CAD model of disc brake for eliminating noise problems

Abstract

Highway safety and stopping power are always at the forefront of discussions within the commercial vehicle industry. Air disc brake (ADB) systems have been available for commercial vehicles since the 1970s. The technology initially suffered teething problems, but brake manufacturers say today’s air disc brakes are highly dependable and reliable with superior stopping characteristics that make them an obvious candidate for fleets wanting to make certain they are in compliance with the new stricter regulations. One of vehicle components that occasionally generate unwanted vibration and unpleasant noise is the brake system. As a result, carmakers, brake and friction material suppliers face challenging tasks to reduce high warranty payouts. This study takes into consideration three major aspects of modelling of a real disc brake so that the model can be built in a more realistic way. There are the structural model, the friction model and the contact model. A fully numerical method is used where all the disc brake components are modelled and analysed using finite element software packages. Having developed the disc brake components, modal analysis is carried out at the brake components and assembly levels. Friction and contact model are included when all the brake components are brought together.