Studs-On-Demand from Nokian

[SubLGT]

Nokian is working on creating a winter tires that can have their studs deployed on demand, from a switch on the dashboard. They did not reveal exactly how it works however.

http://www.moderntiredealer.com/news/story/2014/02/nokian-studs-at-the-press-of-a-button.aspx

"……...Nokian says the concept tire and its unique stud technology gives a hint of the future. With a press of a button, the driver can bring out the studs to improve the grip of the tire. When the studs are not needed, they can be retracted back into the tire……….."

 

[Quattro Pete]

That's awesome. Let's hope it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

 

[dparm]

I feel like Bond already did this.

 

[Shannow]

Speed Racer was doing that in the '70s

 

[dailydriver]

I've always wondered whether this could actually be possible.

The WRC competitors on the Monte Carlo Rally would LOVE something like this, since that event has stages where they are on totally dry roads, where a 'cut slick' is optimal (even in the cold temps), but in the same stage there will be some corners/sections with ICE (black and/or otherwise)!!

 

[901Memphis]

It well controlled an arm and a leg. I can't even afford regular snow tires.

The roads sure would be thankful though.

 

[Rand]

they have had prototypes around for awhile.

the ones I saw had an "air bladder" that inflated and pushed the studs out?? something like that.

 

[Nebroch]

I'd call this a marketing stunt. Finnish stud manufacturers and some inventors have been trying to create system like this since 70s with little success.

 

[AboutTires]

http://youtu.be/qNXL2EEscuE

I do wonder whether they're air-driven or electrical or what. I also wonder what they'll do about treadwear in a production tire.

 

[CapriRacer]

Originally Posted By: AboutTires
http://youtu.be/qNXL2EEscuE

I do wonder whether they're air-driven or electrical or what. I also wonder what they'll do about treadwear in a production tire.


I'm thinking the simplest way to do this is to have a innertube-like thing for the studs inside the tire with an radio controlled valve between the tire and the air chamber that opens and closes - thereby allowing the tube to either be pressurized (the studs would be extended) or not (studs would be free to move).

And treadwear? I'm thinking no winter tires have treadwear warranties, so wouldn't this become a moot point?

 

[AboutTires]

What I mean is after some good treadwear those studs wouldn't be recessed anymore. You'd have to put them much deeper in the tread to get any mileage out of the tire.

Nokian's response to questions of how it's done - Nope. Not telling.

 

[tommygunn]

We already have "studs on demand"

They're called tire chains

 

[CapriRacer]

Originally Posted By: AboutTires
What I mean is after some good treadwear those studs wouldn't be recessed anymore. You'd have to put them much deeper in the tread to get any mileage out of the tire.

Nokian's response to questions of how it's done - Nope. Not telling.

Yes, the wear rate for studs is carefully controlled to be about the wear rate of the rubber (which kind of brings up the issue of aftermarket studs with unstudded tires - which I won't touch.)

BUT, in this case, I think it would matter. I think the whole idea of the studs only protruding a certain amount (I'm thinking the number is 2/32nds), is to have some rubber on the road when it isn't an icy surface - you know, a surface where the amount of rubber in contact with the road matters. If this device deploys the studs on demand, they don't need to worry so much about how much protrudes. The driver would retract the studs on non-icy surfaces.

 

[Ken2]

http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=151


Years ago I worked with a fellow who lived in a coastal town north of the Arctic Circle in Norway. Nothing but ice on their roads. He spoke of a ceramic stud that floated in its housing. It was supposed to extend by centrifugal force and bite into ice, but get pushed back in on dry pavement. I don't know how well these worked. By the way, the custom there was to get new sharp-edged studs put into the tires every year. Unheard of here. I think studs are sold in length increments of one millimeter, so finding the correct length is possible.

 

[AboutTires]

I think I'm being unclear. The body of the stud is recessed, say 2/32 into the tread and the pin comes out on demand. But after 3/32 of wear the stud body won't be recessed anymore - the tread will have worn away from it. You'd have to either recess the body farther in and have longer pins or... I don't even know what else. The stud body won't wear unless it's hitting pavement, which defeats the whole purpose of the concept.

 

[Kestas]

Originally Posted By: Ken2
He spoke of a ceramic stud that floated in its housing. It was supposed to extend by centrifugal force and bite into ice...

That almost sounds counterproductive. I would think the best time to have it activate is at low tire rotation speeds, such as starting or more importantly, braking.

Ceramics would be a horrible choice -- too brittle. Maybe he's thinking of tungsten carbide.

 

[SubLGT]

Nokian is predicting 10-20 years for a stud-on-demand tire to appear on the roads.

"………...With the technique we used for manufacturing them, it would be far too complicated to take the tyres into production with a production capacity of tens of thousands of tyres. This technique needs to be simplified and the development work will take at least 10-20 years when talking about normal tyre structures in use today…………."

http://nordictyreblog.com/remote-controlled-studded-tyres-available-future/

 

[BHopkins]

Originally Posted By: SubLGT
Nokian is predicting 10-20 years for a stud-on-demand tire to appear on the roads.

"………...With the technique we used for manufacturing them, it would be far too complicated to take the tyres into production with a production capacity of tens of thousands of tyres. This technique needs to be simplified and the development work will take at least 10-20 years when talking about normal tyre structures in use today…………."

http://nordictyreblog.com/remote-controlled-studded-tyres-available-future/


So, their release of the concept was nothing more than a PR ploy to show the consumer that Nokian is an innovative tire manufacturer?

It's easy to claim innovation on an idea that may or many not every progress into production. Who in 20 years from now will remember, if Nokian never manages to develop this concept?

 

[CapriRacer]

Originally Posted By: BHopkins
So, their release of the concept was nothing more than a PR ploy to show the consumer that Nokian is an innovative tire manufacturer?

It's easy to claim innovation on an idea that may or many not every progress into production. Who in 20 years from now will remember, if Nokian never manages to develop this concept?


I think you are correct in your assessment, but I don't think Nokian is alone in doing such things. I see where Bridgestone has a concept of a large diameter, narrow tire for fuel economy.

And I also think that Nokian has realized it is in a very vulnerable position. Their market niche is being overwhelmed by some very large tire manufacturers who can out spend them in R&D. Given the way the tire industry is going, a tire mnaufacturer with a market niche had better be sure no one wants to get into their niche - or find someway to carve out an immune position within that niche - and with winter tires, I don't think that is possible. I expect Nokian to either go out of business or be absorbed.