The disc brakes are perhaps the most critical part of the vehicle’s entire mechanism. They are responsible for stopping it when someone pushes the appropriate medium – a pedal, brake pod, or brake servo. For those that don’t know, a disc brake is a form of brake that uses calipers to force a pair of pads against a disc to produce a certain amount of friction that slows down or stops the vehicle. A disc brake is the component of a braking device that stops the vehicle, to put it another way.
And so, to put it simply, industrial disc brakes are a mechanical system that is used to slow down a car or other moving machinery. Brakes use frictional forces to slow a moving vehicle until it comes to a full stop. Disc brakes & drum brakes are the two most common types of brakes used in vehicles.
How do they work?
Industrial disc brakes are primarily used in automobiles as the primary braking system component. As a result, there are three key components: brake pads, caliper (which houses the piston), and rotor (which is mounted to the hub). They’re very similar to bicycle brakes, which also have a caliper that squeezes the pads against the tire.
Benefits of Industrial disc brakes
- The frictional surface between brake linings and the rotor or drums produces heat in all types of brakes, including disc and drum brakes. Disc brakes, however, come with an added benefit of heat dissipation, making them more resistant to brake fade
- The disc brake surface is directly exposed to the open air, it is more susceptible to heat dissipation. As a result, heat will quickly pass through the discs, preventing the temperature on the disc brake from rising. Furthermore, due to the braking mechanism, the exposed surface of the air is greater than the frictional surface
- Disc brakes also make it difficult for water to get trapped between the brake tread and the discs, disrupting the braking surface and reducing stopping strength. Water fade is the term for the water trapped between the brake shoes and the disc.
Industrial disc brakes also have the inherent ability to eliminate dust particles that have been stuck during their operation. The fine particles produced by the brake lining surface will also be wasted on their own, in addition to dust particles.
Self-adjustment is a brake calibration procedure that repositions the distance between the brake linings and the drum or rotor surfaces. This mechanism is not the same on disc brakes as it is on drum brakes. Cables, levers, screws, struts, and other mechanical connections are needed for drum brakes. Only the piston caliper is involved in the self-adjustment mechanism while using a disc brake.
This caliper piston can drive as far as the braking mechanism needs. After stopping, the caliper piston can travel back far enough to align the gap between the brake tread and the disc with the tolerance.
Caveats for industrial disc brakes
Wide rotor surfaces make a noisy echo, which is one of the disadvantages of brake discs. This noise is caused by the hardening of the brake shoes and disc. Another flaw is that when used as a parking brake, the disc brakes are ineffective. This occurs because the brake pads struggle to maintain a smooth rotor surface.
Value for life!
Due to their efficient build and seamless operations, disc brakes offer substantially higher value compared to their close counterpart, the drum brakes. This value is further enhanced because the owing costs of disc brakes are much lower than the alternatives available. The delivery of value, functionality, and cost-effectiveness at the same time makes these a wise choice for industrial machinery.
Easier Maintenance
There are fewer moving pieces in disc brakes. A caliper has only one moving part, while a drum brake has between 9 and 12 moving parts. Owing to fewer moving parts and more efficient heat dissipation, the life expectancy is increased. In addition to this, Replacement and testing of friction pads are simpler for disc brakes. Without removing the rotor or hub, the entire caliper can be removed for maintenance. This further leads to saving time and effort.
Conclusion
Industrial disk brakes promise greater value and performance in the heavy-duty industries than their obsolete counterparts, the drum brakes.
