BRAKE WEAR TESTING

This research focuses on reducing the mileage of open-road brake tests by simulating brake patterns on dynamometers, writes Fabio Squadrani, Senior Manager, Braking Systems in Applus IDIADA.

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This involves analysing durability test data to define target wear values, designing an "ideal lap" for the dynamometer that correlates with vehicle testing, and determining a scaling factor between dynamometer and full-vehicle testing. The scaling factor has to be as simple as possible. Multiple simulated dynamometer laps are defined based on temperature, energy, or power profiles. The results show a reasonable correlation between dynamometer and vehicle testing, validated across different conditions. Robust, repeatable, and reliable dynamometer simulation methodologies are crucial for optimising vehicle testing and reducing development costs.

Many studies have been produced to improve the testing time for development and validation tests for brake and friction materials in particular. There is a constant effort by the brake industry to reduce the vehicle prototype phase, moving testing activities to the brake dynamometer and reducing the testing time. Many studies have been recently presented (Sierra C. [4] has presented an innovative method for correlation between physical vehicle testing and dynamometer testing, which was used as an inspiration for this work).

MOJÁCAR TESTING