A pneumatic or air-filled tire is composed on an inner core that is filled with pressurized air and sealed airtight. Typically, a reinforced steel belted tread or other materials, seals this inner core and provides the contact area with the road.
As the pressure of the air within the tire is greater than atmospheric air pressure, the tire remains inflated even with the weight of the vehicle resting on it. The air pressure within the tire gives resistance against forces that attempt to deform the tire. When the tire hits bumps in the road, this gives the tire a slight degree of a cushioning effect. If you have ever taken a ride in an old-fashioned carriage that had wooden wheels, you understand exactly how big of a difference a set of pneumatic tires makes.
Surely, there are some disadvantages to pneumatic tires. Like for instance in highly dangerous applications or high-performance situations, these tires could suffer a puncture and this will lead to a total failure. The consequence of a blowout at high speeds could lead to a serious car accident. Military planners must consider tires getting blown out by gunfire or explosion shrapnel. A vehicle crew's worst nightmare is becoming trapped in a fire zone due to all of their tires becoming flat. Airless tires evidently don't suffer from these kind of problems and thus, in certain applications, might be more suitable.
Pneumatic tires have another issue involving variations in air pressure and tire performance. Lower tire pressure can create improved traction and increased comfort. This is due to the fact that tires flatten slightly and more tread is placed in contact with the road. The pressure of the air in the tire works to maintain the lateral stiffness of the tire as well as maintain the "up and down" stiffness. Therefore, less air pressure enables the sidewalls of the tires to flex. Unfortunately, this results in poor handling. In an airless tire, the stiffness in those two dimensions is independent.
There are other issues with air pressure. Customers are notoriously undependable when it comes to maintaining correct air pressure. Tires which have improper air pressure could lead to dangerous situations. It is important to note that pneumatic tires are also prone to temperature changes, that could be responsible for changing the internal tire pressure. It is vital to take into consideration the type of settings you would be requiring your machinery to function in so that you could check the tires on a regular basis and keep the equipment as safe as possible.