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GRIEVE - 1997 - Design of A Lightweight Automotive Brake Disc Using Finite Element and Taguchi Techniques
GRIEVE - 1997 - Design of A Lightweight Automotive Brake Disc Using Finite Element and Taguchi Techniques
Abstract: Aluminium metal matrix composite brake discs offer significant weight advantages compared
with the traditional cast iron rotor but have a much lower maximum operating temperature. In this study, a
finite element model of an existing brake design is firstly used to predict the peak disc temperatures during
two critical brake tests for both cast iron and an aluminium metal matrix composite alternative. A Taguchi
analysis is then applied, enabling all the critical design and material factors of an aluminium metal matrix
composite rotor to be considered collectively. Based on the results of this exercise, a parametric sensitivity
study is carried out to define suitable designmaterial combinations for a prototype lightweight front brake
disc to be used on small to medium passenger vehicles.
Keywords: lightweight automotive brake disc, finite element model, Taguchi analysis, parametric
sensitivity study
NOTATION
A
d
Cp
Fs
g
h
hd
k
l
p
qc
qr
_
Q
m
Nu
r
Re
s
t
vf
vi
V
StefanBoltzmann constant
emissivity
The MS was received on 19 March 1997 and was accepted for publication
on 17 November 1997.
r
1
temperature (8C)
surrounding fluid temperature (8C)
kinematic viscosity of air (m2 =s)
density (kg=m3 )
INTRODUCTION
246
Fig. 1
FE mesh of a 108 segment of a vented brake disc, hub and truncated wheel
0 )
(1)
hr
0:037Re 0:8
k
(2)
2VFs l
(3)
40 )
(4)
247
p)(1
4At
d)
(5)
d)
(6)
248
Fig. 2 Effect of the vehicle mass upon the peak Alpine descent temperature
Fig. 3 Effect of the vehicle mass upon the maximum autobahn temperature
Proc Instn Mech Engrs Vol 212 Part D
TAGUCHI STUDY
Table 1
Factors selected for the Taguchi study with their maximum and minimum levels
Levels
Factor
A
B
C
D
E
F
1 (minimum) 2 (maximum)
7.0
1.0
2700
90.0
800.0
1.0
12.0
11.0
3100
240.0
900.0
2.0
249
10 log10 V
(7)
1 2
(Y Y 22 Y 23 YN2 )
N 1
(8)
A,
cheek thickness
B,
vent width
C,
density
D,
conductivity
E,
specific heat
F,
cooling rate
G,
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
1
1
2
2
1
1
2
2
1
1
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
2
1
2
1
1
2
2
1
1
2
2
1
1
2
2
1
2
1
1
2
75.24
75.24
67.24
67.24
51.62
51.62
54.10
54.10
57.2
55.1
54.9
54.5
53.9
52.0
52.5
53.3
528 129
322 571
309 193
280 798
243 660
156 822
177 491
212 153
719
547
573
529
489
395
421
461
826.4
699.2
655.7
566.4
420.4
425.7
442.2
459.9
611.0
395.3
434.1
490.7
557.3
363.9
399.3
461.3
800
900
800
900
900
800
900
800
90
240
90
240
90
240
90
240
2700
2700
3100
3100
3100
3100
2700
2700
1.0
2.0
2.0
1.0
1.0
2.0
2.0
1.0
Autobahn,
maximum
temperature
(8C)
Alpine,
maximum
temperature
(8C)
F,
cooling
rate
E,
specific
heat
(J=kg K)
D,
conductivity
(W=m K)
C,
density
(kg=m3 )
7.0
7.0
7.0
7.0
12.0
12.0
12.0
12.0
Run
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1.0
1.0
11.0
11.0
1.0
1.0
11.0
11.0
A,
cheek thickness
(mm)
B,
vent width
(mm)
Mean,
maximum
temperature
(8C)
Variance
S=N
Mass
saving
(%)
250
Table 4
251
Level
1
2
Main effects
A,
cheek thickness
55.4
52.9
2.5
B,
vent width
54.6
53.8
0.8
C,
density
54.5
53.8
0.7
D,
conductivity
E,
specific heat
54.6
53.7
0.9
54.4
54.0
0.4
F,
cooling rate
54.7
53.6
1.1
Fig. 4 Predicted peak temperatures for vented brake discs 27 mm wide during the Alpine descent constructed
from a selection of brake disc materials. The conductivities, k, are shown for each material
D01097 # IMechE 1998
132
86.2
101
98.6
125
195
265
206
338
215
310
232/379 (T6)
325
228
225
303
215
296
120/274 (T6)
150
.210
150
97.8
151
175
126.4
156
160
220
170
218
828
879
837
838
820
899
810
722
882
538
454
450
454
480
510
810
520
500
3030
2711
2760
2770
2780
2950
3040
3000
2818
Infiltration of ceramic pre-form
Sand cast
Sand cast
Sand cast
sand cast
Infiltration of ceramic pre-form
High-pressure infiltration
Infiltration of ceramic pre-form
Sand cast with salt refiner
MOT
(8C)
Density
(kg=m3 )
Manufacturing
route
Material
Modulus
(GPa)
Ultimate
tensile
strength
(MPa)
Yield
strength
(MPa)
Specific
heat
capacity Conductivity
(J=Kg K)
(W=m K)
Table 5 Material properties of currently available Al-MMCs suitable for a brake rotor application
15.1
20.7
18.8
17.5
14.9
10.0
6.9
6.2
23.5
252
CONCLUSIONS
253
Fig. 5 Predicted peak temperatures for vented brake discs 27 mm wide during the autobahn stop constructed from
a selection of brake disc materials. The thermal capacities, rC p , are shown for each material
Table 6 Disc masses and percentage mass savings over present cast iron design
8 mm cheeks,
11 mm vents
Material
Disc
mass
(kg)
Cast iron
5.81
2.43
30% Al2 O3 Al-MMC
10% SiC Al-MMC
2.17
15% SiC Al-MMC
2.19
20% SiC Al-MMC
2.22
30% SiC Al-MMC
2.23
68% SiC Al-MMC
2.44
2.26
7% TiB2 Al-MMC
Present cast iron disc mass 5:25 kg.
9 mm cheeks,
9 mm vents
10 mm cheeks,
7 mm vents
11 mm cheeks,
5 mm vents
12 mm cheeks,
3 mm vents
13.5 mm cheeks,
0 mm vents
Mass
savings
(%)
Disc
mass
(kg)
Mass
savings
(%)
Disc
mass
(kg)
Mass
savings
(%)
Disc
mass
(kg)
Mass
savings
(%)
Disc
mass
(kg)
Mass
savings
(%)
Disc
mass
(kg)
Mass
savings
(%)
10.7
53.7
58.7
58.3
57.7
57.5
53.5
57.0
6.19
2.59
2.31
2.33
2.37
2.37
2.60
2.41
17.9
50.7
56.0
55.6
54.9
54.9
50.5
54.1
6.57
2.75
2.46
2.47
2.51
2.52
2.76
2.55
25.1
47.6
53.1
53.0
52.2
52.0
47.4
51.4
6.95
2.91
2.60
2.62
2.66
2.67
2.92
2.70
32.4
44.6
50.5
50.1
49.3
49.1
44.4
48.6
7.34
3.07
2.74
2.76
2.80
2.81
3.08
2.85
39.7
41.6
47.7
47.4
46.6
46.4
41.4
45.7
7.91
3.31
2.96
2.98
3.02
3.03
3.32
3.07
50.7
37.0
43.7
43.3
42.4
42.2
36.8
41.4
with appropriate design modifications to the disc: composites with a high level of reinforcement, e.g. 68% SiC in an
Si-based matrix alloy, and composites using a temperatureresistant matrix alloy (due to a low Si content), e.g. 7%
TiB2 -reinforced Al-MMC.
REFERENCES
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank Mr S. Boulton and his
research staff at BBA Friction, Cleckheaton, for their
254