GRIPMetal, a subsidiary of NUCAP Industries and the key technology behind NUCAP Energy, and Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd. have partnered on a lightweight composite brake solution that the companies say allows both passenger and commercial vehicles to better handle extreme heat.
NUCAP, which also includes brake producer NRS Brakes, has used the new Thermoset Composite, developed by Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd.(SBCL), in producing new brake components.
Saving weight dominates the design and development process for all types of vehicles because lighter-weight components mean better fuel economy, fewer emissions and a smaller carbon footprint. In addition, lighter weight, especially in suspension components like brakes, results in a better ride, the company says.
Additional benefits of this design include:
- Lifetime corrosion resistance – both the composite and galvanized steel plates are corrosion resistant.
- Improved noise/vibration/harshness (NVH) resistance – lower modulus of composite provides a dampening effect of vibration from the brake rotor.
The lightweight backing plate is currently being evaluated by several U.S. and Japanese manufacturers for use in both passenger and commercial vehicles.
