Rubber-made tires are the norm for use on mining vehicles but wear down quickly, contribute towards microplastic pollution and are costly so the Air Suspension Wheel (ASW) has been developed with this in mind. The tire design from Global Air Cylinder Wheels (GACW) is engineered with an inner steel hub that’s connected to an outer steel drum through a series of nitrogen-filled chambers and oil dampers. The outer drum is wrapped in either solid polyurethane or steel-treaded shoes that are rated to last up to five-times longer than conventional tires without overheating or deforming.

The Air Suspension Wheel comes with a higher upfront cost compared to rubber tires, but has a far lower ownership cost with a design that can be easily repaired as required.