Method of Producing Motionless Thermal Images of Rotating Tires with an Infrared Camera, for Locating Hidden Tire Flaws Under Dynamic Test Conditions

Abstract

The traditional method of detecting internal ply-separation flaws in tires under dynamic simulated-load test conditions has been to run them to destruction. Analysis has often been di fficu It because of the massive damage which the tire suffers in the region of the flaw. Modern infrared camera system performance enables presenting a real-time thermal picture of the temperature build-up on a tire under load, and discriminating 'hot spots' on the surface caused by any flaws. By disabling the normal vertical-scan function of the IR-camera unit, but retaining the vertical-scan function of the thermal-picture display unit, the motion of the tire is permitted to furnish vertical scanning of the surface. The result is a display of the surface temperature pattern of the tire, which appears to stand still. The width of the tire sector displayed, and the sector position on the tire, are both adjustable. The equipment enables observing developing hot-spots, measuring their temperature levels and locating them accurately in terms of angular position on the tire - all while the tire is rotating at high speed.