Lab 2 LG Tires
Lab 2 LG Tires
Lab 2 LG Tires
Laboratory work № 2
Figure 1
The tire construction consists of the following components:
Tread: The tread is made of rubber mixed with other additives to obtain the desired
level of toughness, durability, and resistance to wear. The tread pattern is designed to
aircraft operational requirements, with the ribbed tread design used widely due to its
good traction under varying runway conditions.
Sidewall: The sidewall is a protective layer of rubber that covers the outer casing ply.
It extends from the tread edge to the bead area.
Tread Reinforcing Ply: One or more layers of fabric that strengthens and stabilizes the
tread area for high-speed operation. It also serves as a reference for the buffing process
when tires are retreaded.
Buff Line Cushion: The buff line cushion is made of rubber compound to enhance the
adhesion between the tread reinforcing ply and the breakers or casing plies. It is of
sufficient thickness to allow for the removal of the old tread when the tire is retreaded.
Breakers: Breakers are reinforcing plies of rubber-coated fabric placed under the buff
line cushion to protect casing plies and strengthen and stabilize the tread area. They
are considered an integral part of the casing construction.
Casing Plies: Alternate layers of rubber-coated fabric (running at opposite angles to
one another) provide the strength of the tire.
Wire Beads: Hoops of high tensile strength steel wire that anchor the casing plies and
provide a firm mounting surface on the wheel. The outer edge of the bead that fits
against the wheel flange is called the bead heel. The inner bead edge is called the bead
toe.
Apex Strip: A wedge of rubber affixed to the top of the bead bundle.
Flippers: Layers of rubberized fabric that help anchor the bead wires to the casing and
improve the durability of the tire.
Ply Turn ups: The casing plies are anchored by wrapping them around the wire beads,
thus forming the ply turn ups.
Chafer: A protective layer of rubber and/or fabric located between the casing plies and
wheel to minimize chafing.
Liner: In tubeless tires, the liner is a layer of low permeability rubber that acts as a
built-in tube and restricts gas from diffusing into the casing plies. In tube-type tires, a
thinner liner is used to prevent tube chafing against the inside ply.
Figure 2
A typical radial tire is illustrated in Figure 2. With their rigid belt, they provide
increased landings and reduced rolling resistance. They have fewer components in
their construction and are lighter than similarly sized bias ply tires. Components that
differ from bias-ply construction as follows:
Overlay: A layer of reinforcing rubber coated fabric placed on top of the belts to aid in
high speed operation.
Belt Plies: A composite structure that stiffens the tread area for increased landings.
The belt plies increase the tire strength in the tread area.
Casing Plies: As in bias-ply tires, the casing plies are layers of rubber-coated fabric.
However, unlike those in bias plies that run at opposite angles to one another, radial
plies run radially from bead to bead.
Chippers: The chippers are layers of rubber-coated fabric applied at diagonal angles
that improve the durability of the tire in the bead area.
6. What are the main procedures and recommendations are intended to get
maximum service life of aircraft tires
(1) Tire Inspection on the Aircraft
Firstly we need to inspect the tire condition while mounted on the aircraft on a regular
basis. Inflation pressure, tread wear and condition, and sidewall condition are
continuously monitored to ensure proper tire performance.
As for inflation pressure, during landing, an underinflated tire may flex beyond design
limits of the tire. This causes excessive heat build-up. To ensure tire temperature is
maintained within limits, tire pressure must be checked and maintained within the
proper range on a daily basis or before each flight if the aircraft is only flown
periodically.
Condition of an aircraft tire tread is able to be determined while the tire is inflated and
mounted on the aircraft. Evenly worn tread is a sign of proper tire maintenance.
Uneven tread wear has a cause that should be investigated and corrected. Follow all
manufacturer instructions specific to the aircraft when determining the extent and
serviceability of a worn tire. In the absence of this information, remove any tire that
has been worn to the bottom of a tread groove along more than 1ś8 of the
circumference of the tire. If either the protector ply on a radial tire or the reinforcing
ply on a bias tire is exposed for more than 1ś8 of the tire circumference, the tire should
also be removed.
In addition to tread wear, an aircraft tire should be inspected for damage. Cuts, bruises,
bulges, imbedded foreign objects, chipping, and other damage must be within limits to
continue the tire in service.
The primary function of the sidewall of an aircraft tire is protection of the tire carcass.
If the sidewall cords are exposed due to a cut, gouge, snag, or other injury, the tire
must be replaced. Mark the area of concern before removal of the tire. Damage to the
sidewall that does not reach the cords is typically acceptable for service.
Circumferential cracks or slits in the sidewall are unacceptable. A bulge in a tire
sidewall indicates possible delamination of the sidewall carcass plies. The tire must
immediately be removed from service.
(2) Tire Inspection Off of the Aircraft
When inspecting a tire removed from the aircraft, pay special attention to the bead
area since it must provide an air tight seal to the wheel rim and transfer forces from the
tire to the rim. Inspect the bead area closely as it is where the heat is concentrated
during tire operation. Surface damage to the chafer is acceptable and can be repaired
when the tire is retreaded.The wheel rim must also be inspected for damage. An
effective seal without slippage, especially on tubeless tires, is dependent on the
condition and integrity of the wheel in the bead seat area.
(3) Tire Repair and Retreading
The technician should follow airframe and tire manufacturer instructions to determine
if a tire is repairable. Aircraft tires are very expensive. They are also extremely
durable. The effective cost of a tire over its life can be reduced by having the tread
replaced while the carcass is still sound and injuries are within repairable limits. Tires
that are retreaded are marked as such. They are not compromised in strength and give
the performance of a new tire. No limits are established for the number of times a tire
can be retreaded. This is based on the structural integrity of the tire carcass. A well
maintained main gear tire may be able to be retreaded a handful of times before
fatigue renders the carcass un-airworthy. Some nose tires can be retread nearly a
dozen times.
(4) Tire Storage
An aircraft tire can be damaged if stored improperly. A tire should always be stored
vertically so that it is resting on its treaded surface. Horizontal stacking of tires is not
recommended. Storage of tires on a tire rack with a minimum 3–4-inch flat resting
surface for the tread is ideal and avoids tire distortion. If horizontal stacking of tires is
necessary, it should only be done for a short time. The weight of the upper tires on the
lower tires cause distortion possibly making it difficult for the bead to seat when
mounting tubeless tires.
Conclusions
From this laboratory work, i had learned the main material of tire, main function of
tire, tire classification, bias ply tire construction and radial ply tire construction. Which
are useful for us to select the tire we need. As for the bias-ply and radial tire, it is
better to use radial tire if the tire need to carry high load. In addition radial aircraft
tires should not be mounted on wheels designed for bias ply tires or bias tires on
wheels designed for radial tires without first checking with the wheel manufacturer. It
is acceptable to mount bias tires on nose positions and radial tires on main positions,
or vice versa, on the same aircraft. About the tire inspection, tire Repair and
Retreading, which make it possible to improve the serve life of the tire.