Additive Manufacturing Cooling Ducts for Brake Caliper Heat Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional disc brake calipers experience inefficiencies in cooling due to restricted coolant flow from machined cooling ducts, which can lead to overheating, especially in high-performance applications like racing cars, where this can reduce braking effectiveness and durability.

Innovation Solution

The integration of continuously shaped cooling ducts within the brake caliper body through additive manufacturing, allowing for closer proximity to functional parts, reduced flow resistance, and enhanced structural stiffness, while eliminating the need for drilling and plug inserts, thereby improving heat removal and weight reduction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional machined cooling ducts are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but cooling efficiency deteriorates due to flow resistance and distance from functional parts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidcooling efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces conventional mechanical machining processes with additive manufacturing technology. This substitution enables the creation of continuously shaped cooling ducts with optimized pathways that reduce flow resistance and allow closer proximity to functional parts, thereby improving cooling efficiency without sacrificing manufacturing feasibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements continuously shaped cooling ducts with curved, smooth transitions instead of straight, angular machined passages. This curvature design eliminates sharp edges that create flow resistance, allowing coolant to flow more efficiently through the ducts and improving overall cooling performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Temperature

If cooling ducts are positioned closer to functional parts, then cooling efficiency improves, but structural integrity may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidstructural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the cooling duct structure with the caliper body structure through additive manufacturing, creating an integrated design where the cooling ducts are positioned closer to functional parts while maintaining structural integrity. The continuous shaping allows the ducts to follow optimized pathways without compromising the load-bearing capacity of the caliper body

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional drilling and plugging methods are used, then manufacturing process simplicity is maintained, but weight and complexity increase due to additional components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidcaliper weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the need for separate plug inserts that are required in conventional drilled cooling ducts. By using additive manufacturing to create closed-loop continuously shaped ducts, the design removes unnecessary components, reducing overall caliper weight and simplifying the manufacturing process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the manufacturing approach from subtractive (drilling and plugging) to additive manufacturing, fundamentally altering how cooling ducts are created. This parameter change enables the formation of continuously shaped ducts without requiring post-processing plugging operations, thereby reducing weight and complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution enhances cooling efficiency, maintains structural integrity under high loads, and facilitates weight reduction, particularly beneficial in racing applications by minimizing pressure losses and optimizing fluid flow, thus preventing overheating.

Implementation Method 1

at least one cooling duct formed by additive manufacturing, the cooling duct being an integral part of the brake caliper body and extending continuously along its length

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

allowing for closer proximity to functional parts, reduced flow resistance, and enhanced structural stiffness, while eliminating the need for drilling and plug inserts, thereby improving heat removal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS11313426B2Cooling ducts for disc brake caliper and method of manufacture thereof

Publication Date: 2022.04.26 ALCON COMPONENTS

AI summary

The present invention relates to a disc brake caliper body comprising a mounting side bracket and a non-mounting side bracket extending along a circumferential direction of the body, each bracket being configured to hold at least one brake pad. In order to provide improved cooling efficiency while maintaining the required stability of the brake caliper, the caliper body further comprises at least one cooling duct formed by additive manufacturing, at least one cooling duct being an integral part of the caliper body.