How do differences in the production process of Disc Brake Pads affect their performance and lifespan?

The production process of disc brake pads has a significant impact on their performance and life. Different manufacturing processes, material selection and technical details will directly affect the friction coefficient, wear resistance, thermal stability and service life of the brake pad. The following is a detailed analysis, from the process link to the impact of the final performance:

1. Formula and mixing of friction materials
(1) Material composition
The core of the brake pad is the friction material, which usually includes adhesives, reinforcing fibers, fillers and lubricants.
Semi-metallic brake pads: Contains metal particles (such as steel or copper), provides high braking force and high temperature resistance, but may increase brake disc wear.
Ceramic brake pads: Use ceramic particles as the main component, with low noise, low dust and good thermal stability, but the cost is higher.
Organic brake pads: Use organic compounds (such as resins and rubber), suitable for daily driving, but poor wear resistance and high temperature performance.
(2) The impact of formula differences
Brake pads of different brands may have differences in friction material formula:
High-performance formula: Increase the proportion of metal particles to increase braking force, but may cause more noise and wear.
Environmentally friendly formulations: Reducing copper content (such as copper-free formulations) to comply with environmental regulations may require trade-offs in performance.
Uniformity: If the formulation is not uniform, it may lead to unstable friction coefficients and affect braking performance.
(3) Mixing process
The mixing process of friction materials needs to ensure that the components are evenly distributed. If the mixing is not sufficient, it may cause the local friction coefficient to be too high or too low, which will affect the performance and life of the brake pad.
2. Bonding between the backing plate and the friction material
(1) Bonding method
The bonding between the backing plate (usually steel) of the brake pad and the friction material is one of the key processes. Common bonding methods include:
Hot pressing: The friction material is heated and pressed into shape to make it firmly adhere to the backing plate.
Mechanical fixing: Design grooves or protrusions on the backing plate to enhance the grip of the friction material.
Chemical bonding: Use high-strength adhesives to bond the friction material to the backing plate.
(2) Impact of bonding strength
If the bonding process is not in place, the following problems may occur:
Delamination: The friction material falls off the backing plate, resulting in brake failure.
Cracks: Poor bonding may cause cracks in the friction material during use, reducing its life.
Noise and vibration: Uneven bonding may cause abnormal noise or vibration.
3. Molding and pressing process
(1) Pressing method
The molding process of brake pads usually adopts high-pressure hot pressing technology, which uses a mold to compact the friction material into a specific shape.

Pressure control: Too high pressure may cause excessive compression of the material and affect the porosity; too low pressure may lead to insufficient density and reduce strength.
Temperature control: Too high temperature may cause excessive sintering of the material and reduce friction performance; too low temperature may lead to poor bonding.
(2) Density and porosity
The density and porosity of brake pads have an important impact on their performance and life:
High density: Provides better wear resistance and braking force, but may lead to reduced heat dissipation performance.
Porosity: Pores help dissipate heat and reduce noise, but too many pores may reduce strength.
4. Heat treatment and post-treatment
(1) Heat treatment
The heat treatment process is used to eliminate internal stress and improve the hardness and stability of friction materials.
Normalizing: Improves the uniformity and wear resistance of the material.
Quenching: Increases the hardness of the material, but may increase brittleness.
(2) Surface treatment
The surface treatment of the brake pad (such as coating or polishing) can improve its performance:
Anti-oxidation coating: Prevents the friction material from oxidizing at high temperatures and extends its service life.
Noise reduction coating: Reduces the noise and vibration generated during braking.
5. Testing and quality control
(1) Performance testing
After production, the brake pad needs to undergo rigorous performance testing, including:
Friction coefficient test: Evaluates the braking force performance under different temperatures and pressures.
Thermal decay test: Tests the performance stability under high temperature conditions.
Wear test: Evaluates the wear resistance and life of the friction material.
(2) Process consistency
If there are fluctuations in the production process (such as changes in temperature, pressure or time), it may lead to inconsistent product performance and affect the user experience.
6. Performance in actual application
(1) Wear resistance
Brake pads with advanced technology generally have higher wear resistance and can maintain stable friction performance after long-term use.
(2) Thermal stability
Under high temperature conditions, brake pads with good craftsmanship can effectively resist thermal attenuation and avoid the reduction of braking force due to overheating.
(3) Noise and comfort
High-precision production processes can reduce the noise and vibration of brake pads and improve driving comfort.

The production process of Disc Brake Pads has a direct and far-reaching impact on their performance and life. By optimizing the formulation, bonding process, molding technology and post-processing process of friction materials, the braking force, wear resistance and thermal stability of brake pads can be significantly improved. At the same time, strict quality control and performance testing are also the key to ensuring product reliability.