with Jeff Warfford, Michelin Americas Research Center
Thursday, April 21, 10:15 – 11:15AM
440 Goodwin Hall

Contact Diana Israel for webinar link

The design and production of pneumatic tires involves the application of many engineering and scientific disciplines.   For example, the optimum mold geometry and an estimate of the required strength of internal components for a given design can be determined through an understanding of the stresses in an inflated, membrane of revolution.

In this lecture, the geometric parameters describing the equilibrium profile of the tire, the equations describing the membrane stresses, and the governing equation for the shape of the equilibrium profile for an inflated, pneumatic tire will be presented.

Jeff Warfford is currently a Senior Product Development Analyst with the Michelin Americas Research Center in Greenville, SC.  In this role, he provides virtual tire models to OEs for use in their full vehicle simulations, including driver-in-the-loop simulators.  Warfford has 22 years of experience with Michelin, including an expatriate assignment in France, in various tire design and performance areas.  He also teaches in Michelin’s internal tire design school as a subject matter expert in tire mechanics.  Prior to joining Michelin, Warfford worked in heavy-truck suspension and steering system design with Volvo Trucks North America, Inc. 

Warfford also served as a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at North Carolina State University following graduate school.

Warfford is originally from Lexington, NC.  He obtained his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University.  He has been married to his wife, Carol, for 29 years.  They have two children: Noelle and Andy.

Host: Clint Dancey