Joint development of a laboratory-scale abrasion tester to accelerate research on tire and road surface wear dust

Bridgestone Corporation. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; /Representative Executive Officer and Global CEO: Ishibashi Shuichi; hereafter, “Bridgestone”) and Ueshima Seisakusho Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kunitachi-shi, Tokyo,/Representative Director: Junichi Eba,/hereafter, “Ueshima Seisakusho”) are developing an “FPS (Field Performance Simulation) abrasion tester wear powder collection model” that can generate and collect wear powder from rubber samples with the same components as tires on a laboratory scale It was jointly developed. By installing a collector using static electricity on the “FPS abrasion tester” already sold by Ueshima Seisakusho, it is now possible to collect wear powder of 1 μm or more. Ueshima Seisakusho is scheduled to begin accepting orders for this testing machine in 2025/3. Note that this test machine is at Tire Technology Expo 2025 held in Hanover from March 4 to 6^※But it's on display.

■Background of joint development

Research is underway on tire and road surface wear dust (TRWP: Tire and Road Wear Particles) generated by friction with the road surface necessary for tires to support safe and secure movement, such as understanding particle size distribution, scattering conditions, and environmental effects, and developing efficient collection methods for that purpose. In actual vehicle driving and collection methods using actual tires, there were issues that required cost and time, such as tire manufacturing, vehicle preparation, and environmental improvement at test sites.

Against this background, Ueshima Seisakusho, which specializes in the rubber/plastic industry as a physical testing machine manufacturer, and Bridgestone, which has knowledge about rubber products and their wear as a tire manufacturer, focus on tire wear powder (not including road surface components), which is one of the components of TRWP, and can generate/collect wear powder from rubber samples with the same components as tires under conditions close to collection methods using actual vehicles ” was jointly developed. (Patent pending)

■ Features of the “FPS Abrasion Tester Wear Powder Collection Model”

1) Wear powder is generated with the “FPS abrasion tester,” which is already sold by Ueshima Seisakusho and has a proven track record as an abrasion tester for rubber samples

2) Wear powder of 1 μm or more is collected with 2 types of collectors using static electricity

① Dust collection cell: Highly efficient collection of wear dust generated in the testing machine

② Collection sheet: Particle size distribution can be analyzed in a 3-minute test. Since sheets can be replaced and tested repeatedly, efficient analysis is possible

■ Advantages of the “FPS abrasion tester wear powder collection model”

1) Wear powder can be collected and evaluated at low cost and in a short time

2) Wear powder can be evaluated on a laboratory scale even without actual tire production facilities

3) Since everything from wear to collection is completed within the testing machine, it is possible to evaluate wear powder with as much as possible suppressing foreign matter contamination, which is an obstacle to analysis

■Inquiries about releases

Bridgestone Co., Ltd.

＜Press Relations＞ Global Public Relations Planning Department TEL: 03-6836-3333

＜Customers＞ Customer Service TEL: 0120-39-2936

‍

Ueshima Seisakusho Co., Ltd. Sales Department

Phone number: 042-572-1397

Head office location: 6-5-22 Yaho, Kunitachi-shi, Tokyo, 186-0011

For inquiries, please contact us using the inquiry form on our website.

URL: https://www.ueshima-seisakusho.co.jp/contact

※Tire Technology Expo 2025

Dates: 2025/3/4 (Tue) to 3/6 (Thu)

Location: Deutsche MessesseGelände 30521 Hannover Germany

Exhibition Hall (Ueshima Seisakusho Booth No. C400)

Organizer: Tire Technology International

URL: https://www.tiretechnology-expo.com/en/