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MOTORINDIA
l
April 2012
99
The sensors continuously
monitor both air pressure
and the tyre tempera-
ture and send the data
wirelessly to the
truck’s
elec-
tronic control
unit (ECU).
“This proc-
esses
the
data, saves
warnings and
sends them di-
rectly to a display in the
driver’s cab. The driver can imme-
diately take corrective action and
avoid a breakdown before it hap-
pens,” he explains.
The system has two major advan-
tages for commercial truck driv-
ers over other systems, says Arm-
strong. “First, it is the only system
on the market to account for the
tyre’s temperature at its most op-
timal point inside the tyre, which
eliminates interference from other
outside elements. The system then
compensates for the temperature in
the inflation data.”
“Since a tyre’s contained air pres-
sure naturally increases as a vehicle
moves, it is difficult to tell if a hot
tyre is underinflated. Without some
form of temperature compensa-
tion, a hot tyre that is underinflated
might appear to be fine, because the
contained air pressure is at or above
its cold inflation pressure.”
He says: “With ContiPressure-
Check, which is tyre mounted, we
measure both tyre pressure and
temperature, in order to give the
most accurate reading. This feature
alerts drivers to underinflation is-
sues even in the case of slow leaks,
which are difficult to detect in a sys-
tem that is not compensated. Conti-
PressureCheck’s construction takes
into account years of research into
tyre pressure monitoring systems,
and provides a robust and reliable
system – the second advantage of
the product”.
Because the ContiPressureCheck
system sensors are placed inside the
tyre, they are less prone to breakage
or accidental damage. This con-
struction also avoids measurement
errors due to brake heating. The
system can be easily installed when
tyres are replaced or even before
the new vehicle is delivered from
the manufacturer.
Armstrong further says the ben-
efits extend well beyond the lon-
gevity of the system and the accu-
racy of its data. Looking at all the
factors that impact a commercial
fleet’s costs, it addresses several is-
sues that impact fleet operations.
“First is fuel economy. As fuel
costs increase, it becomes more
and more vital for fleets to manage
every drop of diesel. The U.S. De-
partment of Transportation recently
reported that in a two-year test, use
of a tyre pressure monitoring sys-
tem decreased fuel consumption by
1.4 per cent. That alone can pay for
the cost of a tyre pressure moni-
toring system, and also reduces
emissions. The benefits don’t stop
there. Proper tyre inflation also re-
duces tyre wear and the incidence
of breakdowns. All of these factors
help keep trucks operating longer
and more continuously on the road,
and thus reducing operating costs
for fleets,” he adds.
w
MATS 2012: Technology Watch
“With ContiPressureCheck,
which is tyre mounted, we
measure both tyre pres-
sure and temperature, in
order to give the most ac-
curate reading.”
– Mr. Clif Armstrong