 One of the major problems of waste tires from the moment they become waste is handling, storage and transportation. The process for manufacturing the Tire Log starts with the same raw materials, but the recycling procedure is significantly different from the beginning.  Presently, trucks can haul approximately half of the allowable tonnage when carrying whole tires. RTPS method of removing the sidewalls* from the tread portion of the tire at the beginning of the manufacturing process will have a major impact on the cost of labor, storage and transportation of waste tires.  There is no need for the powerful machines used to grind tires, in that when the sidewall is cut off only the rubber portion of the tire is cut through and there is only a single cross cut through the tread portion that contains the steel which makes tires so hard to grind up. The removal of the sidewalls from the tread portion of the tire is accomplished by using a commercially available sidewall removal machine that is easily affordable by tire retailers. Tire retailers will be able to make the strips on location saving time and money in storage, transportation and labor cost compared to storing and shipping whole tires to a conventional recycling facility to be ground up.  The economics of waste tire management differ depending upon whether the tires are stockpiled or part of the flow of tires generated annually. One of the major problems with stockpiled tires is the water and debris trapped inside of them. The water creates a breading ground for mosquitoes and the debris causes havoc for conventional grinding blades and machinery. The sidewall remover can be used on newly generated as well as stockpiled waste tires. The debris and water trapped in stockpiled tires that make them so hard to recycle easily falls out of the tire once the sidewalls are removed.  The tire strips and sidewalls* are stacked on pallets that can easily be stored and transported using a forklift thereby saving on labor, storage space and the transportation cost associated with waste tires. The tire strips are then used for the manufacturing of the Tire Log. * Note: While the sidewalls are not used in the manufacturing of the Tire Log a new use for the sidewalls was experimented with during the Demonstration Project that proved effective as another potential commercial product. This new development may be the focus of a future Research and Development project once the patent issues are further investigated. Conventional grinding recycling processes could also be utilized to recycle the sidewalls if needed. The method of winding the tire strips into a variety of building products also represents a formidable improvement in the recycling of waste tires. Winding machines along with manual fabric tensioning equipment used for the fabrication of industrial fiberglass cylinders were modified for the winding of the Tire Log during the demonstration project. The winding process starts with an inner core of tire strips being bound together on a steel mandrel that is later removed. Once the inner core is formed, the tire treads are helically wound around the core to virtually any diameter or length desired.  Once the winding process is completed and the desired diameter is obtained, the mandrel is removed and (depending on the application that the Tire Log will be used for) rivets or bolts are inserted through the Tire Log that reinforces the ends of the outside layer of tire strips. Using a rivet (instead of a bolt) not only secures the Tire Log but also provides a conduit through the Tire Log for a variety of construction purposes.  The finished Tire Log is then cut to the desired length with a conventional band saw and is ready for shipping.  While this manufacturing process was successful for manufacturing over four hundred linear feet of Tire Logs needed for the demonstration project, it was determined that further automation of the manufacturing process and machinery beyond the scope of this initial demonstration project will be necessary to mass produce the Tire Log in the quantity and consistency required. Automation engineering consultants have been employed to improve the production process and develop conceptual plans and drawings for a more automated manufacturing system that will the focus of our next Research and Development Project. | |
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