with the IGTS on the road when it is equipped with camber and slip variation functionality. These lift axles are only used during the actual measurement and will be lifted for taxiing and transportation. Both axles use smaller wheels than the carrying axle and also have independent wheel suspension. The wheels of the lift axles are moreover actively steered to balance side forces which may be generated during testing. The drive performance control system adjusts the trailers’ Eigen modes in vertical and lateral direction and significantly improves the directional stability.

The IGTS test wheel load station is light-weight to reduce the effect of mass of inertia. It is equipped with an active wheel load control while previous test trailers just use dead weights. A fully automatic and adjustable damping control at the testing axle adjusts the Eigen mode and cares for smooth running and best precondition for the measurement on any road. The high-performance long-life wheel spindle is specially designed for lowest rolling resistance.

Power supply is done by batteries, which are loaded by generators. These are inbuilt to the carrying axle at each side. The power supply engineering may be designed as 48V DC as well as 240/400 1- or 3-phase AC with converter for special applications.

Compressed air is supplied from an inbuilt compressor with air tank for inflation pressure adjustment or control as well as for connection of air driven tools.

Hydraulic supply from an inbuilt hydraulic pump system with accumulator tank enables dynamic load, brake, and steering function.  The high-speed characteristics of the hydraulic supply is suitable to simulate braking performance (ABS) and quick release brake pressure at the test wheel. It allows to run up to 8 repeatable tests per 100 m in a sequence in combination with the high-performance brake-control techniques.

The optional water management system is integrated and allows controlled watering of the test-wheels path. The nozzles are placed in front of the test wheel. Their watering width is adjustable to 420mm and their watering height is controlled by flow-measurement, which is adjustable between 0 and 4mm at maximum speed of 100 km/h. The system is operating with continuous water flow for quickest reaction times. It is pressure-controlled and switches between circulating and spraying mode without any time lag and pressure loss.

Measurements

The trailer speed measurement is precisely done directly at both carrying wheels. Different speeds measured at the left and right side indicate deviation from the straight path. The alignment of the drawing vehicle and the trailer is moreover precisely measured with a laser-based alignment measurement system if the IGTS is equipped with camber and slip variation functionality. Inputs from both, the speed and the alignment measurement system, will generate correction of the directional stability by the control system.

The wheel speed of the test-wheel is precisely measured directly at the test-wheel spindle with an encoder, which also gives information about the braking process of the test wheel.

Forces and moments at the test wheel are synchronously measured in x- and z-direction with 1-component sensors. A multi-component force and moment dynamometer, which may use strain gauge or quartz technology, is optionally available as an alternative. It is integrated to the wheel spindle, fully covered and shielded. However, both set-ups are available either independent or together.

All measurements of motion are done with precision sensors, using various technologies, depending on the entire parameter. For referencing, speed and location recording different control and measurements techniques are used as well.

Ergonomics

The test-wheel carrier design enables to turn the wheel by 90° around its vertical axle for wheel exchange and service. This allows the operator to access the wheel fixation from the back of the trailer.

SUMMARY OF DISTINCTIVE FEATURES

-              Light-weight wheel suspension to reduce the mass of inertia

-              Low rolling resistance high-performance long-life wheel spindle

-              Measurement systems as single axle or with dynamometer technics

-              High precise load control designed for equalised axle weight

-              Eigen-mode adjustment by fully automatic and adjustable damping control at the testing axle

-              Brake system with high speed characteristics hydraulic supply to simulate braking performance (ABS) and quick release brake pressure   

-              High performance braking control system

-              Test sequences with up to 8 tests per 100 m in a row.

-              Modular trailer undercarriage for one or three axle systems for characteristics testing including drive performance measurement and control technics to adjust the trailers’ Eigen-mode in vertical and lateral direction

  -            Integration in existing testing environment and customised data solution

  -            Different control and measurement technics for referencing, speed and position recording

  -          Optional water-levelling system to apply an adjustable water film in front of the test-wheel in case of a missing road watering system

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As India’s industrial sector accelerates its shift towards cleaner energy, tyre manufacturers are emerging as a critical test case for integrating renewable power into continuous, high-load operations. In this conversation, Kuldeep Jain, Founder and Managing Director of CleanMax, outlines how demand from companies such as CEAT and Michelin is reshaping renewable procurement – from conventional solar contracts to hybrid, round-the-clock solutions – while positioning clean energy as both an operational necessity and a strategic lever for decarbonisation.

Industrial decarbonisation in India is entering a more operational phase, where renewable electricity is no longer a peripheral lever but an embedded component of manufacturing strategy. For CleanMax, this shift is most visible in energy-intensive sectors such as tyre manufacturing, where continuous processes, global supply-chain pressures and ESG commitments are converging to reshape how power is procured and consumed.

Kuldeep Jain, Founder and Managing Director of CleanMax, describes a market moving beyond cost arbitrage towards structural integration of clean energy. Demand from tyre manufacturers – long characterised by high, stable electricity loads – is now influencing both project design and procurement models, pushing developers towards hybrid and round-the-clock renewable solutions. 

Energy-intensive industries are increasingly prioritising renewable electricity to manage power costs and reduce operational emissions. Manufacturing sectors with continuous loads are particularly suited to long-term renewable procurement models such as group captive and open-access PPAs, which provide cost stability while supporting decarbonisation goals,” Jain says.

That demand is already translating into project pipelines. CleanMax’s collaboration with CEAT involves developing 59 MW of hybrid wind-solar capacity to supply renewable power to its Halol and Kanchipuram plants. Similarly, its engagement with Michelin includes an open-access solar power purchase agreement supporting operations at the company’s Chennai facility.

“These projects illustrate how large industrial consumers are integrating renewables into their long-term energy strategy. For instance, globally, the International Energy Agency has already noted that industrial electrification and renewable procurement will drive the next phase of the energy transition. Tyres are firmly in that wave,” Jain notes.

FROM INTERMITTENT SUPPLY TO ENGINEERED RELIABILITY

Tyre manufacturing presents a distinctive challenge for renewable integration. Plants operate continuous processes – mixing, curing and vulcanisation – that require stable baseload electricity and thermal energy. Traditional solar PPAs, while cost-effective, are inherently intermittent, limiting their suitability for such operations.

The industry is therefore evolving towards hybrid models that combine multiple renewable sources. “Hybrid projects are gaining traction because they smooth generation across the day, improving plant load factors,” Jain says. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, such hybrid systems are among the fastest-scaling formats for industrial decarbonisation.

“As a result, the industry is moving beyond single-source solar PPAs towards wind-solar hybrid projects and open-access group captive models that provide higher plant load factors and more balanced generation profiles across the day. Wind-solar hybrid is increasingly seen as the most practical and efficient pathway to scale renewable penetration in continuous manufacturing environments,” Jain explains.

This shift reflects a broader reframing of renewables – not as intermittent substitutes for fossil fuel power but as engineered systems tailored to industrial demand curves. The emphasis is on aligning generation profiles with consumption patterns, rather than expecting operations to adapt to variable supply.

SECTOR-SPECIFIC DECARBONISATION PATHWAYS

Not all heavy industries decarbonise along the same trajectory. Jain draws a clear distinction between tyre manufacturing and sectors such as cement or steel, where process emissions form a significant share of the carbon footprint.

“If you step back, industries don’t decarbonise in the same way because they don’t consume energy in the same way. A tyre plant is largely powered by electricity. So if you clean up the electricity, you’ve already addressed a meaningful part of its emissions,” he says.

However, the challenge lies in reliability. “These are continuous operations. They don’t switch off when the sun sets or the wind drops. That’s why hybrid becomes important, as a way of shaping energy to demand,” Jain adds.

“In case of cement or steel, a significant portion of emissions comes from how the product itself is made. So the shift we’re seeing is subtle but important. It’s about redesigning the energy profile itself so that clean energy isn’t intermittent in theory but dependable in practice,” he continues.

The implication is that electrification-driven sectors such as tyre manufacturing can achieve faster decarbonisation gains through renewable procurement, provided supply reliability is addressed through hybridisation and system design.

ESG, PRODUCT STRATEGY AND COMPETITIVE POSITIONING

Renewable energy is also assuming a more strategic role within tyre companies’ ESG frameworks. What began as a cost-management exercise is increasingly tied to product innovation, sustainability reporting and global competitiveness.

“The conversation around renewable energy in the tyre industry has clearly evolved beyond cost optimisation. Many manufacturers are increasingly integrating renewable power into their broader ESG strategies and supply-chain decarbonisation commitments, particularly as global automotive OEMs push for lower-carbon sourcing across the value chain,” Jain says.

This transition is evident at the product level. CEAT’s launch of its SecuraDrive CIRCL tyre – produced with up to 90 percent sustainable materials – signals how manufacturers are aligning product design with sustainability objectives.

“Renewable electricity procurement helps reduce Scope 2 emissions and supports the development of lower-carbon products, which is becoming an important factor in both sustainability reporting and global competitiveness. As a result, renewable energy is now seen not only as a cost-management tool but also as a strategic lever for product decarbonisation and ESG positioning,” Jain explains.

TECHNOLOGY MIX AND OPERATIONAL ALIGNMENT

From a systems perspective, no single technology provides a complete solution. CleanMax advocates a portfolio approach that combines generation assets with digital tools and flexible contracting structures.

“A portfolio approach works best. For manufacturing operations with steady electricity demand, hybrid renewable systems combining solar and wind have proven effective, as the complementary generation profiles improve overall availability and plant load factors,” Jain says.

Digital energy management platforms play a supporting role by optimising dispatch and aligning supply with consumption patterns. Flexible procurement structures, including open-access and group captive models, further enhance adaptability across sites and regulatory regimes.

“In practice, hybrid setups combining solar and wind have proven effective because they smooth generation across the day and improve overall availability. That’s what makes renewable power usable at scale,” Jain adds.

The CEAT and Michelin projects exemplify this approach, integrating multiple procurement pathways – onsite solar, offsite generation and open-access PPAs – to increase renewable penetration without compromising operational stability.

POLICY VARIABILITY AND MULTI-LOCATION STRATEGIES

India’s regulatory landscape remains heterogeneous, with state-level policies shaping the feasibility and economics of renewable procurement. For tyre manufacturers operating across multiple locations, this creates both complexity and opportunity.

“Overall, the ecosystem is steadily evolving to support higher renewable penetration practically. Open-access mechanisms are becoming more aligned with industrial needs. Renewable procurement is naturally becoming more location-specific,” Jain says.

Different state frameworks enable companies to tailor their energy mix – combining onsite solar with offsite wind or solar depending on regional resource availability and regulatory incentives.

“In practice, this leads to more balanced and resilient energy portfolios. This is also where developers with experience across markets can add value by structuring solutions that are aligned to each site’s load profile, regulatory context and long-term cost objectives, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach,” Jain explains.

GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS AND RISING EXPECTATIONS

Pressure from global automotive OEMs is accelerating the adoption of renewable energy in India’s tyre sector. As manufacturers integrate more deeply into international supply chains, emissions performance is becoming a criterion for sourcing decisions.

“As tyre manufacturers become more integrated with global OEM supply chains, expectations around emissions are becoming more defined. Renewable electricity is one of the more immediate ways to address this, especially for Scope 2 emissions,” Jain says.

“What we’re seeing is more about alignment – companies are adapting their energy mix to stay relevant in global markets, where sustainability is increasingly part of how sourcing decisions are made,” Jain says.

This dynamic is likely to intensify as OEMs tighten decarbonisation targets and extend accountability across their value chains, reinforcing the role of renewable energy in industrial competitiveness.

THE NEXT FRONTIER: TRACEABILITY AND CARBON MARKETS

As companies move towards net-zero targets, the focus is broadening beyond direct emissions to include value-chain impacts and verification mechanisms.

“Instruments such as renewable energy certificates and carbon markets help companies transparently account for the renewable electricity they procure. At the same time, there is growing focus on Scope 3 reporting as manufacturers work to address emissions across their broader value chains and align with global supply-chain decarbonisation expectations,” Jain says.

Traceability – ensuring that renewable energy claims are verifiable and auditable – is expected to become increasingly important, particularly for export-oriented manufacturers facing stringent disclosure requirements.

A DECADE OUTLOOK: ACHIEVABLE, BUT CONDITIONAL

Looking ahead, Jain is cautiously optimistic about the pace of renewable adoption in India’s tyre manufacturing sector. The fundamentals – declining costs, expanding capacity and supportive policy evolution – are largely in place.

“Over the next decade, higher renewable penetration in tyre manufacturing is well within reach, especially as clean power availability continues to expand. For electricity-led operations, increasing the share of renewable energy is already a practical pathway, not a distant target,” he says.

However, execution will hinge on system-level factors. “What will make the difference is how reliably this power can be integrated at scale – through consistent open-access frameworks, stronger grid alignment, and wider use of hybrid solutions that better match continuous industrial demand,” Jain says.

The trajectory is clear: renewable energy in tyre manufacturing is transitioning from opportunistic adoption to structural integration. For developers such as CleanMax, the challenge – and opportunity – lies in engineering solutions that convert intermittent resources into dependable industrial infrastructure.

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Wallace Instruments, a globally recognised leader in rubber testing equipment, has expanded its United Kingdom-manufactured specimen preparation lineup with the launch of the WAS3 Pneumatic Cutting Press. The new device joins the company’s range of rubber testing equipment.

Unlike manual cutting methods, pneumatic systems apply consistent force on every cycle, eliminating operator fatigue and variability. Poorly prepared specimens with uneven edges or internal stress can compromise test accuracy, while the pneumatic approach also reduces repetitive physical strain, supporting technician wellbeing during long production runs.

The WAS3 prioritises safe single-operator use through a two-button activation system requiring both buttons to be pressed within half a second, preventing any hand contact with the cutting area. Additional three-sided protective guards further enhance operational safety.

Delivering 15 kN of cutting force, the press easily cuts through 10-mm thick, 95 Shore A rubber sheet using five bar of filtered air pressure. It works with existing Wallace cutting dies, so laboratories can integrate the unit without replacing current tooling, and its compact footprint suits both lab and production environments.

Chris Norval, Managing Director, Wallace Instruments, said, "Specimen preparation is the foundation of accurate rubber testing. With the WAS3, we focused on practical safety, dependable cutting performance and drop-in compatibility. Labs get a compact pneumatic press that fits the air lines already in place, uses their current Wallace dies and delivers consistent results for every operator – because when specimen quality is controlled, you can have confidence in the results that follow."

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DUNLOP (company name: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.) has teamed up with Fujitsu Limited to create an artificial intelligence (AI) surrogate model that predicts tyre performance rapidly and with high precision. The breakthrough was validated in a proof of concept tied to DUNLOP’s digital transformation strategy. When applied to tyre deformation upon road contact, the technology slashed analysis time by 90 percent, from 45 minutes to just 5 minutes while processing nearly 600,000 mesh elements.

Based on these results, both firms will build a design support tool, aiming for deployment at DUNLOP by April 2027. The system runs on FUJITSU MONAKA, a next-generation energy efficient Arm-based CPU.

Tyre design typically relies on finite element method (FEM) analysis, where finer mesh grids boost accuracy but increase calculation time and costs. To tackle this, the partners developed an AI surrogate model that solves FEM equations using past data. The model, based on the Graph Neural Network algorithm, predicted contact shape with 87.7 percent accuracy, enabling faster decisions and lower costs.

Select findings will be shared at the 31st Computational Engineering Conference starting 3 June 2026. By December 2026, both companies will test the model on a FUJITSU MONAKA prototype to refine speed and power use.

Under its long-term strategy R.I.S.E. 2035, DUNLOP seeks to provide new experiential value from rubber. Through this co creation, the tyre maker will enhance its analytical technologies and strengthen innovation. Fujitsu will promote this approach across large scale FEM analysis in automotive and other manufacturing sectors, contributing to carbon neutrality via an AI platform combining FUJITSU MONAKA and GNN.

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Starrett-Bytewise has appointed GL Inspect GmbH as its new European sales representative. The German firm, led by Christian Lantzsch and based in Hargesheim, will oversee regional operations. The partnership aims to provide local expertise for demanding measurement challenges across tyre plants, steel mills and extrusion lines.

Lantzsch and the GL Inspect team bring a sophisticated understanding of non-contact metrology. Their technical background aligns with the diverse industrial sectors served by Starrett-Bytewise, ensuring that European customers receive support tailored to specific materials and production environments. The collaboration strengthens local technical knowledge and on-site application assistance.

Under this agreement, European customers gain direct access to local consultations and expanded on-site evaluations led by Lantzsch’s team. Laser measurement solutions can be better integrated into individual production lines. The partnership also streamlines communication and support, building on existing European infrastructure to enable seamless transitions to automated in-line inspection.

The appointment represents a significant investment in European infrastructure. Having GL Inspect on the ground shortens the distance between Starrett-Bytewise’s U.S. engineering team and local factory floors. Faster application assessments, more frequent site visits and industry-specific language support are key outcomes of the new arrangement.

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