Method and plant for manufacturing braking elements

Abstract

Method and plant for manufacturing braking elements such as vehicle brake pads. The plant can comprise a first station that applies an adhesive to a first face of a metallic element; a second station that applies to the first face of the metallic element a block of friction material; a checking station that verifies the presence of the adhesive by detecting the gray level of a plurality of points of at least one zone of the first face; and a processing unit that compares the gray level detected for each point with a first threshold value, counts the number of points that have a gray level that satisfies a relationship (which is a function of the threshold value) and compares such a value with a second threshold value to discard those metallic elements for which the percentage calculated does not correspond to the second threshold value.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present disclosure relates to a method and a plant for manufacturing braking elements, in particular highly reliable brake pads.BACKGROUND ART[0002]It is known that the brake pads of vehicles and, more generally, any other type of braking element, such as brake shoes, are formed from a metallic support upon one side of which—facing in use towards an element to be braked, for example a brake disc—a block of friction material is integrally mounted.[0003]The block of friction material can be formed in situ, i.e., molded directly onto the metallic support, or else it is formed separately and then applied to the metallic support. In both cases, in order to ensure the reliable attachment of the block of friction material to the metallic support, the face or zone of the face of the latter, intended to receive the block of friction material, receives beforehand a layer of adhesive.[0004]The adhesive can be applied to the face of the metallic support intended to rece...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent is about a method and plant for making braking elements, specifically brake pads. The goal is to ensure the braking element is reliable and can be used safely. The method can detect if the adhesive, usually a water-based adhesive, is present on the metal support before adding the friction material. It can also determine the amount of adhesive deposited, so that the braking element can be trusted in use.

Problems solved by technology

If the adhesive layer is not correctly applied to the metallic surface, the block of friction material may be subject in use to accidental detachments and, therefore, the braking element will not be reliable.

However, the system described in CA2429870 is not applicable as such in the verification of metallic supports of brake pads, or braking elements in general, especially if a liquid phase adhesive is used.

In fact, in order to ensure an adhesion between the metallic support and the block of friction material that is suitable for avoiding any accidental detachments in use, it is not sufficient that the adhesive layer be present; it is also necessary that it be present in a suitable concentration (amount per unit area), calculated during the design stage; on the contrary, it is possible that during the application of the liquid adhesive, typically by spraying, the concentration of adhesive in the applied layer is variable.

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