Michelin Debuts XDR3 Earthmover Tires

Michelin has expanded its range of tires for earthmovers with the addition of a new tire – the 40.00 R 57 and 53/80 R 63 XDR3 tires. The tire has been designed exclusively for rigid dump trucks that operate in surface mines. In mining operations, one of the key challenges is to increase profitability by cutting operational costs and improving efficiency without any compromise when it comes to workplace safety.

The new Michelin XDR3 tire comes with three main innovations that contribute to increasing tire life by 10 per cent when compared to the tire it replaces, the Michelin XDR 2.

A revolutionary new tread pattern
The tire has a new tread pattern that offers many benefits better heat dissipation lowering the temperature by 8 degrees in the tread area. This gives the tire better endurance. The contact patch is larger and this lowers the contact pressure and improves wear. The tire also has interlocking shoulder blocks which minimize excessive movement and reduce tire wear.

Four innovative rubber compounds (MB4, MB, MC4, MC)
The tire is made using an exclusive new mixing process for more uniform distribution of rubber compounds and better dispersion of carbon black in order to increase wear resistance. For unique rubber compounds named MB4, MB, MC4 and MC are used in the tread with each compound contributing its very own performance characteristics that have been adapted to site conditions and usage, ranging from high wear resistance to high thermal capacity for speed.

Corrosion isolating steel cables
The tire’s casing comprises high-strength steel cables which are 10 per cent stronger than those in the XDR2 tire and are encased in rubber to prevent the spread of corrosion within the casing. This further extends the life of the tire.

The MICHELIN XDR3 is also MEMS ready meaning that the tire can easily be fitted with state-of-the-art data sensors that can transmit temperature and pressure information in real time. The tire was developed over a period of six years by Michelin’s R&D team as they worked to ensure that it would cater fully to the expectations and needs of customers. It underwent extensive testing over 25 million kilometers, which is the equivalent of circling the earth 625 times.

The 40.00 R57 MICHELIN XDR3 is now available, while the 53/80 R63 size will be available from January 2017.