The importance of correct tyre pressure is well known and in the current economic climate optimising fuel consumption and tyre life has never been so important. Everybody is directly effected by the cost of personal travel and the transportation of goods.

Transense have been in extensive discussions with tyre and vehicle manufacturers,  service providers, and tyre accessory manufacturers to establish the market requirements for a robust, batteryless, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). The initial focus has been the Off The Road (OTR) market with the commercial truck market to follow.

OTR market applications include: surface mining, underground mining, quarry and cement, construction, ports and terminals, industrial and agriculture. This is a combined market size of over 160 million tyres per year, some of which cost over $80,000 each. A large market where tyre life and fuel efficiency is of critical importance to the vehicle manufacturer, vehicle operator, and consumer. The Transense batteryless TPMS sensor weighing only 2 grams provides the ideal solution.

Combining TPMS with a reliable method for managing tyres represents the ultimate complete tyre solution for vehicle operators. It is recognised within the tyre, truck and OTR industry, that the use of a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, a passive memory device, can provide permanent tyre identification  for supply chain and re-tread markets. Developing a product that can measure tread depth and tyre pressure assigned to a unique RFID and then automatically transmit the combined information to a central database provides a compelling tyre management solution. An additional benefit of this unique ID system being that it provides 100% reliable tyre tracking, helping reduce incidents of casing theft and illegal tyre switching.

Transense recently completed a market research programme, in order to assess competing tyre management products and their respective strengths and weaknesses. The data gained from this programme, combined with 'clean sheet customer wish lists' and our technical expertise in adapting sensor technology to work within the hostile and demanding truck and OTR in-tyre operating environment, has enabled us to develop a unique TPMS product, incorporating the following key features:

• A TPMS sensor that can be either based on a patch or features that can be included in the tyre manufacturing process that allows for the attachment of a sensor directly to the tyre.
• The sensor to be easily attached and removed from the patch or tyre.
• Compatible with current RFID technology.
• TPMS sensor housing to include an RFID or allowing the RFID to be embedded within the patch or tyre.

The following picture shows the main design features of the Transense TPMS patch.

• The rubber compound has been selected for a fast in-tyre curing time, essential for aftermarket tyre processing.
• Captive anchor which allows easy attachment and removal of the TPMS sensor.
• Hermetic and durable TPMS sensor contained within a robust housing which can also accommodate an RFID.
• The construction of truck and OTR tyres dictates the need for an efficient and durable antenna. Strain relief has been incorporated into the design which includes antenna supports.

Transense have received an enthusiastic and encouraging market response, with customers eagerly awaiting the conclusion of the patch development program. Please contact us for further information regarding our TPMS products.

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