DATA COLLECTION To manage its Fleet Solutions program, Michelin’s tire fl eet leasing program, the company uses RFID patches on each tire position on a vehicle. Th e patches are applied to the sidewall of the tire. Additionally, QR (Quick Response) codes – device readable barcodes used to provide easy access to information – are applied to the vehicle. Air pressure, tread depth and inspection data are collected by a handheld device and entered into the database against the RFID tag. An internal management system tracks the mileage and tire position data and allows the compilation of the information. “Fleets have historically collected this information on paper, and the data was rarely utilized for effi ciency gains and asset management due to the diffi culty to organize and interpret it,” Osborne notes. “Th e Michelin system allows more accurate and eff ective collection and collation of the data and, with the thousands of tags deployed into the fi eld, allows fl eets to really utilize the information. “Th e service program helps reduce risk, manage costs, save fuel, lower emissions and performance variables.” Bridgestone has explored several technologies that allow for unique identifi - cation of a tire, says Jason Roanhouse, director of strategic business development, Bridgestone Commercial Group. “Th e benefi ts from these technologies center around the ability to assign data against the identifi er – think of it like a social security number – for a tire that allows specifi c information to be collected on individual and groups of tires to provide valuable insights and improve decision making.” Bridgestone Commercial Solutions, a business of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (www.bridgestoneamericas. com), provides tires and services for trucking, construction, mining, aggregates and industrial operations across the Americas. Th e division manufactures, markets and sells medium and heavy duty truck tires and off -road tires for the original equipment and replacement markets. TRANSFER OF INFORMATION Information from RFID tags can be transferred from a reader using Wi-Fi, cellular technology or a docking station, says Osborne of Michelin. Adds TireStamp’s Fisher: “Th ere are readers on the market today that will read RFIDs, take tread depths and interrogate TPMS sensors to obtain tire pressures. Th e readers then send this information wirelessly to a PDA which then communicates this data to the fl eet or a web portal.” “Th e information in the tag does not change, but REPLACE YOUR IDEAS ABOUT REPLACEMENT CLUTCHES. The EverTough® Clutch by Eaton®. Now available in self-adjusting or manual models. The reliability you want at the price point you need. If you’re looking for an unbeatable combination of value and performance we’ve got the clutch for you. An EverTough Clutch by Eaton is 100% new and uses Genuine Eaton components, with a design based on our millions of miles of clutch experience. And every clutch undergoes Eaton’s rigorous standard of testing - so you can be confi dent with the quality. With a one-year warranty and backed by Roadranger® support, you’ll see high performance on the job and a difference on the bottom line. That’s something no other brand can match. Learn more at evertough.com © 2016 Eaton. All rights reserved. VehicleServicePros.com/10226729 Continued Page 21 | Heavy Duty
FleetMaintenance_June_2016
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