Hands-off: VMI introduces Exxium tyre builder

At next month’s Tire Technology Expo show in Germany, rubber and tyre machinery supplier the VMI Group will introduce its latest car and light commercial vehicle tyre building machine, the Exxium. The new machine is based on VMI’s patented Maxx technology and can handle 12 to 24-inch rim diameter tyres. VMI says the Exxium combines high production efficiency and tyre quality with the flexibility to handle a wide range of tyre designs, and the unit can produce in both hands-off mode or with the assistance of an operator; an operator is typically required for more complex tyre designs such as those with additional full rubber components, steel and/or fabric chafer strips. Typical Exxium cycle time with a regular tyre is 44 seconds.

Maxx technology is described by the Dutch machinery supplier as a design approach that completely rethinks the machine’s purpose. In developing equipment using this technology, VMI says it questioned the conventions that led to prior and current designs, applied new designs and the latest technologies, and simplified wherever possible. The Exxium is the third VMI line to utilise Maxx technology; other Maxx additions to the VMI product portfolio over the last two years include the Maxx car tyre building machine and the EdgiQ breaker cutter-splicer.

VMI states the Exxium builds upon and improves the Maxx concept through its employment of a complete ultra high productivity hands-off and eyes-off philosophy, featuring robots and requiring special VMI apexed bead stacking equipment.