Moulded tyre specification reading with 3D
Moulded tyre specification reading can use surface height when black rubber and curved lighting make printed-style OCR unreliable. Fail order matching independently of date readability.
Line solution
Test this on your samplesTyre barcode reading and DOT code checks
// Short answer
Tyre barcode reading is fixed code readers reading the barcode label on every tyre as it passes on a conveyor, so each tyre is identified, checked against MES or the warehouse system, and diverted if it cannot be read. addaScan builds it on HIKROBOT ID-series readers, from two readers on a known label zone to six around the whole tyre. Reading the moulded DOT-style date is a separate 3D station. An indicative installed budget for a typical application is R 260 000 – R 1 390 000 excluding VAT.
// At a glance
The station in three lines
- Faults caught
- Tyres with no read, unreadable labels, codes not known to MES, tyres on the wrong lane
- Configuration
- Two HIKROBOT ID5000 readers on a known label zone, or six 20 MP ID5000 readers around the tyre
- Line link
- Code and result to the conveyor PLC and MES; divert signal for no-reads and mismatches
// Fit & limits
What this station will not do, and what it needs
What it will not do
- Moulded text: a barcode reader does not read the raised DOT-style date or size on the sidewall; that needs a 3D station.
- Damaged labels: a torn, wrinkled or smeared label may not read; the tyre is diverted and the code reprinted or keyed in.
- Tyre quality: the station does not inspect tyres for defects, bulges or uniformity.
- Code grading: reading a code is not grading its print quality to ISO standards.
What makes it work
- Data on the label or in MES: the serial on the label, and the size and date held against it.
- A known label zone (low case): labels in the same zone on every tyre, or the full-view frame.
- One tyre at a time: a gap between tyres through the frame.
- Samples: tyres with good, poor and missing labels, for each size range.
// On South African lines
Tyre plants in South Africa, the date code rule, and two different reading jobs
Tyres were South Africa’s third-largest automotive component export in 2025, at R3 285m (naamsa, 2026). The list of tyre manufacturing plants in South Africa has become shorter, though: Goodyear approved closing its Kariega plant in 2025 (Goodyear 8-K, 2025), while Continental still makes tyres in Gqeberha (Continental). This page is for the remaining plants and for warehouses and distribution centres that receive, store and sort tyres by barcode.
Passenger tyres sold here must comply with SANS 20030, with UNECE Regulation 30 accepted as equivalent (GN 808, 2018), and R30 asks for the date of manufacture as a group of four digits, the first two showing the week and the last two the year (UNECE R30). Buyers often call this the tyre DOT code, after the US marking. The rule sets the marking, not how it is checked. That date is moulded into the sidewall as raised black characters, not printed on the barcode label.
So there are two different jobs. Reading a barcode label is code reading: HIKROBOT lists full-view tyre code reading among its code reader cases (HIKROBOT catalogue, p.30). Reading raised sidewall text is OCR on height data: HIKROBOT shows it in a case on its Chinese site with 3D laser profilers and deep-learning OCR (HIKROBOT CN cases). The station on this page reads barcodes; the 3D text station is scoped separately.
If the requirement is a manufacturing-date check, start with how to read a tyre manufacturing date. The guide explains the sidewall date group and why reading it requires a separate imaging task from scanning a tyre barcode label.
What the plant and the warehouse report, and what the reading station checks
| What the line reports | What a station checks | Where it stops |
|---|---|---|
| “Tyres reach the warehouse with no scan against them” | Every tyre’s barcode label is read in motion and the code is sent to MES or the warehouse system; a tyre with no read is diverted. | A torn, wrinkled or smeared label may not read; the station flags it, it does not repair it. |
| “Operators scan every tyre with a handheld at the sorter” | Fixed readers read the tyre as it passes, so the handheld tyre barcode scanner is only needed for the diverted exceptions. | The label must face a side the readers can see; the two-reader case covers a known label zone only. |
| “The label is never in the same place on the tyre” | Full view: six readers cover both sidewalls and the tread, so the label is read wherever it sits. | A label pressed against the conveyor or hidden under another tyre is not seen; tyres pass one at a time. |
| “We need the tyre manufacturing date for every tyre” | If MES holds the date against the serial on the label, the read code returns it; the barcode reader itself reads only the label. | Reading the moulded week-and-year digits on the sidewall needs a 3D profiler and OCR station, scoped separately. |
| “Tyres of the wrong size end up on the wrong lane” | The read code is checked against the lane or order in MES, and a mismatch is diverted. | The tyre size is not measured; the check relies on the label being on the right tyre. |
// The complete solution
Tyre barcode reading station: readers, software and installation
Tyres pass one at a time through a reading frame on the conveyor. Two readers watch a known label zone, or six cover both sidewalls and the tread. The best read is checked against MES, and tyres with no read or the wrong code are diverted before the sorter.
[Schematic]Plan view, not to scale
Swipe sideways to see the whole drawing →
[1]: A photoelectric sensor tells the readers a tyre is entering the frame.
[2]: ID5000 readers above the conveyor read the label on the upper sidewall; more readers cover the lower one in the full-view case.
[3]: Readers at the side read a label on the tread.
[4]: No-reads and mismatches are diverted to a manual lane.
[5]: Confirms the diverted tyre left the main conveyor.
Hardware
| Component | HIKROBOT example | Role in this station |
|---|---|---|
| Code readers (label zone) | Two HIKROBOT ID5000 code readers, MV-ID5050M-12S-WBN | Read the barcode label in a known zone on the sidewall or tread |
| Code readers (full view) | Six HIKROBOT ID5000 20 MP C-mount readers, MV-ID5200M-00C-NNN, with MVL-KF1224M-25MP lenses | Cover both sidewalls and the tread so the label is read wherever it sits |
| Lighting | HIKROBOT MV-LLDS-H-600-30-W and MV-LLDS-H-1400-40-W bar lights | Even light on black rubber and on glossy labels, set at an angle against glare |
| Trigger | HIKROBOT MV-PE photoelectric sensor or the conveyor PLC | Starts reading as each tyre enters the frame |
| Sidewall text (separate station) | HIKROBOT DP3000-series 3D laser profilers with deep-learning OCR, as in a case on HIKROBOT’s Chinese site; availability in South Africa confirmed per project | Reads raised moulded characters from height data; not in the budget below |
| Frame, guarding and divert | Local supply: reading frame, guarding, panel and screen; divert from the conveyor supplier | Holds the readers around the tyre path and moves no-reads aside |
Software and vision tools
| Tool or software | What it does here |
|---|---|
| HIKROBOT IDMVS reader client | Sets symbologies, exposure and reading zones on each ID reader. |
| One result per tyre | The results of all readers are combined into one code per tyre in the PLC or a small server, or a no-read if no reader succeeded. |
| Code check against MES | The code is checked against MES or the warehouse system: a known tyre, the right size for this lane, not read twice. |
| Read and image log | Each tyre’s code, time and lane stored, with images of no-reads for the line team. |
| Deep-learning OCR (sidewall station only) | HIKROBOT VisionMaster deep-learning OCR on 3D height images reads moulded text; used only on the separate sidewall station. |
Installation and integration
01
Mounting and enclosure
Readers on a frame around the conveyor, clear of the tyre path and of forklifts; guarding around the frame and readers protected from knocks.
02
Lighting and shrouding
Bar lights angled so the glossy label does not mirror them back into the reader; side panels keep daylight from the dock doors off the frame.
03
Trigger and tracking
One trigger per tyre; the PLC tracks each tyre from the frame to the divert, so the right tyre is moved.
04
PLC link
Code and result from the ID5000 readers over PROFINET or EtherNet/IP, which HIKROBOT lists for the ID5000; codes to MES over Ethernet.
05
Reject and confirmation
Divert with a confirmation sensor and a full-lane signal; if the readers are not ready, tyres are diverted or the conveyor is held, never passed as read.
06
Recipes and operator screen
Reading zones and code rules per tyre range, switched at changeover; the screen shows the last no-reads with their images.
// Indicative cost in South Africa
What this station costs, excluding VAT
Indicative budget for a typical application of this kind. Every project involves custom requirements (your products, line speed, layout, PLC and acceptance criteria), so the final price differs from case to case. A firm price follows the sample test.
- Low
- R 260 000
- label zone, two readers
- High
- R 1 390 000
- full view, six readers
- Basis
- Typical application of this kind, indicative
- South African rand, excluding VAT
- Prices as at 2 October 2026
- Travel: flights and accommodation to a plant in the Eastern Cape or KwaZulu-Natal, estimated
// Included and excluded
The low figure is two code readers on a known label zone on an existing tyre conveyor, with the result to the PLC. The high figure is full-view reading with six 20 MP readers around both sidewalls and the tread, a reading frame with guarding, a link to MES and a divert signal. Both sit outside the standard ranges on the cost guide (the low case between the single-view and multi-view bands, the high case above the multi-view band) and are therefore priced here separately. A 3D station that reads the moulded sidewall text is not in either figure. Conveyor changes, the divert mechanics, utilities and VAT are excluded.
Hardware is priced from public list prices converted at the ECB reference rate, plus freight, clearance and margin; engineering at R 900 – R 1 300 per hour. How these ranges are built →
Swipe the table sideways to see the high figure and the basis →
| Cost block | Low | High | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vision hardware (landed, with margin) | R 112 800 | R 574 200 | Low: two ID5000 code readers and a bar light on a known label zone. High: six 20 MP ID5000 C-mount readers with lenses and six bar lights around the tyre |
| Software licence | R 0 | R 0 | None: the reader software is free |
| Local materials and reject | R 40 000 | R 200 000 | Low: frame over the conveyor, cabling, trigger. High: reading frame, guarding, panel and screen, divert signal |
| Engineering (recipes, PLC link) | R 45 000 | R 286 000 | 50 h at R 900 to 220 h at R 1 300 |
| Installation, FAT, SAT, training, documents | R 28 800 | R 135 200 | 32 h to 104 h |
| Project management | R 10 800 | R 62 400 | 12 h to 48 h |
| Travel | R 25 000 | R 60 000 | Flights and accommodation to a plant in the Eastern Cape or KwaZulu-Natal, estimated |
| Total (rounded) | R 260 000 | R 1 390 000 | Low: label zone, two readers. High: full view, six readers |
// Related technology
Which technologies this scenario uses, and why
The technologies behind this station, how much each matters here, and where each is explained in depth.
| Technology | Role | Why it matters in this scenario | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed code reader (HIKROBOT ID series) | Core | The job is reading a barcode label on a dark, curved tyre in motion; fixed ID-series readers do this. | Choosing a code reader |
| Code content matched to PLC, MES or WMS data | Core | The read code is only useful once checked against MES or the warehouse system: the right tyre, on the right lane. | Carton and pallet verification |
| Lighting technique | Supporting | Black rubber absorbs light and labels can be glossy; angled bar lights avoid glare without washing out the label. | Machine vision lighting |
| PLC link and reject with confirmation | Supporting | A no-read must be diverted with confirmation, never passed on as read. | PLC and reject integration |
| 3D laser profiling | Supporting | Raised sidewall characters have no colour contrast; only height data shows them, which is why DOT-style text needs a 3D station. | Dimensional inspection |
| OCR/OCV of printed codes | Supporting | Reading moulded text is OCR on a height image, a separate job from barcode reading. | OCR/OCV inspection |
// Acceptance
How the station is proven before handover
Every station is accepted on your products, against numbers agreed in writing before the build. How we deliver →
01
Sample test
Tyres from each size range with good, worn and missing labels, read with the proposed readers and lights at the planned distance; the result says which label positions read reliably and whether two readers or the full view is needed.
02
FAT with challenge tyres
Before delivery, a marked set of challenge tyres (no label, damaged label, label in the hardest position, code not in MES) must each be diverted, and good tyres must be read and passed.
03
SAT on the line
On your conveyor, at production rate, the challenge tyres are run again, and false diverts and escapes are counted over an agreed run; every no-read image is reviewed with the line team.
// FAQ
Questions about tyre barcode reading
What is tyre barcode reading on a conveyor?
It is a reading frame of fixed code readers that read the barcode label on each tyre as it passes. The code goes to MES or the warehouse system, which confirms the tyre is known and on the right lane. Tyres that cannot be read, or whose code does not match, are diverted to a manual lane. It replaces scanning each tyre by hand, not the label itself. It is not a tyre inspection machine for the tyre itself: uniformity, X-ray and surface checks of the tyre are separate equipment.
How much does a tyre barcode reading station cost in South Africa?
An indicative installed budget is R 260 000 – R 1 390 000 excluding VAT, at 2 October 2026 prices. The low figure is two HIKROBOT ID5000 readers on a known label zone; the high figure is six 20 MP readers around the whole tyre with a frame, guarding, MES link and divert signal. Both include engineering, installation, FAT, SAT and travel to a plant in the Eastern Cape or KwaZulu-Natal. A firm price follows a sample test on your tyres. This is a typical application: every project involves custom requirements, so the final price depends on your products, line and acceptance criteria.
Can a barcode reader read the tyre DOT code and manufacturing date?
No. The week-and-year date is moulded into the sidewall as raised black characters, and a barcode reader reads only the label. If MES holds the date against the serial on the label, the read code gives you the date that way. Reading the moulded text itself needs 3D laser profilers and OCR on the height image, which HIKROBOT shows in a case on its Chinese site; that is a separate station, scoped and priced after a sample test.
Does a fixed reader replace a handheld tyre barcode scanner?
For the main flow, yes: fixed readers read every tyre in motion without anyone handling it. Handheld scanners stay for the exceptions, the tyres diverted because their label is damaged or missing. The fewer label positions you allow, the fewer fixed readers you need; labels anywhere on the tyre need the full-view frame.
Is this a tyre inspection machine?
Not in the sense of a machine that inspects the tyre itself for faults such as bulges, cuts or uniformity; that is a different class of equipment. This station is a fixed tyre barcode scanner frame: it reads the barcode label on every tyre and checks it against the MES or WMS.
Can labels be read on the green tyre before curing?
Where a plant labels the green tyre at the building machine, the same kind of fixed reader can read it at a transfer point before the curing press, so the tyre is tracked through curing. Uncured rubber, the label material and the handling differ from finished tyres, so that position is part of the sample test. The full budget above assumes finished tyres on a conveyor.
Is this only for tyre factories?
No. The same frame suits a tyre warehouse or distribution centre that receives, stores and sorts tyres by barcode, where the read code is checked against the warehouse system rather than MES. The budget is the same kind of station; travel changes with the site.
Sources
- naamsa Automotive Trade Manual 2026 (component export ranking: tyres) (industry report, checked 2026-10-02)
- Goodyear Form 8-K, June 2025: plan to close the Kariega, South Africa plant (regulatory filing, checked 2026-10-02)
- Continental Tyre South Africa: 75 years of tyre manufacturing in Gqeberha (company newsroom, checked 2026-10-02)
- GN 808 of 2018: VC 8056 amendment, passenger tyres to comply with SANS 20030 (gazette, checked 2026-10-02)
- UNECE Regulation No. 30, 3.1.9: date of manufacture (third-party copy of the official text; the EUR-Lex copy could not be retrieved) (regulation text (partial), checked 2026-10-02)
- HIKROBOT Machine Vision Smart Product Catalog 2025Q4, p.30: code reader case list including full-view tyre code reading (vendor catalogue, checked 2026-10-02)
- HIKROBOT automotive industry cases on the Chinese site (tyre sidewall OCR with DP3300 profilers) (vendor case list (Chinese site), checked 2026-10-02)
Related:
// Next step
Send us tyres with your good and your worst labels
Describe the line, the products and the fault. We test on your good and faulty samples and reply with a feasibility note and a budget.