Title: Fabrication, testing and thermal analysis of metal matrix composite brake drum

Authors: N. Natarajan, S. Vijayarangan, I. Rajendran

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 638401, Tamil Nadu, India. ' Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, Pollachi 642003, Tamil Nadu, India. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 638401, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract: In this paper, the manufacturing and the testing of a Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) brake drum and the thermal analysis under single, continuous and repeated braking are presented. An aluminium matrix composite brake drum has been fabricated through the stir casting technique. The dynamic friction coefficient of cast iron and MMC brake drum has been experimentally determined using a brake drum test rig. Dynamic models have been developed to predict the temperature rise in single, repeated and continuous braking. The variation of frictional force with brake line pressure is computed. It is substituted in the equation of motion to predict the deceleration at different brake line pressures. The conventional grey cast iron brake drum and an aluminium matrix brake drum have been tested and the results are compared with the analytical results. A good agreement has been observed between the analytical and the experimental results.

Keywords: metal matrix composites; brake drum; MMC; thermal analysis; dynamic friction coefficient; dynamic modelling; brake torque; aluminium matrix composites; stir casting; temperature rise; frictional force; brake line pressure; vehicle design; automotive composites; vehicle design; vehicle braking systems.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.2007.013648

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 2007 Vol.44 No.3/4, pp.339 - 359

Published online: 10 May 2007 *

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