Global tyre manufacturer, Cooper Tire and Rubber Company is relying on technology from leading UK vehicle weighing company Vehicle Weighing Solutions Ltd (VWS) to make sure its tyres comply with stringent tyre legislation and standards.

Cooper has recently purchased four APOLLO Portable Static PT300 high accuracy weigh pads from VWS to record the weight of vehicles prior to the rigorous testing of Cooper tyre products.

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In the EU tyres need to meet with the standards stipulated under Regulation 117 and require labelling according to a grading system that relates to fuel consumption, wet grip and noise classification. The aim is to increase safety, promote fuel-efficient and safe tyres, and decrease noise levels. Each tyre is labelled using a grading system based on its test performance; this information has been printed on all EU tyre labels since November 2012.

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During the testing process the precise weight of each vehicle needs to be recorded to ensure reliable data regarding the tyre’s performance within different vehicle categories i.e. cars, vans etc.

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Neil Crookes, Technical Services Manager, Cooper Tire and Rubber Company said: “We were attracted to VWS’s product initially because it is calibrated to *NAMAS standards and built using military spec NATO approved grade aluminium, so it is robust and will stand the test of time.”

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Continued Neil: “When we set up a vehicle for testing we need to record the individual corner weights and gross weights accurately before we can accurately test the performance of our tyres.  Despite being a very high spec the weigh pad itself is very lightweight so it’s easy to take with us when we test our products overseas.”

The PT300 weigh pad is suitable for weighing vehicles, either by cable or wirelessly, statically axle by axle and each pad is rated to 10,000 kg. With an accuracy of within 1% it is arguably the most reliable weigh pad in its class plus it has a large and easy to read integral LCD weight display.

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Cooper Tire and Rubber Company, incorporating Avon Tyres, has manufacturing facilities on three continents and produces tyres for a range of applications such as cars, 4×4, winter and high performance that are used across the globe.

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VWS belongs to a family of complimentary British companies known collectively as AW.co.uk specialising in the design, manufacture, installation and servicing of load cells, weighing and traffic monitoring systems.