Smithers' Winter Test Center adds tire testing certification

AKRON—Smithers has added an important accreditation to its ISO resume, especially as far its Winter Test Center in Brimley, Mich., is concerned.

The ISO 19447 testing certification means that the test center in the Upper Peninsula can measure, as a standard certification, the relative ice grip performance of passenger tires.

"There is building demand for ISO 19447 testing right now, and very few companies who offer it," said Eric Pierce, principal Engineer at the Winter Test Center. "That's largely due to the fact that ISO 19447 requires a prepared surface and a fairly extreme winter environment.

"At Smithers, we have the experience to prepare the specialized surface required for ISO 19447 and the ideal environment, putting the latest ice grip test methodology right at our clients' fingertips."

The newly accredited test method mimics the ECE R117 C1 Braking certification, which currently is pending in Europe.

The E.U. uses a new Alpine label for ice grip, a separate category from the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake snow grip symbol.

According to Smithers, the test track takes an hour to prepare.

It can only be laid when the temperature is between minus-15 degrees and 4 degrees Celsius. The ice covering the test track must remain between minus-15 degrees and minus-5 degrees Celsius.

"ISO 19447 testing is conducted on a flat, polished ice surface," according to Smithers.

Testing consists of nine test runs, and the highest and lowest scores are thrown out. The remaining data is compiled into the final ice grip calculations.

"As snow and ice traction testing methods for tires evolve, our goal is to continuously expand our capabilities at our proving grounds so our clients can keep pace with the latest innovations," said Jim Popio, vice president of Smithers Materials Science and Engineering Division. "The addition of ISO 19447 to our scope of accreditation is one of many investments we've made in recent years to ensure a world-class experience for our valued clients at the Smithers Winter Test Center."

For more information contact Mark Shackelford at [email protected].

The Smithers Winter Test Center sits on more than 800 acres, with snow, ice and bare pavement surfaces and courses.

OEMs and tier suppliers contract with Smithers to test vehicle systems, tires and components under the challenges of extreme cold and hazardous road conditions.