French tyre maker Michelin is upgrading its retreading process by offering an automated regrooving solution known as NAZCA to modernise the century-old retreading process, reduce ergonomic hardship, and boost workshop productivity.
Regrooving has been a key step in truck, bus, and coach tyre maintenance for over a century. The manual regrooving process requires specialised know?how, and today, it faces the challenge of ergonomic hardship and skills renewal.
NAZCA automates the regrooving process in line with manufacturers’ recommendations, with the goal of quality and repeatability. It was developed by Michelin engineers to make full use of every millimeter of usable rubber thanks to a high-density laser scanner and advanced algorithms. It adjusts cut depth across the entire width and circumference of the tire in real time, because every tire’s geometry is unique.
The firm also adds NAZCA was tested in real-world conditions for over a year and can increase the number of regrooving operations completed by workshops. According to Michelin, it could boost regrooving capacity by 30% to 50%, depending on the workshop’s operating conditions.
Each regrooving operation requires less than three minutes of hands-on technician time, freeing technicians to focus on other tasks like alignment, repairs, and tyre mounting/removal. That means NAZCA can help make workshops more profitable and more flexible.
Designed to meet workshops’ needs, NAZCA is compatible with a wide range of brands and sizes of tires that have a robust enough casing to undergo the lifespan-extending regrooving process, it adds.
Approximately 20 NAZCA machines are currently undergoing pilot testing across Europe. In 2027, Michelin will continue rolling out this innovation in various countries, taking into account the applicable regulatory frameworks.
The commercial launch will be gradual and adapted to the specific characteristics of each market, it adds.