News

Steelastic To Attend Tire Technology Expo 2023

Tire Industry leaders around the world are gathering for the Tire Technology Expo, and Steelastic is proud to join their ranks. The conference will take place March 21-23, 2023, in Hanover, Germany. Attendees will have the chance to learn from 130 speakers, including short courses presented by the University of Akron Tire Mechanics, and visit with 220 exhibitors.

This year, the preliminary focus will be to present and celebrate the new technologies and developments that have happened in the last two years, while the sharing and collaboration of many developments were inhibited by the pandemic.

“We have revolutionized the tire manufacturing industry for more than 50 years. Today, Steelastic is leading the industry with the calenderless process and are excited to bring that to this year’s Tire Tech Expo,” said Patrick Calderone, VP of Sales and Marketing.

Individuals or teams planning to attend the expo can reach out to Steelastic to schedule a time to meet during the expo and show how a calenderless system can save you time and money in the tire manufacturing process.

Tire Tread close-upExpo Details – At A Glance

Date: March 21-23, 2023

Venue: Deutsche Messe Messegelände 30521 Hannover Germany

Booth Number: 8014

Register today!

About Steelastic

Founded in 1970, Steelastic is the global leader in calenderless tire component production equipment. Our revolutionary extrusion-based systems produce all the reinforcement components utilized in modern tires without the need for rubber calendering equipment.

We offer a complete portfolio of belt, cap strip, inner liner, and apex systems for passenger, truck, bus, off road, aircraft and motorcycle tires. In 2015, RMS Equipment Company merged with Steelastic and expanded our machinery portfolio to include extruders, extrusion systems, mini calenders, and tire building equipment. All of these parts, and more, can be found at Steelastic’s Aftermarket Part’s store.

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Find Us At Rubber News’ 2022 Hose & Belt Manufacturers Conference

2022 Hose & Belt Manufacturers Conference

Steelastic is joining the 2022 Hose & Belt Manufacturers Conference hosted by Rubber News. The conference, which is slated for April 12-13, 2022, takes place at the Sheraton Suites Akron in Cuyahoga Falls, OH.

As a proud exhibitor at this year’s event, Steelastic is providing a 10% discount to register — enter code STEELASTIC-10 at checkout. Hotel blocks will close March 11, 2022, so act quickly to secure your spot.

The Hose & Belt Manufacturers Conference is a dynamic opportunity to explore new technologies, examine industry trends and material innovations, and network with peers. Topics of discussion include:

  • Supply chain challenges
  • Business and economic climate considerations
  • Regulatory updates
  • Technical advances
  • and more.

View the agenda for the complete list of sessions.

Exhibitors at this event will also include ARDL, BASF, DeWAL, FulFlex, Kuraray, Kusumgar, Mehler, Performance Additives, Smithers, Spherix, UniSource-Energy, Zeon and Zeppelin.

For more information about the conference or to register yourself or your organization, visit the conference event page or contact Rubber News Events.

We at Steelastic look forward to talking with you when the exhibition open at 7:30 a.m. April 12.

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Steelastic to exhibit at Tire Technology Expo 2022

Europe’s premiere tire manufacturing technology exhibition and conference is back, and we hope to see you there. Steelastic will attend and exhibit at Tire Technology Expo 2022 from May 18-20 in Hannover, Germany.

“After more than a year of virtual trade show events, we’re looking forward to seeing our customers and other industry leaders again in-person,” said Patrick Calderone, Steelastic Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “The Tire Technology Expo showcases the latest advancements in the tire manufacturing sector, and we’re excited to share all of the new developments from Steelastic.”

Steelastic’s booth (#8014) will feature videos and information on our innovative calenderless tire component production systems. We’ll have data sheets available on our belt, body ply, cap strip and apex systems, as well as our 360-degree bead apex inspection system.

If your team plans to attend the Tire Technology Expo, let’s schedule a time to meet. Our team will be available for consultations to review your specifications and calculate your return on investment, when you go calenderless with your production. Complete the form to schedule a consultation.

Tire Technology Expo 2022 LogoTire Technology Expo Details

  • Date: May 18-20, 2022
  • Venue: Halls 19/20/21, Deutsche Messe Messegelände 30521 Hannover, Germany
  • Booth Number: 8014

Register

About STEELASTIC:

Founded in 1970, Steelastic is the global leader in calenderless tire component production equipment. Our revolutionary extrusion-based systems produce all the reinforcement components utilized in modern tires without the need for rubber calendering equipment. We offer a complete portfolio of belt, cap strip, inner liner, and apex systems for passenger, truck, bus, off road, aircraft and motorcycle tires. In 2015, RMS Equipment Company merged with Steelastic and expanded our machinery portfolio to include extruders, extrusion systems, mini calenders, and tire building equipment. Learn more at https://www.steelastic.com/.

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STEELASTIC® Announces New Operations Manager

Jamison SwopeCUYAHOGA FALLS, OH – September 28, 2021.

STEELASTIC Announces Jamison Swope as Operations Manager.

We are pleased to announce that Jamison Swope has accepted the position of Operations Manager.

Jamison holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Ohio University. He has considerable experience within the capital equipment tire industry with Steelastic and has held several positions within the company over the past nine years.

About STEELASTIC:

Founded in 1970, The STEELASTIC Co., LLC is the leading designer and manufacturer of extrusion-based systems for manufacturing belt, cap strip, inner liner, and apex components for passenger, truck, bus, off road, aircraft and motorcycle tires. STEELASTIC is fueling the “Go Calenderless” revolution in the tire-making industry, allowing tire makers to now profitably manufacture shorter runs of multiple SKUs.

Today, STEELASTIC has over 900 systems operating in more than 55 countries around the world. STEELASTIC has been owned by Heico Companies LLC since 1998. Chicago-based Heico is a privately held business with a portfolio of more than 50 companies worldwide representing engineered components, specialty equipment, construction and industrial services and steel products. Steelastic is part of The Heico Companies’ Industrial Technologies Group (ITG) a group of companies focused across four key segments: heavy-duty construction, professional tools, capital equipment, and specialty solutions & components.

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Steelastic welcomes Doug Nidy to its growing sales team

Doug Nidy, Regional Sales Manager at SteelasticCUYAHOGA FALLS, OH – August 19, 2021.

Steelastic has named Doug Nidy as its new regional sales manager

Steelastic, a global leader in calenderless tire component production equipment, announced today the hiring of Doug Nidy as Regional Sales Manager. With a background in domestic and international capital equipment sales, Nidy will work closely with Steelastic’s customers to support their OE and aftermarket equipment needs.

“Doug brings a wealth of industry experience to our sales team, and we’re thrilled to have him on board,” said Patrick Calderone, Steelastic Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “He understands how the market is evolving for our customers. As more manufacturers see the value of going calenderless with their tire component production, our company continues to see tremendous growth. We’re confident Doug will help us keep pace with those demands and continue to provide the best systems and service for our customers.”

Nidy joins the team with 20 years of experience in manufacturing, domestic and international capital equipment sales, sales management and customer service of aftermarket parts, field service and retrofits. He also has a background in the paper, corrugating and steel tube and pipe industries. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Technology with a concentration in manufacturing from Kent State University. He also earned a Lean Six-Sigma Black Belt from Kent State University.

“My philosophy has always been to welcome change and take on new challenges,” said Nidy. “I’m excited to be joining such a talented team at Steelastic, where continuous innovation and customer service are fundamental values.”

About STEELASTIC:

Founded in 1970, Steelastic is the global leader in calenderless tire component production equipment. Our revolutionary extrusion-based systems produce all the reinforcement components utilized in modern tires without the need for rubber calendering equipment. We offer a complete portfolio of belt, cap strip, inner liner, and apex systems for passenger, truck, bus, off road, aircraft and motorcycle tires. In 2015, RMS Equipment Company merged with Steelastic and expanded our machinery portfolio to include extruders, extrusion systems, mini calenders, and tire building equipment. Learn more at https://www.steelastic.com/.

About Heico Companies

Steelastic is owned by Heico Companies, a privately held business based in Chicago, IL, with a portfolio of more than 50 companies worldwide representing engineered components, specialty equipment, construction and industrial services and steel products. Steelastic is part of The Heico Companies’ Industrial Technologies Group, a group of companies focused across four key segments: heavy-duty construction, professional tools, capital equipment, and specialty solutions and components.

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The System Integrator’s Role in Recovery from Pandemic-Driven Disruption

Thus far in 2021, you have not had to look hard to find a manufacturing business with a “Help Wanted” sign adorning their frontage. Here in northeast Ohio, talk radio has become a sounding board for business leaders to vent on a common theme: “We are unable to fill our demand due to labor shortages bottlenecking our operations.”

"Now Hiring" banner in front of a business

The root cause of our current labor shortage problem is beyond the scope of this article, as well as, outside the influence of the typical business manager. Here at Steelastic, we know through contacts within our automation supply chain, that many manufacturers have reacted to this problem by streamlining labor intensive operations with automation. This is accomplished by integrating sensing technology and/or material handling, including robotics, into their existing production systems.

Steelastic

Keys to System Integration

Over the past 51 years, Steelastic have forged a name for ourselves in engineering and manufacture of high precision, tire component production lines, citing nearly 800 installations in this time span. Eighty percent of these turnkey systems entail integration of mechanical, electrical, and software systems to the end of encapsulating horizontally spaced rows of steel tire cords with rubber in a continuous process.

Steel tire cords

In this experience, we have learned that system integration requires an extensive collection of tools and skillsets. To name a few of these keys:

  • High proficiency in mechanical, electrical, and software engineering fundamentals.
  • Knowledge of industry standards, especially safety related.
  • Intimacy with numerous software interfaces.
  • High skill level in fine tuning of hardware, including troubleshooting.
  • Continual awareness of the offerings of the automation market.
  • Longstanding relationships with the suppliers that serve us the solutions that we make our livings from integrating together.

Steelastic’s reputation is founded in a niche area of tire manufacturing, but we are well equipped to take on the broader challenges of numerous markets.

Automation Integration Examples

Proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control integration

Armored drain cableA drain cleaning equipment manufacturer uses a spring coiling machine to produce their armored drain cable. Part of their process involves induction heating of the cable once it is downstream of the coiling operation.

Historically, part of the operator’s responsibility was to measure the cable temperature, then adjust the heater output as necessary for the cable to achieve the required temperature. As the line speed varies, the heater output must be readjusted to maintain the required temperature. This manual, “open loop” process was eliminated by sourcing a sensor that could accurately measure the temperature of the cables reflective surface, then integrating this feedback into the heater output control.

From the customer’s perspective, this operator task was eliminated. The integration enables the employee to accomplish other tasks, and it reduced the level of “knowhow” required by the position, potentially making it easier to fill in the future.

The first key to getting this done successfully and in short order was Steelastic knew who to call to obtain a sensor that could accurately measure the temperature of this reflective surface. From there, our core skill set of setting up a PID control was deployed.

A typical manufacturing operation contains hundreds of similar labor streamlining opportunities throughout their facilities.

Unloader integration

There are countless examples of industrial production systems that require an operator to stand at the downstream end of the line, perform a “last-ditch” spot check that the product is defect free, and intervene in the event that a “bad one” comes through. This scenario is an unenviable task, filled with potential for errors, and a classic opportunity for automation enhancement.

Automated robot checking for defectsSteelastic routinely develop unload solutions for our production lines. We have hundreds of examples of both integrated “catalog” material handling and vision components, as well as, custom designed gantry and end effector tooling systems. Our broad experience with the non-liner materials utilized in tire production have made us accustomed to handling difficult to manipulate objects and materials.

From the customer’s perspective, this type of integration often eliminates the need for an employee to man the end of the line and will improve the quality level, considering that machine’s minds do not wander, nor become distracted by Instagram posts.

The keys to success here include:

  1. Knowledge of the sensing technology that will best replace the human eye which will net the pass/fail signal. This entails, not only, knowing the options available on the market, but also, how to tune and program these devices. Programing often involves development of complex algorithms that effectively teach the system to interpret what a “bad one” looks like from the data that is output from the sensing technology deployed.
    Cognex
  2. Proficiency with the software technology used to coordinate the servo motors used to power the specific material handling device employed to remove the “bad one” before it is mixed with the “good ones”.
  3. Experience with the design of the tooling necessary to accurately and repeatably pick and place the product requiring handling.
  4. Most importantly, high competency in the practice of implementing this type of integration without putting workers in harm’s way. This requires proper utilization of safety devices in adherence to industry standards.

automated integrations

In closing, the pandemic has clearly disrupted our near-term world; however, it will likely have lasting effects on the workplace, in terms of where personnel do their work, as well as what duties they are charged with out on the production floor.

Is your business ready to streamline labor intensive operations with automation? Contact us today.

Author

V.P. of Engineering, Jack Papes has been a passionate designer of machines and systems for the past 33 years and has enjoyed the pleasure of leading the Steelastic-RMS engineering team since 2014.

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STEELASTIC® Names New President

Greg Hamilton, President at SteelasticCUYAHOGA FALLS, OH – May 20, 2021.

STEELASTIC has named Gregory Hamilton as its new President.

Greg’s background includes over 20 years of cross-functional leadership in sales, operations and project management combined with manufacturing and engineering experience in OEM environments. Greg holds a Mechanical Engineer Bachelor of Science degree from Youngstown State University and received his MBA from Ashland University in 2008.

He commented, “I am excited to take the helm of a legacy company during a time of significant change and growth in our industry. As tire manufacturing plants become smaller and more localized, the transition to Steelastic’s extrusion systems allows for both small and large tire OE and aftermarket manufacturers to be nimbler in smaller, rapid-change-over style regional plants.”

In addition to his most recent tenure as VP at Steelastic, Greg previously worked at Innovar Systems, a leader in integrated industrial automation solutions in a wide range of industries including tire testing. He also held the position of General Manager of Systems Integration for tire industry capital equipment company Micro-Poise Measurement Systems.

Patrick Calderone succeeds Greg as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

About STEELASTIC:

Founded in 1970, The STEELASTIC Co., LLC is the leading designer and manufacturer of extrusion-based systems for manufacturing belt, cap strip, inner liner, and apex components for passenger, truck, bus, off road, aircraft and motorcycle tires. STEELASTIC is fueling the “Go Calenderless” revolution in the tire-making industry, allowing tire makers to now profitably manufacture shorter runs of multiple SKUs.

Today, STEELASTIC has over 900 systems operating in more than 55 countries around the world. STEELASTIC has been owned by Heico Companies LLC since 1998. Chicago-based Heico is a privately held business with a portfolio of more than 50 companies worldwide representing engineered components, specialty equipment, construction and industrial services and steel products. Steelastic is part of The Heico Companies’ Industrial Technologies Group (ITG) a group of companies focused across four key segments: heavy-duty construction, professional tools, capital equipment, and specialty solutions & components.

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Steelastic® Introduces Combo Belt & Body Ply Machine

 

Detail images of Combo Belt & Body Ply Machine from Steelastic

CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH – Nov. 6, 2019. Steelastic, the world leader in extrusion-based systems for manufacturing tire reinforcing components, has introduced its new Combo Belt & Body Ply Machine. This combination machine, originally developed for Steelastic’s own Calenderless Manufacturing Cell, can switch from running steel belt / breaker material to textile or steel body ply in a matter of minutes. The combo machine shares a common extrusion, cooling and accumulation system, with separate cutting and splicing lines for belt / breaker and body ply. Material is produced in one, end-to-end process, from creel to wind-up, eliminating the need for expensive calendering and off-line processing operations.

 

“We wanted to make it easy for tire manufacturers to try our calenderless manufacturing process, using their own materials, with the finished product produced to their exact specifications,” said Ian Dennis, Steelastic President. “To achieve this, we invested in our groundbreaking Calenderless Manufacturing Cell incorporating our new generation of highly flexible Belt and Body Ply machines. This combination machine format is very attractive to tire manufacturers, particularly for R&D facilities, where smaller batch sizes and regular SKU changes are the norm.”

 

The new Steelastic® Combo Belt & Body Ply Machine is custom-designed for every application and can even be adapted to add extruded textile cap strip manufacture. The basic set-up includes creels for steel or textile reinforcement cords, which feed into a cross head extrusion die where the cords are fully encapsulated in rubber. The material then passes through a cooling and accumulation unit, before being processed in either the belt / breaker or the body ply machines, and then wound with liner on an in-line wind-up system. In-line hot or cold gum edging of the steel belt can also be added if needed. The machine is operated by a single operator to minimize operational cost.

 

For more information about the Steelastic® Combo Belt & Body Ply Machine, call us today at +1-330-633-0505 or email at sales@steelastic.com. www.steelastic.com.

 

About Steelastic:

Founded in 1970, The Steelastic Co., LLC is the leading designer and manufacturer of extrusion-based systems for manufacturing belt, cap strip, inner liner, and apex components for passenger, truck, bus, off road, aircraft and motorcycle tires. Steelastic is the fuel behind the “Go Calenderless” revolution in the tire making industry, allowing tiremakers to now profitably manufacture shorter runs of multiple SKUs. Today, Steelastic has over 900 systems operating in more than 55 countries around the world. Steelastic has been owned by Heico Companies LLC since 1998. Chicago-based Heico is a privately held, WBENC-certified business with a portfolio of more than 50 companies worldwide representing engineered components, specialty equipment, construction and industrial services and steel products.

 

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STEELASTIC® 12 Station Cap Strip Machine Available for Immediate Sale

Following successful development trials and customer demonstrations in late 2018, STEELASTIC has a fully commissioned 12-station extruded textile cap strip machine available for immediate sale.  The equipment will be priced to reflect its lightly-used nature and to attract a quick sale to create floor space for other contracted machine builds in 2019.

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STEELASTIC® Introduces “Calenderless” Manufacturing Cell

Calenderless Manufacturing CellCUYAHOGA FALLS, OH – Sept.25, 2019. STEELASTIC has built a Calenderless Manufacturing Cell in its Akron area facility to enable tire manufacturers to test run their own materials to produce the full range of tire reinforcement components. STEELASTIC’s extrusion-based manufacturing processes for belt/breaker, body ply, cap strip and inner liner eliminate the need for expensive and inflexible calendering and off-line processing equipment.

The compact, single-operator machines used in this cell have been developed in response to a growing demand for more flexible, highly automated and lower capital outlay manufacturing systems. “This dedicated manufacturing cell is a key component of our drive to help manufacturers, worldwide, convert to more versatile, smaller footprint systems, necessary to profitably manufacture shorter runs of multiple tire types,” said Ian Dennis, STEELASTIC President.

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