Tire Conversion Technologies, Inc. (TCT) in Latham uses recycled tires to produce rubber products for the construction, consumer, and clean energy markets, including isolation features such as mats and feet to protect sensitive equipment from weather, vibration, and other forces.
Tire Conversion Technologies
Description
"I think the best thing about FuzeHub was how fast they were able to react compared to some other projects I’ve done. Their ability to respond was pretty remarkable."
John Vogel
CEO
The Challenge
TCT’s compression molding process uses polyurethane to bind the crumb rubber. Although this binder accounts for only 5 percent of the finished product, it represents about half of direct manufacturing costs. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) mechanical engineering professor Dan Walczyk uncovered R&D work on a new manufacturing technology that eliminated the need for a polyurethane binder but saw shortcomings in the process and believed he could improve upon it. TCT would be the first American manufacturer to use the new method.
The Solution
RPI, working with TCT CEO John Vogel, applied to FuzeHub for a 2018 Manufacturing Grant and received $35,381. The money enabled Walczyk to develop and demonstrate his process improvements with actual industrial equipment through a realistic case study. The result was a product that at least matched the mechanical properties of TCT’s product but without the expensive binder.
Outcomes / The Impact
RPI, working with TCT CEO John Vogel, applied to FuzeHub for a 2018 Manufacturing Grant and received $35,381. The money enabled Walczyk to develop and demonstrate his process improvements with actual industrial equipment through a realistic case study. The result was a product that at least matched the mechanical properties of TCT’s product but without the expensive binder.
“The FuzeHub Manufacturing Grant program provides much needed R&D funding for NY State SMEs who need help with difficult-to-solve manufacturing issues that are affecting their competitiveness and/or bottom line. Funding from federal agencies for these type of manufacturing problems is nearly impossible to get, since the topic areas are not ‘sexy’ enough. FuzeHub is smart enough to know that supporting projects where capable non-profits with advanced technical capabilities help these companies to solve very practical problems is an effective use of economic development funding.” Daniel Walcyzk, Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering at RPI and Director of the Center for Automation Technologies and Systems.