STL Notes Growing Interest in Rolling Resistance Reduction

Ohio, US based Standards Testing Laboratories (STL), the world’s largest independent testing facility for tyres, wheels and related automotive components, presented an overview on wheel testing during the 2009 Tire Industry Conference, held in South Carolina between April 1 and 3. The company’s director of technology, Guy Edington, examined various types of wheel testing – from rotary and radial fatigue to impact tests – during the conference, focusing on commonly used Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) test methods. He also discussed wheel history and manufacturing methods as well as changing industry standards.

“There is not a lot of pending regulatory activity for wheels,” Edington noted. “The growing trends include more regulatory activities for tyres, which includes a renewed and extensive interest in reducing rolling resistance brought on by the high fuel prices of last summer.” He added that STL has more than 30 years of tyre and wheel testing experience: “Along with the wheel testing, we offer a multitude of tyre testing, such as coast down and steady-state rolling resistance.”

STL now operates the world’s largest independent dynamic testing facility for tyres, wheels and related automotive components, providing the rubber and automotive industries with dynamic laboratory testing, static and physical testing, fleet testing, test machines, specialised photographic and video services and consulting services on such matters as product liability and vehicle handling.