Computer Simulation of Rubber Flow for Mold Profile in Rubber Shaping Process

Hankook Tire Central R & D Center, Jang-dong, Yusung-gu, Daejeon, S. Korea(Received July 29, 2014, Revised August 12, 2014, Accepted August 25, 2014) , , . . CAE . . .ABSTRACTThe tire tread is contacted with road surface directly. It gives significant effect on the breaking conditions, traction, noise and so on. The tread having grooves with complex geometry is molded by shaping process. The flow behavior of tread rubber in a mold affects the quality of the tread and it leads to the running performance of automobile. In this study, the flow behavior of rubber in shaping process has been investigated by computer simulation. The objective of flow simulation is the design of tread shape based on the contact of rubber on the mold surface and flow behavior of rubber. Different sequences of contact of rubber on the mold surface and flow behavior of rubber are observed according to the shape of tread on the mold surface. It was verified that the shape of tread gives significant effect on the flow behavior of rubber. Different flow behaviors of rubber and sequential contact of rubber to the mold surface were observed according to the shape of tread on the mold surface. Therefore, we have identified that the shape of tread give a change in the flow behavior of rubber.Keywordstire tread, rubber flow, curing process, green tire, tread shape