In 2008 the innovator Pandu Ranga Rao returned with his family on his motorcycle late at night. Midway through the journey, his bike tire got punctured, and his family had to walk 12 km to reach home. That was when he started thinking of a solution to make a tire puncture resistant.
He researched the conventionally used tire puncture resistance and found a sealant, and some chemicals filled the tube. However, a heat patch is required to repair the punctures in these tubes. Also, the tubes must be replaced after 8 to 12 months of usage. He reviewed different air sealants available on the market to understand the process. In 2012, he developed a natural air sealant to resist punctures without damaging the tubes.
His innovative natural air sealant is a product that can seal punctures without harming the tubes and whose performance does not vary according to climate. This natural sealant consists of mica powder, gum, rubber powder, and natural orange color. Pandu Ranga Rao also developed a pressure sealant filling machine that had about 250 ml of viscous sealant in the tube in just 10 seconds. After filling the sealant in an empty tyre and tube, it is mounted on a self-developed manual rotatory frame, which quickly rotates the tire.
This innovative natural air sealant is used in the tires of bikes and auto rickshaws. Pandu Ranga Rao has observed the usage of other sealants in various seasons; in summer, air expansion is observed due to heat which results in the bursting of tires. In winter, the sealant liquid may get frozen. No adverse effect was observed during any of the seasons in the natural air sealant. He has been manufacturing and selling the sealants locally and has sold more than 11,000 tubes through different tube and tire manufacturing companies.
Pandu Ranga Rao has received excellent feedback from the users of his sealant. GIAN and NIF together have filed a patent application in the name of the innovator for his innovation. The innovator also received a national award at the 9th National grassroots innovation awards 2017
K Pandu Ranga Rao, a resident of Medak Telangana, a 33-year-old innovator and a mechanic who studied till the tenth grade, has innovated a natural sealant for motorcycle and auto-rickshaw tires to make them puncture resistant. His innovation was guided and supported by GIAN and the Honey Bee Network.
Pandu Ranga Rao has an innate talent for innovation, and due to his interest in machine repair works and machines, he started his mechanic workshop in his village.
GIAN is the first incubator of grassroots innovations set up in 1997 in collaboration with the Gujarat government and supported by SRISTI and IIMA in addition to the Honey Bee Network.
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