Materials Selection of Disc Brake Pads

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Materials Selection of Disc Brake Pads

• Benjamin Narvaez
• MEEN 3344

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Operation of Disc Brakes

• Brake pedal is depressed pushing fluid through
  the system
• A piston is then forced out
• Brake pads are forced together
• Friction between pads and rotor cause the car to
  slow down

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Factors in Material Selection

• Coefficient of friction
• Heat fade
• Thermal expansion
• Hardness

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Brake Pad Materials

• Organic and Asbestos - health issues, softer
  composition, low heat fade resistance, small
  range of use
• Semi-Metallic -
• 40 metal by content wt(steel wool, iron,)
• hard surface, high friction
• Towing, larger vehicles
• Low heat concern, wears rotors fastest
• Ceramic
• Ceramic fibers, lt15 metal by wt. Ct.
• High hardness, more advanced technology
• High heat operation, less heat fade
• Long life

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Text and Photo References

• http//www.boschusa.com/AutoParts/FAQs/BrakePads/
• www.wilwood.com
• www.howstuffworks.com
• http//www.e-z.net/ts/ts/Brakfade.htm