Published: 8/26/2020

(Akron, Ohio) – Smithers, a leading provider of testing, consulting, information, and compliance services, has announced that Christine Domer, Bruce Lambillotte, and Eric Pierce are presenting at ITEC 2020 Virtual Edition on September 8-18, 2020.

Christine Domer is presenting “The Shift to Electric Vehicles: Tire Design Perspectives” on Wednesday, September 16, at 10:30 AM EDT. Electric vehicle manufacturers are challenging tire makers to design their tires specifically for the distinct performance requirements of electric vehicles, such as low rolling resistance, reduced noise, better tread performance, and modified load distribution. In this presentation, Domer will discuss electric vehicle tire trends from an internal proprietary database of tires purchased from the market in 2019 and 2020. The study will focus on tire construction features, rolling resistance, footprints, and tread and sidewall compound changes as well as other variables to provide a picture of how the tire market has evolved over the past few years.

Bruce Lambillotte will be speaking about “The Tire’s Role in Autonomous Vehicle Development through the Next Decade” on Thursday, September 17, at 3:00 PM EDT. Autonomous vehicle technology is developing quickly, with some specialty applications already on the road today. From durability and performance to the use of sensors to collect key data points, the tire will have an important role to play in the autonomous system going forward. In this presentation, Lambillotte will share market dynamics that are affecting the gradual introduction of autonomous vehicle technology around the world. The presentation will also explore various sensor technologies and how tire designs must adjust to account for new handling and durability requirements.

Eric Pierce will deliver an evaluation of key winter traction test methods titled “ASTM F09: Tire Performance Testing for Winter Conditions and Evaluating Data” on Wednesday, September 8, at 10:30 AM EDT. Testing tire performance in winter conditions, specifically snow and ice, presents unique challenges when it comes to consistency. Much of this testing occurs out of a controlled laboratory environment, which necessitates procedures and conditions to improve quality and reliability of testing data. This presentation delivers an overview of two testing standards that can improve the data gathering and evolution process when it comes to tire performance testing in winter conditions: ASTM F1572 and ASTM F1650. Pierce will explore how these two standards can be applied in tandem to optimize testing data quality.

“Smithers has been serving the tire industry for nearly 100 years, and we’re still dedicated to supporting our valued clients through every development and evolution,” said Dr. Jim Popio, Vice President for North America, Materials Science & Engineering, Smithers. “With years of experience in tire development and engineering, Christine, Bruce, and Eric are leading experts in these specialty areas, and their perspectives on these diverse subjects will be invaluable to anyone who attends ITEC 2020 Virtual Edition.”
 
Christine Domer has over 30 years of material science experience in the tire and rubber industries, formerly working for Cooper Tire, Bridgestone Americas, and Halide America. She joined the Smithers team in 2016 and is general manager of the chemical and physical laboratories in Akron and the Smithers Tire Analysis Report. She has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Akron.
 
As Vice President of Technical Consulting, Bruce Lambillotte directly supports tire and rubber companies with their rubber consulting challenges. His expertise in product development originates from over four decades of extensive testing analysis expertise in multiple roles at Smithers and tire OEMs. His areas of specialty include rubber compounding, tire formulation construction and reconstruction, polymer materials chemistry and characterization, physical properties of elastomer materials, rubber product failure analysis, tire reinforcements, and product and process development.

Eric Pierce joined Smithers in 2016 and specializes in supporting engineering projects related to winter testing of tires and vehicles. He has specific expertise in winter traction testing for passenger, light truck, and truck tires. He has previously worked as a Lab Manager for the Center for Tire Research at Virginia Tech. Pierce is a committee member and sub chairman for the ASTM International Technical Committee F09 on Tires, the Tire Performance Session Chair for Tire Society, and a member of the Industry Advisory Board for the Center for Tire Research. He has a Bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He also served the US Navy, specializing in advanced electronics.

The International Tire Exhibition and Conference (ITEC) is dedicated exclusively to tire makers and those that serve the industry. ITEC 2020 has transitioned to a new virtual format, which will include virtual technical presentations, a daily “Ask the Expert” livestream, and a matchmaking service to create connection opportunities for attendees, sponsors, and speakers.