What is a brake and how does it work?
A brake is a device used to stop any vehicle by applying frictional forces. It is one of the most important control components of the vehicle and it is required to stop the vehicle within smallest possible distance in an emergency.
This is done by converting the kinetic energy of the vehicle into heat energy which is dissipated into the atmosphere. Brakes must have good anti-fade characteristics i.e. their effectiveness should not decrease with a prolonged application. This requirement demands cooling of brakes should be very efficient. The brakes of a car are classified according to purpose, location, construction, a method of actuation and extra braking effort required.
The stopping distance of a vehicle depends on, among others on the speed of the vehicle, the condition of the road surface, the condition of tyre thread, coefficiency of friction between tyre thread & road surface, coefficiency of friction between brake disc & brake pad, and braking force applied by the driver.
The disc brake slows or stops the rotation of a wheel. A brake disc is usually made of cast iron or ceramic and is connected to the wheel. To stop the wheel, friction material in the form of brake pads (mounted in a calliper) is forced hydraulically against both sides of the disc. Friction causes the disc and attached wheel to slow or stop.
Disc brakes don’t suffer from seizing for several reasons.
Firstly, they work by forcing a pair of pads against the outside of a spinning disc. Because, certainly in the front, they don’t need to produce and handbrake effect, there is no mechanical adjustment and wear in the pads is compensated by slightly greater piston travel. A further benefit of disc brakes is that the friction generation process takes place in open air, so there is far better cooling of the whole operator. To improve this even further, for hard braking applications (such as track days or motorsports) additional air can be ducted onto the brakes to cool them even more. Discs will also usually be ventilated, with a series of vanes allowing air into the middle section of the disc. This increases the surface area that the cooling air comes into contact with and removing yet more heat for better efficiency.
Types of Brakes
Breaks are classified according to the purpose (service or primary brakes, parking or secondary brakes), construction (drum brakes, disc brakes), method of actuation (mechanical brakes, hydraulic brakes and air brakes, electric brakes, vacuum brakes), and extra braking effort (servo brakes or power-assisted brakes, power operated brake). The discs themselves are of different types. There are grey cast iron discs (conventional disc brakes) that are heavy and prone for rust formation, aluminum discs that are light and less resistant to heat and fade, carbon fiber discs which are heat resistant and needs high working temperature, and ceramic discs which are inorganic and non-metallic, hard and brittle, resistant to high temperature and abrasive with ability to sustain large compressive load.
Benefits of Ceramic Brake Disc (CBD)
CBD’s have high and consistent frictional coefficients (even with high thermal stress) and possess high efficiency on a functional temperature range. Relatively lighter in weight over conventional cast iron components (65%) and have exceptional driving behaviour (reduction of unsprung mass by 5 Kg/wheel). They are not affected by corrosion and react with superior response in all driving conditions. They have a long lifespan (in excess of 300,000 Km) with no disk distortion or judder. They are known for their early and consistent brake response with reduced stopping distance.
Grey cast iron disc is heavy which reduces acceleration and uses more fuel. Ceramic disc brake weighs less than conventional disc brakes but has same frictional values (used for Formula-1 racing cars etc.). The ceramic disc brake is good at wet conditions but conventional disc fails in wet conditions in most cases. Ceramic disk brakes are 61% lighter, reduces 20kg of the car, apart we can save the fuel, resulting in better mileage. They are good at improving the shock absorber with added safety features that conventional disc brakes. Due to its advantages over the conventional brake discs, ceramic disc brakes are going to be the brake disc for cars in the future. With the success of Porsche turbo car, many other racing cars and commercial vehicles are going to implement ceramic disc brakes in cars. The only disadvantage of a ceramic disc brake is the high initial cost and the high cost of production.
If your car is fitted with ‘Ceramic Brake Discs’ you will want an expert in CBD to service your vehicle. At AP Autocare we are we experts in servicing and maintaining the prestige cars that typically have fitted CBD. For more information please visit prestige car services Bristol or telephone 0117 963 8916
Carbon Ceramic Brake Disks Press Release:
Name: Martyn Lenthall
Company Name: AP Autocare
Address: 16-18 Whitehouse Place, Bedminster,Bristol. BS3 4BL
Telephone: 0117 963 8916
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bristol, UK – As part of their ongoing efforts to provide the best information on Carbon Ceramic Brake Discs, AP Autocare has publish a new article entitled Carbon Ceramic Brake Discs – Who are experts in Bristol? which sheds light on the most important aspects of Carbon Ceramic Brake Discs for Porsche, Audi and Ferrari owners in Bristol. Interested individuals can view the full article at https://www.apautocare.co.uk/News/carbon-ceramic-brake-discs.
One of the most surprising pieces of information in the article is the fact that prestige cars with CBD’s need an expert to service the vehicle.
In discussing the article’s creation, Martyn Lenthall, Digital Marketing Consultant of AP Autocare said,
“Owners of prestige cars such as Porsche, high-end Audis and Ferraris often don’t realise they have brakes that require a specialist such as AP Autocare, to service the vehicle”
Porsche, Audi and Ferrari owners in Bristol can find the most up-to-date version of the article at https://www.apautocare.co.uk/News/carbon-ceramic-brake-discs. Customers who have specific questions past, present, or future articles contact AP Autocare via their website: https://www.apautocare.co.uk
Summary:
AP Autocare’s latest article takes on misconceptions about Carbon Ceramic Brake Discs and sets the record straight with several useful facts for Porsche, Audi and Ferrari owners in Bristol.