A team of researchers from the State has invented a new technology which, if it gets industry patronage, could take care of the problem of flat tyres in vehicles for good. The invention has been selected for the India Innovation Initiative (I3) of the CII next month.
The mild run flat tyre (MLRF) technology is one of the seven nominations from eastern India and the only one in automotive sector. The inventing team, which included Sameer Panda, Dr K N Panda and Smitiparna Satpathy, has already applied for five patents in India and seven, internationally.
The technology brings in a multi-chambered tyre with a sealant to take care of the puncture in the tread as well as side-walls. While additional chambers can be provided before vulcanisation in the tyre, the sealant is replaceable and top-up facility is included. The technology can be applied both to tubeless and tube tyres.
According to Panda, the lead engineer of the team and a graduate of VSS University of Technology, Burla, the technology has now come to such an advanced stage that it can be used in manufacturing in the existing setup. “Initially, when we had invented the technology, a major hurdle was if it could be brought to production stage. Several leading automotive and tyre companies pointed it out to us,” he told mediapersons here on Saturday.
From developing the first prototype in 2005 to the manufacturing stage in 2012-13, the team has come a long way. Panda says the technology not only adds life to the tyre and reduces hassles, it also improves fuel efficiency as well as weight-carrying capacity significantly and acts as a coolant for the tyre and tubes.
The technology can be used for two-wheelers, cars and even heavy duty vehicles such as mining vehicles reducing road mishaps caused by abrupt puncture.
The team, which has been financing the invention entirely on its own, is hopeful of catching the industries attention during the I3 conclave on October 17 at New Delhi.