Multi-piece Brake Rotor with Damping Inserts
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacture of low mass articles such as vented and sound dampened brake rotors is complicated by the need to integrate structural features like radial vents and sound damping inserts, which can make them heavier and more difficult to produce.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece brake rotor design is implemented, where a lightweight hub made of alloys like aluminum or magnesium is attached to a cast iron rotor body with embedded sound damping inserts, using mechanical fasteners or casting, to reduce weight and enhance sound damping through Coulomb friction contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If sound damping inserts and radial vents are integrated into the brake rotor body, then sound damping performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The brake rotor is divided into two separate components: a cast iron rotor body and a lightweight hub. The sound damping inserts are integrated only into the rotor body portion, which is then separately attached to the hub. This segmentation allows the complex sound damping feature to be implemented without complicating the entire rotor manufacturing process, as each component can be manufactured independently using optimized processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The sound damping inserts are nested within the rotor body cavity during the casting process. The inserts are positioned inside the rotor body and become embedded as the molten metal solidifies around them. This nesting approach integrates the sound damping functionality directly into the rotor body structure without requiring additional assembly steps or complex tooling.
2Reliability
If the entire brake rotor is made of cast iron to ensure durability and wear resistance, then reliability is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the brake rotor are made from different materials optimized for their specific functions. The rotor body, which requires high wear resistance and durability, is made of cast iron. The hub, which requires lower weight, is made of a lightweight alloy such as aluminum or magnesium. This local quality differentiation allows each component to have the optimal material properties for its specific functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The brake rotor is constructed as a composite structure combining two different materials: cast iron for the rotor body and lightweight alloy for the hub. These two materials are joined together through mechanical fasteners or casting processes. The composite construction allows the rotor to achieve both the wear resistance of cast iron and the weight reduction benefits of lightweight alloys.
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 design results in a lighter weight brake rotor with improved sound damping characteristics and simplified manufacturing, suitable for high-performance vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
The sound damping insert has at least one face in coulombic frictional contact with adjacent internal faces of the enclosing rotor body
Implementation Method 2
The surfaces of the insert or of the body may have a coating of, for example, particulate material acting at the interfaces of the insert surface and body surface for enhancement of coulombic friction sound damping within the rotor body
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-piece sound dampened brake rotor comprises a relatively light weight hub with a hub flange and a heavier rotor body with a sound damping insert and a rotor body flange. The hub and rotor body are attached at their flanges. The flanges may be mechanically attached such as with bolts. Or the hub and rotor may be attached by casting the hub of a lower melting metal alloy against the rotor body and rotor body flange. The rotor body may have vanes for air cooling and a sound damping insert may be incased in either or both body portions sandwiching the vanes.