Brake Lining Wear Forecasting via Operational Parameter Modeling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring brake lining wear in rail vehicles are technically and financially expensive, require multiple sensors, and fail to accurately predict the remaining service life, especially when considering asymmetric abrasion (diagonal wear), which can lead to premature replacement and reduced braking efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A device and method that reduces the number of sensors needed by using field data to parameterize a wear forecast model, allowing for accurate prediction of brake lining wear and maintenance intervals, including the option to simulate contact temperature and brake power, and adaptively adjust for diagonal wear by optimizing the pressure point between the lining and disc.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If continuous monitoring of lining thickness using sensors is implemented, then wear detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical sensor-based thickness monitoring system with a computational model that calculates wear based on operational parameters (brake force, sliding speed, temperature, braking time) and material properties. This substitution eliminates the need for direct physical measurement sensors while maintaining wear detection capability through mathematical modeling of the wear process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a wear calculation model as an intermediary between operational conditions and wear assessment. Instead of directly measuring thickness with sensors, the model acts as a mediator that computes wear based on intermediate parameters (braking force, speed, temperature, time) that are easier to measure or already available from vehicle operation data.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to monitor temperature, sliding speed, and braking force, then wear forecast accuracy is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional wear calculation model that simultaneously processes multiple operational parameters (brake force, sliding speed, temperature, braking time) to produce a comprehensive wear forecast. This single model performs the work of multiple specialized sensors by integrating data from various sources and applying material-specific wear laws, thereby reducing the need for separate measurement systems for each parameter.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the approach from directly measuring difficult-to-obtain parameters (such as contact temperature and pressure at the friction interface) to using readily available operational parameters (brake cylinder pressure, vehicle speed, brake application time) combined with material properties to calculate wear. This parameter transformation makes the system more manufacturable while maintaining accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If precise measurement of lining thickness is performed, then remaining service life prediction is improved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-characterizing brake lining materials with wear law parameters (material constants, exponents) before actual service use. During operation, the wear model uses these pre-determined material properties combined with real-time operational data to continuously calculate wear and predict remaining service life without requiring time-consuming direct measurements during maintenance intervals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces time-consuming physical measurement methods (such as removing and measuring the lining thickness with calipers or ultrasonic sensors) with a computational wear model that continuously estimates thickness reduction based on operational history. This substitution enables real-time or near-real-time wear assessment without interrupting vehicle operation or requiring physical inspection time.
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 results in a highly accurate and economical wear forecasting system with reduced technical complexity, enabling immediate model validation and optimized maintenance schedules, while also addressing diagonal wear issues and improving the friction braking system's efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the wear of the brake lining at the end of the braking time is determined from the sliding speed, the temperature, the braking force, the braking time, the brake lining surface, and from material-specific parameters
Implementation Method 2
the abrasion of brake linings is determined via a method in which a wear rate is determined in accordance with the following relationship
Data Source
AI summary
A device and method for forecasting the brake lining wear, in particular the brake lining of rail vehicles, wherein the lining thicknesses, the sliding speed, the contact pressure, the total braking time, as well as optionally the temperature or the brake power are determined in a parameterization process during test drives with measurements at predefined time intervals, and the wear, the constant, as well as the material parameters are determined therefrom, where during the operating state, the wear rates are determined via the now known values of the material parameters and of the constants, and the wear is determined therefrom and, from the maximum allowable wear values, a remaining total braking time is then determined until the next lining replacement is required.