Tribological properties of the disc brake friction couple materials in the range of small and very small speeds

The tribological properties of the friction couple materials have a major influence on the brake system operation and its failure. One of the main phenomena associated as a symptom of failure in the brake system are the noises and vibrations produced during braking. The stick-slip phenomenon is attributed as the cause of these noises and vibrations. The stick-slip phenomenon usually appears at low and very low sliding speeds and is described as intermittences in the friction process caused by the differences between the values of the kinetic and the static friction coefficients. The present paper addresses an investigation about the influence of the static and kinetic friction on the occurrence of above mentioned noises and vibrations in the disc brake system. For this, extensive experimental work was performed on a laboratory tribometer in the form of pin-on-disc tests, where the pin was manufactured out of an automotive brake pad and the disc was manufactured out of an automotive grey cast iron brake disc. The results highlight the effects of the sliding speed and contact pressure on the friction coefficient and its influence on the brake noises and vibrations caused by the stick-slip phenomenon.