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THE NEW ART OF TIRE DESIGN |
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There are some other industries that use molds and dies, such as the auto, toy, tool, sporting goods and appliance manufacturers. They employ an infinite number of surface textures, graphic designs, lettering fonts and many desired designs! Mold-Tech offers these many services, however, the core or heart lies in texturing. Whether it is functional or aesthetic, texturing alters an existing ferrous or alloy surface to achieve a specific, desired result,. According to David Wagner of Mold-Tech, texturing is for aesthetic purposes. “We can make plastic look like leather, for that matter, we can make leather look like, well, leather”.
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The process of this texturing is a combination of modern technology and artisan craftsmanship. Simplistically, every texture begins with a pattern. Patterns can be derived from nature or be computer generated. Once the pattern is developed it is applied to a molding surface, in this case a tire mold or an embossing roll. This surface is then exposed to a rapid oxidation acid. The areas with the applied pattern are resistant to this oxidation. Therefore, the texture is created by a selective removal of surface material. Advances in pattern generation and various application technologies have positioned Mold-Tech as the leader in this field. However, their craftsmanship and experienced personnel truly facilitate Mold-Tech’s hegemony.
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The current CNC engraving has been adequate for some time now replacing the previous method of stamping molds in the last decade. Lettering drawings were once called stamping drawings, referring to the stamps that were used. Today they are referred to as engraving drawings, again referring to the process used. In the future, these could be called the new “lettering and etching” drawings.
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What we want to do now at Quality Mold, and in synergy with Mold-Tech, is introduce this texturing process to the tire and rubber industry and market it as our “Signature Tire-Surface Technology Application”. This new process for texturing and lettering of tire molds can replace many aspects of today’s CNC process. It can also enhance the range of any geometric and non-geometric designs that current CNC process cannot do. It can also be applied at any region of the tire mold and with very few restrictions; again, something that current CNC technology cannot do within manufacturing timing and cost limitations. We feel that the market can now accept this designer’s touch for premium tires.
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