Vibro-Impact Rotor Dampers For Brake Squeal Attenuation - Towards An Insulator Free Design To Quell Squeal

This paper explores the use of vibro-impact dampers in attenuating brake squeal. This temperature and pressure independent energy dissipation approach adds damping directly to the rotor discs and thus enables the designer more freedom to design brake pads for doing their primary function - stopping the disc and hence the vehicle in a desired regulated manner without worrying about other effects. The author presents the evolution of the vibro-impact energy dissipation idea into rotor damping concepts and shows experimental data at component level as well as system level - comparison of brake dynamometer test results of a brake system with and without these rotor dampers. Finally the author presents preliminary subjective data on the effect of these dampers on tactile and acoustic responses inside a vehicle subjected to road tests. Also presented are some ideas of implementing the concepts as design integrated with rotor as well as add-on dampers.