According to Dave Paulk, manager, field technician services, BKT USA Inc., it’s only a matter of time before tire sensors and RFID tags become more prevalent in ag tires.
“Tire sensor technology has been used on over-the-road trucks, trailers, cars and pickups and RFID tags have been used on OTR tires and over-the-road trucks/trailers for some time now,” he says.
“Ag tractors are being used more on the highways in many different applications that require higher speeds. Many are larger, with higher horsepower pulling heavier equipment, and are running faster.
“Tire sensors can be built into the tire or added to the inside of the tire via the aftermarket. Running air pressures too low for the load and high heat are killers of tires. Low air pressure can cause excessive heat build-up in a tire and destroy the tire’s casing.”
These sensors are able to alert the operator to changes in air pressure and heat in order to keep these factors under control, says Paulk.
“This information is sent to a console in the vehicle to warn the driver. The result of not taking preventative action can lead to downtime and the cost of a new tire.”
Paulk says RFID tags work the same way.
“But they can generally deliver more information to a receiver outside of the vehicle,” he says. “As the name indicates, RFID uses radio frequency to communicate with a receiver to gather information about the tire.”
Paulk says that there are two types of RFID tags: active and passive.
“Active RFID tags have a battery and passive tags do not. Most RFID tags are embedded into the tire. Data can be collected and analyzed for a fleet of vehicles. This can be used to gather information on air pressure, temperature of the tire and location of the tire.
“If air pressure drops or the tire begins heating up, an alert can be sent to warn of an impending failure. These alerts can go to a receiver in the vehicle, remote receiver and/or a cell phone.”
He continues by saying most tire dealers should have some experience dealing with sensors because of their use on cars and pickups for several years. However, Paulk says new technology always presents a learning curve.
“Overall, tire sensors and RFID tags are designed to give information that can help with preventative maintenance costs and provide benefits that can help the farmer save money on fuel, downtime and tire costs.”
