RFID Tags for Tire Mold Tracking in Harsh Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for tracking and identifying tire manufacturing components, such as molds and presses, are unreliable due to environmental harshness, leading to inefficiencies and quality control issues, with 6-10% of tires failing quality checks and defects being difficult to trace back to specific tools.
Innovation Solution
The use of specialized RFID tags designed to withstand extreme conditions within tire manufacturing environments, allowing for automated identification and tracking of components, including molds, presses, and bladders, to ensure accurate quality control and defect tracing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If engraved numbers are used to identify mold and press components, then the identification method is simple and cost-effective, but the engraved numbers wear over time due to harsh environmental conditions making them difficult or impossible to read
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical engraving system with an RFID electromagnetic identification system. RFID tags embedded in mold and press components enable wireless reading through harsh environments without physical contact, eliminating the wear and damage that affects engraved numbers while maintaining identification capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an electronic digital copy of the identification information through RFID tags rather than relying on the physical engraved numbers. This electronic copy can be read multiple times without degradation, providing reliable identification while the physical component endures the harsh manufacturing environment.
2Device complexity
If manual paperwork systems are used to track mold and press components, then the system is simple to implement, but the system becomes unreliable in harsh environments where papers are lost, mixed, or become unreadable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual paper-based tracking system with an automated RFID system. RFID readers automatically capture identification data from tags on mold and press components, eliminating the need for physical papers that can be lost or damaged. The system maintains simplicity through automated data collection while dramatically improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The RFID system enables self-service tracking where the tags automatically transmit their identification information to readers without requiring manual intervention. This automation ensures consistent data capture while reducing the complexity of manual paperwork handling in the harsh manufacturing environment.
3Device complexity
If conventional identification methods are used, then the system requires minimal infrastructure, but shutting down multiple presses is required to investigate defects, leading to production inefficiencies
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID system provides real-time feedback about which specific mold, press, or component produced a defective tire through automated tracking. This immediate identification eliminates the need to shut down multiple presses for investigation, as the defective component is already identified through the RFID data, allowing production to continue without interruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual investigation processes with automated RFID data retrieval. When a defect is detected, the system automatically queries the RFID tags to identify the responsible component, eliminating the need for physical inspection and press shutdowns while maintaining minimal infrastructure requirements.
4Ease of repair
If mold components are disassembled and reassembled for maintenance, then the mold can be serviced and repaired, but parts from different molds can be mixed leading to loss of traceability between mold data and actual mold
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID tags provide continuous identification feedback that tracks each mold component through disassembly and reassembly operations. The system maintains traceability by automatically recording which tags are present on which components at each stage, ensuring that even after maintenance the physical mold can be positively identified with its data without manual tracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual tracking during mold maintenance with automated RFID reading. As mold components are disassembled and reassembled, RFID readers automatically capture tag information to verify component identity and prevent mixing of parts from different molds, maintaining traceability throughout the maintenance process.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are automated systems and methods utilizing a plurality of specialized RFID tags incorporated within various tire manufacturing components (e.g., mold segments, mold container, bladder plates, tire presses, and extrusion dies) that are able to readily track tire manufacture and identify defect source(s) while concurrently being configured to the harsh processes and temperatures of tire manufacture.