Design and Repair of Disc Brakes with Fuji Prescale Pressure Sensing Films
Keywords: Disc-brake pads pressure, measure surface alignment, surface pressure, disk brake diagnostics Summary: Disc brakes rely on optimal surface alignment to transform pressure into breaking power. Using Fuji Prescale films, R&D and Repair technicians can quickly and precisely evaluate the pressure distribution and alignment of the disc surface and brake pads. Written by Igor MateskiDisc Brake Construction with Fuji Prescale
Vehicles require strong braking power that can be used in a timely and controlled manner in order to slow down, or bring the moving vehicle to a stand still. Depending on the mass and speed of the vehicle, disc brakes need to be reliably strong in order to handle the vehicle's kinetic energy.
R&D teams rely on precision manufacturing machines to convert a theoretical functional brake into a real physical product, but during the prototyping phase it is always good to test the surface alignment and pressure distribution on the contacting surface between the brake disc and brake pads.
Using the Fuji Prescale Film, you can quickly and easily evaluate the pressure distribution of the prototype model.
The image above is a sketch of how the Fuji Prescale pressure sensing film should be installed.
The thin film needs to be sandwitched with the disc and brake pad. To test the surface alignment/pressure distribution, apply normal brake pressure. The developed pressure sensitive film will reveal if the alignment and pressure distribution is within the acceptable segment.
Pressure Sensing Films and Vehicle Collision Repair
Vehicle collisions can sometimes lead to damage of the braking system. When the braking system has suffered deformations, the vehicle:
- Loses its ability to have a stable and linear deceleration
- Braking is accompanied with vibrations and noise
- The vehicle side-tracks to the left or the right, depending which brake assembly is damaged
This is why repair technicians should use the Fuji Prescale film to test the brakes geometrical alignment on each wheel.
Benefits of using Fuji Prescale & Disc Brakes
The image above is a comparison of how a defective brake may develop the pressure sensing film (image to the left), and how a new or good brake should develop the Fuji Prescale film.
The left image shows that the pressure distribution is not even throughout the brake pad surface. This kind of misalignment of the contacting surfaces will cause:
- Increased ware and tare of the pads and disc surface
- Vibrations during braking
- Noise during braking
- Poor braking power
When using the Fuji Prescale film, R&D and repair teams can quickly analyze the pressure distribution and surface alignment. The outcome is a precisely designed new brake, or a successful collision repair.