Bonatrans a.s. is an original manufacturer of wheels and tyres, i.e. its production process includes not only machining and assembly, but also production of rough wheels, axles and tyres from raw material. Bonatrans a.s. manufactures more than 300 types of rough wheels and approximately 200 types of tyres, also in small series. Therefore, the whole system is adjusted to allow a smooth change in assortment based on customer requirements.

The input material for wheels and tyres is continuously cast vacuum degassed steel in required grades.

Individual conticast blooms are automatically divided into blocks using precision saws. These blocks are then heated up in the rotary-hearth furnace to the required forming temperature (approx. 1300 °C). The whole heating process is controlled by an automatic computer system, which ensures optimum and uniform heating for each size of block and material type.

Heated blocks are descaled and formed on the main forging press . After boring hub on the punching press, the line is divided into the wheel rolling line and tyre rolling line.

Wheel plates and rims are shaped to the required size using a computer-controlled wheel-rolling machine. Finally, the wheel plate is formed to the required shape on the bending press.

The wheel achieves accurate and optimum mechanical properties through the controlled heat treatment process, which takes place in the tunnel furnaces and on the wheel-hardening unit. The whole process is again computer controlled.

During its passage through the whole rolling line, each produced wheel is uniquely identified and it is possible to trase back exact data on the processing of each individual wheel.

Wheels are released for further processing after testing of mechanical properties.

The basic shape of the wheel is formed on the main forging press (right), which is followed by punching press (left)	Wheel rolling
After rolling, the wheels are heat treated in tunnel furnaces and hardening units in order to ensure regeneration of the material structure after rolling and achieving required mechanical properties.