Smithers Rapra’s tire and wheel testing laboratory in Ravenna, Ohio, USA, has successfully completed a laboratory alignment for the measurement of tire rolling resistance with the Global Network of Reference Laboratories defined in (EC) No1222/2009.
The correlation extends Smithers Rapra’s capabilities as an independent tire test facility for UNECE (United States Economic Commission for Europe) Regulation No. 117 (R117); R117 provides requirements for maximum tire rolling sound emissions, minimum wet grip performance and the maximum rolling resistance for tires that are imported into the European market.
“Expanding our ability to test to R117 standards at our US lab provides our global customers with a network of certified Smithers Rapra laboratories to test their tires,” said Dr James A Popio, VP and general manager, Smithers Rapra. “We can now service customers who manufacture tires for the European market at our testing laboratories in Ravenna and Suzhou, China.”
The fully correlated Smithers Rapra Tire and Wheel Test Laboratory now enables European approval authorities and their clients to confidently state rolling resistance data for European type approval, conformity of production (CoP), and the EU labeling requirements that are increasingly being adopted globally. Testing to the R117 standard can be performed on passenger car and light truck tires.
July 1, 2015
