The growth in demand for electric vehicle (EV) and premium tires is driving the industry’s need for additional textile and steel cap strip capacity. These types of tires require strength and durability for peak performance. EV vehicles are typically heavier than traditional gasoline-powered vehicles, due to the weight of the battery. An EV vehicle tire needs strength to withstand this added weight. Premium tires need to hold up to the demands of high-speed driving and maneuverability. Extrusion-based cap strip material is a key part of the tire design for such, and hence, the industry is seeing a significant increase in demand for extruded cap strip equipment.
Rise of EVs Leading Cap Strip Demand
EVs are already immensely popular on a global scale, and they are gaining traction in the United States, as well. These vehicles have unique tire needs to account for the added weight of the battery. Multiple spiral winding of extruded cap strip material brings this needed strength. In fact, a typical EV tire can include up to 100 meters of extruded cap strip material. As more consumers continue to turn to these eco-friendly vehicles, it will only increase the need for specialty tires produced using extruded cap strip material.
Premium Tires Provide High-Speed Durability
A vehicle designed for high speeds needs a tire that can support these higher performance needs. Premium tires utilize extruded cap strip material to provide added strength during acceleration, driving at high speeds, deceleration, and cornering. The steel belt and textile cap strip layers in PCR tires are critical components in the tire design, providing the designer with the opportunity to flex the tire design to suit each vehicle’s specific application and performance.
Benefits of Extrusion-Based Cap Strip Systems
An extrusion-based cap strip system offers significant quality advantages over the traditional calendering and offline slitting process:
Full Encapsulation of Cords
Extrusion based cap strip systems fully encapsulate textile or steel cords into a continuous strip of material, which is then applied in the tire above the steel belt, and below the tread, to give additional strength and durability to many EV and premium tires.
No More Exposed or Cut Cords
Unlike the traditional calendering and slitting process for manufacturing cap strip, the extrusion-based process eliminates the possibility of exposed or cut cords. Exposed cords can absorb moisture, which is harmful to the quality of the tire. Cut cords reduce the strength of the cap strip, and ultimately the tire. Extrusion-based systems eliminate both of these quality issues completely.
Save Time and Reduce Waste
The extrusion-based cap strip system is a one-stop process from creel to windup. It saves time, space, energy, scrap, and storage of material that is work in progress (WIP).
Improve the quality of your tires with the extrusion-based cap strip systems.
Discover the Extrusion-Based Cap Strip Systems
Learn more about how our extrusion-based textile and steel cap strip systems can improve the quality of your tire products. Contact Steelastic today for a quote.