Tire testing apparatus and method

A method for detecting a defective tire assembly during a curing process, said method comprising the steps of:

• decoding at selected time intervals data received from a plurality of temperature sensors appropriately connected to a processor of a computer system, wherein said data includes a plurality of temperature values one from each sensor and wherein each of said temperature sensors are connected to a hose of a tire assembly station, said station comprising a tire assembly inside an autoclave, and an external manifold;
• applying a correction value for each of said temperature values in order to correct for known temperature deviations within each station;
• calculating the average temperature of all the temperature sensors;
• displaying the temperature sensor reading for each station and the average temperature;
• comparing the temperature reading of each station with the average temperature,
• calculating the difference between the temperature average and temperature sensor reading;
• and
• activating an output indicating a leak when said temperature sensor reading is equal or is greater than a selected temperature deviation.

A method for detecting a defective tire assembly during a curing process, said method comprising the steps of:

• supplying heat and pressure from a source of heat to an autoclave through supplies;
• decoding, at selected time intervals, temperature data received from a plurality of temperature sensors connected to said supplies of a tire assembly station, said station comprising a tire assembly inside an autoclave, and said external source;
• applying a correction value to each, temperature data, said correction value representing a known temperature deviation within each station;
• calculating the average temperature of all the temperature sensors;
• displaying a station identifier, the temperature sensor reading for each station, the average temperature, and the time of day the temperature readings were taken;
• comparing the temperature reading of each station with the average temperature;
• calculating the difference between the temperature average and temperature sensor reading;
• and,
• activating an output when said temperature sensor reading is equal or is greater than a selected temperature deviation to indicate a leak.