Cheng Shin-Toyo orders MTS tire testing system

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (Oct. 7)—Cheng Shin-Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd. has ordered an MTS Flat-Trac tire testing system for its Kunshan, China, tire plant, marking the first order from a Chinese manufacturer for MTS Systems Corp.'s flat-bed, high-speed testing unit. The Flat-Trac III Steady State system is designed to perform force-and-moment testing of passenger car and light truck tires for vehicle-handling models and tire qualification, MTS said. The Flat-Trac technology allows users to characterize tire behavior while operating at speed, with control of load, tire attitude and inflation pressure during steady-state, dynamic or simulation tests, MTS said. Cheng-Shin-Toyo is a joint venture between Taiwan's Shin Rubber Industry Co. Ltd. and Japan's Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd. The plant, in Jiangsu Province, has an estimated daily capacity of 20,000 radial passenger car and light truck, bias truck/bus and industrial tires.