DEVELOPMENT OF LIGHT VEHICLE BRAKE PAD TEST RIG

Abstract

This report presents the development of light vehicle brake pad test rig for testing and measuring the materials frictional characteristics such as brake pad wear rate, disc temperature, and average disc stopping time. Product validation and quality control is very necessary in the developmental process of any product. The brake pads were tested at various input variables such as speed and pressure to determine the effects of contact pressure on brake pad wear, and effects of speed on brake pad wear, disc temperature, and average stopping time. Two sets of brake pads designated as pad1 (Semi Metallic pad) and pad2 (Ceramic pad) were tested. At maximum disc speed (1400 rpm) and contact pressure (0.8 MPa), the wear rate of pad1 is 4×10-4 mm while pad2 is 4.12×10-4 mm both of which are lower than 5×10-4 mm as reported by Blau, 2001. On varying the contact pressure, the wear rate of pad1 and pad2 at (0.8 MPa) are 3.9×10-4 mm, 4.0×10-4 mm respectively, and at (1.4 MPa) are 4.3×10-4 mm and 4.4×10-4 mm respectively. It was discovered that the wear rate increase as brake applied pressure increase. The pad2 ceramic brake pad takes least time to stop on the average. On the average the disc temperature rise at any speed shows that pad1 have high temperature rise in comparison with pad2 which makes pad2 a better brake pad.