At MINExpo 2012, Michelin unveiled a new line of XDR2 mining tyres. The Michelin XDR2 is intended for rigid dump trucks and according to the group makes them safer “while enabling users to improve their productivity and optimise their environmental performance.” The improved safety of the new XDR2 tyre is due to three factors: 2 million hours of tests to ensure its reliability; the incorporation of the Michelin Earthmover Management System (MEMS), which helps to optimise the conditions in which tires are used; and the tyre’s enhanced resistance to cuts and scrapes, which reduce tyre-damage incidents.
The productivity gains the new XDR2 tyre delivers are the result of four factors: superior resistance to cuts and scrapes, longer tread life, more resistant casings and bead wires and again the fact that the tyres pre-fitted for MEMS. In addition, XDR2 tyres have an intentionally environmentally friendly design. Because it uses fewer raw materials than some of its competitors, the XDR2 enables fuel savings, while its greater longevity means fewer repairs and less material to be recycled. The tyres are made in a very clean production process, since all Michelin Earthmover tyre plants are ISO 14001-certified. The environmental footprint of Michelin’s Earthmover tyre plants has been reduced by 22% since 2005.
The Michelin XDR was previously the benchmark in the large mining tyre segment. It is now being replaced by the new XDR2, which is designed to provide satisfaction in the most extreme conditions of use while carrying very heavy weights. The new XDR2 is available in the following sizes: 27.00R49, 33.00R51, 37.00R57, 40.00R57, 53/80R63, 56/80R63 and 59/80R63. The XDR2 underwent more than 2 million hours of testing, both at the Michelin Earthmover Test Centre in Almeria, Spain, and in actual usage conditions in Canada, Chile, Australia and Africa. It was designed for the market’s biggest rigid dump trucks. Compared with the XDR, the new XDR2 has a tread band that is up to 20% thicker that helps to reduce operating costs by improving both longevity and durability. Similarly, the layer that separates the tread from that tyre casing is 10% thicker, making it more robust and resistant to cuts and scrapes. The tread pattern of the new XDR2 has also been thoroughly reworked to improve efficiency. The centre block is 13% wider while the tread was designed to be self-cleaning. This also helps the tyre to cool faster, as the ventilation effect is 10% greater than for its predecessor, the XDR. In addition, the tread pattern changes with wear. Consequently, the new XDR2 has a bigger contact patch when the tyre is 50% worn.
The C2 technology developed by Michelin makes the tyres stronger thanks to the use of thicker, corrosion-resistant cables. The technology reduces temperature build-up of the tread shoulder, thus maximizing the potential life of the tire without compromising operating speed or load carrying capacity. Overall, the new XDR2 is considerably more robust than the previous-generation XDR. The steel protective plies located between the casing and the tread are 60% stronger and feature a new corrosion-resistance treatment. Similarly, the sidewall rubber is twice as thick, thus providing enhanced resistance to cuts and scrapes. Together, these features deliver optimised endurance, which has been improved by 9 to 20% compared with the previous-generation XDR.
The new XDR2 is also factory-fitted to receive the Michelin Earthmover Management System (MEMS). For mining tyres, MEMS means added protection. It is the only electronic system for measuring temperature and pressure offered specially by a mining tyre manufacturer. MEMS can provide mining companies with real-time alerts whenever rigid dump trucks are no longer operating in optimal conditions, meaning they may engender risks for user safety and mine productivity. Michelin states: “MEMS is an indispensable tool for optimising tyre performance. The new Michelin XDR2 is ‘MEMS Ready’, meaning that this crucial tyre management system can be easily installed.”