Camso Inc. has added to its lineup of non-marking, anti-static (NMAS) forklift tires with the Solideal RES Xtreme (NMAS).
The Solideal RES Xtreme follows the 2018 launch of the Solideal PON 775 (NMAS). Combined, Camso says the two tires make the company the first to offera complete range of solid, non-marking, anti-static forklift tires for both press-on and resilient solutions. “The Solideal PON 775 NMAS received an unprecedented welcome in the market. Customers were finally getting an extreme performance non-marking tire that also prevents static electricity build-up,” says Thierry Miche, product line executive cirector of material handling at Camso. “While press-on tires are found predominantly in North America, forklifts in Europe, Oceania and Latin America mostly run on resilient tires. As the global leader in the industry, we had to develop a resilient NMAS tire to answer customers’ needs around the world.”
The RES Xtreme (NMAS) answers that need. The tire reduces vibration, which increases operator comfort and lowers heat build-up for enhanced tire life. Its design borrows key features from the popular Solideal RES 660 Xtreme Series and benefits from Camso’s proven anti-static technology.
“For several years, the adverse problem of static build-up has been part of the material handling industry. Since the use of non-marking tires is a requirement for up to 30% of forklift applications, their tendency to create static was just part of the price you had to pay for their benefits,” says Miche.
Why is there static?
The accumulation of static electricity is prevalent in non-marking tires because of the silica used as the reinforcing filler. It gives the tires their light color, but rather than conducting electricity like its carbon black counterpart, silica has isolating properties. As a result, static generated from friction is stored rather than dissipated and continues to build up in the machine until there is contact with another conductive material to release the charge — like the human body or any other equipment in the facility.
“Static build-up in non-marking tires can lead to potential operator injuries, fires and facility damages, safety issues Camso is very serious about,” says Miche. Camso highlighted the dangers of those safety issues in this video.
While grounding straps and chains provide some protection, they wear down, break, or collect dust and debris, which gradually insulates them from the ground. It can also be a costly part of preventive maintenance.
The Solideal RES Xtreme NMAS is cured with a cylindrical piece of highly conductive black rubber connected all the way from the steel wheel to the tread face, which acts as a path to dissipate accumulated electricity on every rotation. This anti-static plug is easily noticeable when looking at the tire: there is a black dot on the face of the tread.
For more information on Camso, visit Camso’s website.