The latest edition of Hunter Engineering Co.’s Revolution tire changer literally enables technicians to do two tasks at one time. The new machine performs 80 seconds of autonomous bead breaking and demounting without an operator present.
Hunter introduced the Revolution tire changer with WalkAway capability at the 2017 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show.
The newest Revolution tire changer allows the operator to “walk away,” freeing them to perform balancing procedures or other shop tasks during the longest portion of the tire changing action.
WalkAway also reduces operator effort and potential errors. The operator simply loads and unloads the assembly, orients the TPMS, enables WalkAway, then offloads the old tire. The new machine can service all tires, including run-flats and low profile tires.
Hunter says WalkAway increases the automatic and autonomous operation of the Revolution tire changer to save technicians’ time, effort and mistakes. When paired with wheel balancing, over 25% time savings is possible.
“It really is about being able to do two things at one time,” says Pete Liebetreu, senior product manager for Hunter. The tire changer’s efficiency gains and automation capabilities has the potential to help relieve the shortage of technicians in a shop.
Tire changing is an all-day task, not a race for single tires. Assembly after assembly, the partially autonomous Revolution outpaces conventional tire changing equipment and now WalkAway adds even more capacity, according to Hunter.
Most technicians mount and balance assemblies sequentially, first demounting and mounting all four tires, then balancing all four assemblies.
The Revolution featuring WalkAway frees the operator to balance assemblies while the Revolution demounts the next tire – autonomously – saving time, adding capacity, and reducing the time technicians spend on each job.
Self-monitoring WalkAway can be easily set for tires two through four in a set. A status indicator lamp signals when the machine is in operation, stopped or requires operator intervention. The Revolution also features additional autonomous functions such as WalkAway inflation and WalkAway bead massage.
Hunter is demonstrating the Revolution tire changer with WalkAway alongside the Hunter’s Road Force Elite diagnostic wheel balaner at SEMA 2017 in booth #41029.
