Abstract: A system for predicting vibration or acoustic responses of a vehicle to a predetermined excitation of a candidate tire of the vehicle includes a first accelerometer for measuring tire responses at a test rig to the predetermined excitation of a reference tire mounted on the rig, a second accelerometer, microphone, or other vibration or acoustic sensor for measuring vibration and acoustic responses at a location on the vehicle to the predetermined excitation of the reference tire mounted on the vehicle, and a computer for calculating transfer functions as a ratio of the vibration or acoustic responses from the second accelerometer, microphone, or other vibration or acoustic sensor divided by the tire responses from the first accelerometer. The computer predicts candidate tire responses, similar to the tire responses of the first accelerometer, of the reference tire mounted on the test rig.

Abstract: Method to identify and remove machine contributions from tire uniformity measurements made on a tire uniformity machine by synchronizing and averaging together multiple measurements of tire uniformity made on a single test tire that is re-mounted between measurements in a randomly determined orientation relative to a rim reference mark on the rim of the tire uniformity machine. A cross-correlation function is calculated for each measurement relative to the first measurement, and an angular shift is determined from each cross-correlation function. The angular shifts are used to synchronize the measurements so that they can be averaged together. The resulting average test tire uniformity data has both machine contribution and random measurement noise minimized. An average machine contribution data set is determined by synchronizing and subtracting the average test tire uniformity data from each test tire uniformity measurement data set, then averaging together the resulting data sets.

Abstract: Method to identify and remove machine contributions from tire uniformity measurements made on a tire uniformity machine by synchronizing and averaging together multiple measurements of tire uniformity made on a single test tire that is re-mounted between measurements in a randomly determined orientation relative to a rim reference mark on the rim of the tire uniformity machine. A cross-correlation function is calculated for each measurement relative to the first measurement, and an angular shift is determined from each cross-correlation function. The angular shifts are used to synchronize the measurements so that they can be averaged together. The resulting average test tire uniformity data has both machine contribution and random measurement noise minimized. An average machine contribution data set is determined by synchronizing and subtracting the average test tire uniformity data from each test tire uniformity measurement data set, then averaging together the resulting data sets.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for predicting tire uniformity, preferably a harmonic component of force variation for a production tire, preferably when operating at a high speed, and also method and apparatus for manufacturing tires and controlling the manufacturing of tires in response to quality control based on a comparison of a production tire's predicted uniformity versus predetermined criteria. A production tire's predicted tire uniformity is determined by a calculation using transfer functions applied to production tire measurement data from factory floor testing equipment which includes a factory floor balance checker and a factory floor tire uniformity machine. The transfer functions are determined by calculations involving a combination of measurements on a tire sample which preferably comprises one or more tires of the same construction as the production tire for which predictions are desired.

Abstract: A method for predicting product performance uses sample data from a manufactured product under at least first and second different conditions, to establish transfer functions and a bias term simultaneously, which are then used to predict second condition properties for product when first condition properties are measured. In an illustrated embodiment, a method for predicting tire uniformity, preferably a harmonic component of force variation, preferably when operating at a high speed, is based on a tire's tested uniformity. A production tire's predicted tire uniformity is determined by a calculation using transfer functions applied to production tire measurement data obtained from factory floor testing equipment, which includes a factory floor balance checker and a factory tire uniformity machine, where the data are modified by a bias term that minimizes the machines contribution to the data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for predicting tire uniformity, preferably a harmonic component of force variation for a production tire, preferably when operating at a high speed, and also method and apparatus for manufacturing tires and controlling the manufacturing of tires in response to quality control based on a comparison of a production tire's predicted uniformity versus predetermined criteria. A production tire's predicted tire uniformity is determined by a calculation using transfer functions applied to production tire measurement data from factory floor testing equipment which includes a factory floor balance checker and a factory floor tire uniformity machine. The transfer functions are determined by calculations involving a combination of measurements on a tire sample which preferably comprises one or more tires of the same construction as the production tire for which predictions are desired.

Abstract: Method to identify and remove machine contributions from tire uniformity measurements made on a tire uniformity machine by averaging one or more measurements of tire uniformity from a single test tire to calculate an average machine contribution signal, and then subtracting the average machine contribution signal from a tire uniformity measurement signal for a production tire to provide a corrected tire uniformity measurement for the production tire.