Multi-body Dynamic Simulation for the Evaluation of Disc Brake Slide Force

Common problems associated with the design and utilization of disc brakes often relate to the effects of caliper slide force. Excessive slide force can result in off-braking pad to rotor contact that exacerbates disc thickness variation (DTV) growth, causes accelerated lining wear, and in extreme cases, can result in “caliper binding”. This condition, where the caliper housing has “locked in place”, can result in extremely high brake drag. To identify the key physical parameters that affect slide force magnitude, a multibody dynamic model of a complete disc brake was constructed and a design of experiments (DOE) was performed. The DOE explored the relationship of slide force to ten independent dimensional tolerances, and accounts for the relative motion of components that occurs during assembly. Trends and key physical attributes are identified for the geometric tolerances considered.