Steven M. Cron

Steven M. Cron
Alma mater	University of Missouri-Columbia (B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 1984) Air Force Institute of Technology (M.S. Aeronautical Engineering, 1985)
Occupation(s)	Product research engineer, mechanical engineer
Years active	1991–2009 (at Michelin)
Known for	Co-creator of the Tweel

Steven M. Cron is a former product research engineer at Michelin and a co-creator of the Tweel.

Cron completed his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1984, followed by a Master of Science in aeronautical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1985. He dedicated six years to the Air Force, working as a project engineer on ICBM systems and instructing Engineering Mechanics at the US Air Force Academy. Upon joining Michelin in 1991, his initial work concentrated on tire vibration analysis and the damped modal analysis of pneumatic tires utilizing the finite element method.

Beginning in 1997, Cron shifted his focus to airless tire innovation, leading the development of the Tweel from 2000 until 2009. The Tweel distinguished itself from earlier airless tire designs by achieving market viability through a structural approach developed by Cron and fellow inventor Timothy B. Rhyne.

In 2018, he was honored with the Harold Herzlich Distinguished Technology award. Cron explained that the Tweel’s creation originated from the idea that tire structure tension should bear vehicle load, analogous to pneumatic tires. After rejecting cord tension in sidewalls under zero inflation pressure conditions, a polyurethane spoke configuration was adopted, culminating in the finalized Tweel design.

In 2021, Cron and Rhyne jointly received the prestigious Charles Goodyear Medal, awarded by the American Chemical Society, Rubber Division. They were recognized as the first pair to share this esteemed accolade.