Method for measuring deformation of tire tread

A method for measuring deformation of a tire tread, comprising the steps of:

• providing a tire tread deformation producing system comprising a flat, transparent base plate having first and second opposite surfaces;
• providing a vision system comprising first and second imaging devices, said vision system being capable of determining the three-dimensional positions of distinct points lying on a surface of an object by (i) imaging the object across a transparent plate by said first and second imaging devices so as to generate first picture data from said first imaging device and second picture data from said second imaging device and (ii) processing said first and second picture data;
• providing a test tire having a tire tread having tread grooves defined by groove wall surfaces;
• defining mesh points on a groove wall surface of a tread groove of the test tire;
• positioning said first and second imaging devices on the side of said second surface of said base plate;
• producing deformation of the tire tread of the test tire by urging a portion of the tire tread against said first surface of said base plate with a desired load;
• and
• determining the three-dimensional positions of said mesh points on the groove wall surface by imaging the tread groove across said base plate by said first and second imaging devices while the test tire is subject to deformation.