Netherlands based supplier of equipment and services for producers of passenger car, commercial and OTR radials, VMI, has launched its first radial VMI OTR Tire Building system. This system utilises flat drum building technology and assembles green tyres in sizes between 17.5 R25 and 24.00 R35. Manufacture is performed in a single process, including the application of the tread. This unique method of assembling radial OTR tyres utilises the transfer rings and other technology already tried and tested in VMI’s tyre manufacturing equipment for truck and bus radials.

This high capacity OTR radial machine produces radials at a rate of up to 2.5 tyres per hour for 24.00 R35” tyres. VMI reports that downtime for size changes is low because of a minimum amount of tooling and the maximum use of universal computer controls.

VMI’s R&D team has been working for a year and a half to build the company’s first OTR radial machinery, and they are confident the end result will answer the needs of the booming OTR tyre market.