Search Results

It is widely believed or speculated that higher pad compressibility leads to reduced brake squeal and that caliper design can affect brake squeal. After encountering anecdotal contradictory cases, this investigation was undertaken to systematically generate basic data and clarify the beliefs or speculations. In order to adjust pad compressibility, it is common to modify pad molding temperatures, pressures and times, which in addition to changing the compressibility, changes friction coefficient and physical properties of the pad at the same time. In order to separate these two effects, NAO disc pads were prepared under the same molding conditions while using different thicknesses of the underlayer to achieve different compressibilities, thus changing the compressibility only without changing the friction coefficient and physical properties of the pad.

When two identical brakes are simultaneously tested on a vehicle chassis dynamometer, very often the left hand brake is found to squeal more or less than the right hand brake, all at different frequencies. This study was performed to develop some understanding of this puzzling phenomenon. It is found that as the wear rate difference between the inner pad and the outer pad increases, low frequency (caliper and knuckle) squeals occur more and more, and as the differential wear becomes larger and larger, high frequency (disc) squeals occur less and less, finally disappearing all together. Discs and calipers are found to affect the differential pad wear, in turn affecting brake squeal generation.

Rear disc brake squeal test results confirm the disc wear - brake squeal correlation reported earlier on front disc brakes. A significant amount of Fe transferred from the disc to the NAO pad surface is detected and the distribution of the transferred Fe is very non-uniform on the pad surface. The pad surface formulation reaches that of Low-Steel Lomets. Disc pads from a noisier brake retain more transferred particles than from a less noisy brake. The pad surface retains more transferred Fe after noise test procedures than after performance test procedures. The transferred Fe particles are either barely visible or invisible. During brake noise test procedures, discs wear in weight as much as disc pads. No correlation is found between average in-stop Mu, maximum in-stop Mu or in-stop delta Mu and brake squeal.

A previous investigation showed that minor variations in alloying elements in gray cast iron disc contributed to measurable differences in friction and disc wear. This investigation was undertaken to find out if and how the increased friction and disc wear might affect brake squeal. The SAE J2522 and J2521 dynamometer procedures as well as an OEM noise dynamometer procedure and a chassis dynamometer noise procedure were used to find out if a correlation between disc wear and brake squeal could be discovered. In all cases, as the wear rate of a disc increases under a given set of test conditions, disc material transfer to the pad surface increases, which results in increased friction and brake squeal. Also a good method to detect disc variability (disc to disc, within a disc) is discussed.

Two sets of OE quality brake discs were evaluated for their equivalence in friction and wear under a humidity controlled condition in order to avoid the influence of humidity on friction and wear. These discs were received from two different suppliers located in two different countries. Small differences were found in disc chemistry and microstructure, which resulted in differences in disc properties, and friction and wear characteristics. It is recommended that extreme care must be exercised in determining the performance equivalence of one disc from one supplier against another disc from a second supplier.

Non-Asbestos Organic (NAO) disc pads and Low Steel Lomet disc pads were subjected to high and low humidity conditions to discover how humidity affects these two classes of formulations for physical properties, friction, wear and noise characteristics. The 2 classes of formulations show similarities and differences in response to increasing humidity. The humidity effect on deformation of the surface microstructure of the gray cast iron disc is also investigated. Humidity implications for pad quality control and brake testing are discussed.

Passenger car NAO(Non-Asbestos Organic) disc pads were subjected to low and high humidity conditions. Humidity is found to measurably affect pad dimensions, pad hardness, compressibility, friction, pad wear, disc wear, disc roughness, DTV(Disc Thickness Variation) and brake noise. Also the friction film is found to absorb a significant amount of moisture. It is essential to have a tight control of temperature and humidity for brake testing and quality control if meaningful data are to be generated with minimum variability. Seasonal changes must be considered for brake testing on the road.