DATE: February 04, 2008

CONTACT: Tom Kurfess, (864) 656-6339
kurfess@clemson.edu

WRITER: Susan Polowczuk, (864) 656-2063
spolowc@clemson.edu


Clemson researchers team up with Michelin to advance tire technology

CLEMSON — A Clemson University research team affiliated with the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research will receive $1.9 million to develop new technology with Michelin North America, one of CU-ICAR’s founding partners. The project will focus on reducing automotive tire rolling resistance, improving vehicle fuel economy. Michelin chose Clemson to conduct a significant portion of the research after a competitive bid process for universities.

Michelin North America Chairman and President Jim Micali and Clemson President James F. Barker sign the research agreement.“This award is the direct result of academia and industry working together to create innovative solutions for one of the most pressing problems of our time, the global energy crisis,” said Tom Kurfess, Clemson researcher on the project and director of CU-ICAR. “It is an important partnership because no one individual could accomplish this alone.”

The project will engage the talents of more than 20 professors, graduate and undergraduate students. These mechanical engineering professors are working on the project:

  • Tom Kurfess, holder of the BMW Chair in Manufacturing, focusing on manufacturing issues;
  • John Ziegert, holder of the Timken Chair in Automotive Design and Development, focusing on design issues;
  • Georges Fadel, focusing on integration issues;
  • Paul Joseph, focusing on material modeling and design issues;
  • Joshua Summers, focusing on design issues; and
  • Laine Mears, focusing on manufacturing issues.

Michelin North America and Clemson University officials at the research agreement event.Michelin was one of the first partners in CU-ICAR, funding an endowed chair and associated laboratory in February 2004.

CU-ICAR is a new model for economic development in South Carolina, matching Clemson’s strengths in automotive engineering with the state’s strong automotive economic cluster. Located on the Interstate 85 corridor between Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta, Ga., CU-ICAR is situated in the center of the Southeastern automotive and motorsports economy.


The 250-acre “technopolis” is where BMW, Michelin, Timken, SUN, SAE and other corporate partners are joining with Clemson to focus on automotive research and other transportation and advanced manufacturing issues.

The state of South Carolina also is a key partner, having created legislation to support economic development and innovation. For example, the Research Centers of Economic Excellence Endowed Chairs Program matches private funding to recruit top faculty. CU-ICAR has four endowed chairs created through the program. Three of these chairs, along with five junior faculty positions, have been filled. These faculty members, along with other faculty from the main campus, form the academic team for one of the nation’s most exceptional master’s and doctoral degree programs in automotive engineering. The doctoral program is one of the first in the country.

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