Colloquia

Summary

There are many people who ride a radio controlled (RC) car, either for fun or professionally. The one thing that keeps these cars attached to the terrain are the tires. Tires are the connection between the road and the car, and are therefore extremely important for the performance. The tire compound is critical for the performance of the tire and also a difficult component due to the different characteristics that must be balanced. Designing a tire compound is a great way to get familiar with rubber and can support students in their learning experience

This study focussed on the design and creation of RC tires from beginning to end. Rims that fit standard RC racing cars were designed that form a glue-less connection with the tires for ease of use. The rims are produced with fused deposition modelling (FDM) for high flexibility and rapid producibility. A compression mold was designed and produced to turn the rubber compounds into tires that comply with official RC racing rules. 14 different compounds were created and characterized for best wear and grip performance. These compounds were then, using the designed mold, turned into tires to fit the RC car. The connection between the tire and rim is tested and some alterations to the rim were made. The end goal was to create a package for students to create and test their own tires, in a theoretical and practical way. Most importantly, a proof of concept for a compression mold was made. This prototype compression mold worked as designed and is able to produce high quality tires.