Standards Testing Laboratories (STL) Director of Technology Guy Edington recently presented an overview on wheel testing during the 2009 Tire Industry Conference in Hilton Head, S.C.
Edington examined various types of wheel testing -- from rotary and radial fatigue to impact tests -- focusing on commonly used Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) test methods. He also discussed wheel history and manufacturing methods as well as changing industry standards.
"There is not a lot of pending regulatory activity for wheels. The growing trends include more regulatory activities for tires, which includes a renewed and extensive interest in reducing rolling resistance brought on by the high fuel prices of last summer," Edington said.
Edington has more than 35 years of experience in the tire industry and serves as STL's technical representative to key industry organizations, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), ASTM International and SAE.
"Standards Testing Labs has more than 30 years of tire and wheel testing experience. Along with the wheel testing, we offer a multitude of tire testing, such as Coast Down and steady-state rolling resistance," he added.
