Composite Cast Brake Disc Lost Core Driver Production

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for producing composite cast brake discs for motor vehicles are costly due to the need for extensive machining of the friction ring's drivers, which increases production expenses without significantly improving component quality.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a pre-casting process with a lost core to form the drivers, allowing the friction ring to be cast without machining, and using a chipless cleaning process like deburring blasting to ensure precise positioning and surface quality, along with a three-shell casting mold for improved precision and surface finish, and optionally using the lost foam process for burr-free castings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the friction ring is produced by sand casting with drivers formed by the mold halves, then the casting process is simple, but costly machining of the drivers is required to ensure exact positioning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecasting process simplicityVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The drivers are pre-formed with the required geometry and positioning features directly during the sand casting process using specially designed mold halves. This preliminary formation eliminates the need for subsequent machining operations, reducing production costs while maintaining manufacturing simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The casting process parameters are optimized to directly produce drivers with the required dimensional accuracy and surface quality. By adjusting molding pressure, sand composition, and mold design, the drivers are cast with sufficient precision to eliminate machining steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the driver surface is machined to improve positioning precision, then positioning accuracy improves, but production cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedriver positioning accuracyVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The drivers are pre-formed with the required geometry and positioning features directly during the sand casting process using specially designed mold halves. This preliminary formation eliminates the need for subsequent machining operations, reducing production costs while maintaining manufacturing simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A blasting cleaning process is applied to the driver surfaces to remove burrs and casting imperfections. This pneumatic/hydraulic cleaning method achieves the necessary surface quality for precise positioning without requiring costly machining operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

3Manufacturing precision

If burrs are removed by traditional machining to ensure precise positioning, then positioning quality improves, but production cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning qualityVSAvoidmanufacturing technology complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A blasting cleaning process is applied to the driver surfaces to remove burrs and casting imperfections. This pneumatic/hydraulic cleaning method achieves the necessary surface quality for precise positioning without requiring costly machining operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

Traditional mechanical machining operations are replaced with a blasting cleaning process. This substitution eliminates complex machining equipment and operations while achieving the same burr removal and surface preparation functions through a simpler, more cost-effective method

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 approach reduces production costs by eliminating the need for costly machining and enhances component quality through precise positioning and surface finish, while maintaining driver strength and eliminating machining-related issues.

Implementation Method 1

an annular brake disc with a plurality of drivers projecting radially inwards and/or outwards is pre-cast in a first casting process with a lost core in such a way that the core Driver forms directly

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLost core casting:

Implementation Method 2

the friction disc or its driver are subjected to a chipless cleaning process, in particular a deburring blasting treatment or shot blasting

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBlasting treatment: Abrasion

Implementation Method 3

the lost foam process can also be used as a casting process for the friction disk, which, using vaporizable foam models in an undivided mold, enables burr-free and dimensionally accurate castings

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLost foam process:

Data Source

PatentEP2522875B1Method for producing a compound cast brake disc

Publication Date: 2017.08.23 AUDI AG

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AI summary

The method involves preparing an annular frictional ring (12) using casting operation. A cooling channel (12c) is applied on the annular frictional ring, and a disk-shaped inner core is utilized in the friction ring. The inner core is directly attached to two parts of a receiver (12e), so that a radial outer core ring forms webs for limiting the cooling channel, and an inner core disk is inserted in a core ring through a core mark in a form-fitting manner, where the inner core disk forms the receiver via appropriately molded slugs. An independent claim is also included for a composite casting-brake disk.