THE BRAKING SYTEM

 The automotive system will have been a killing instrument if not for the design of
braking system.
 Braking systems have been to existence ever since the first design of the automobiles
and inhibits motion by absorbing energy from the moving system.
 the advancement of technology over the decades has brought different designs and
types of braking systems to vehicles.
 It is important to always remember that A braking system can be designed on any
mechanical device where motion occurs, not just on automobiles.
THE BRAKING SYTEM
What is a brake system?
 A brake is a mechanical device designed to restrain motion by absorbing energy from a
moving system usually by the means of friction.
 The braking system is a complex device with a lot of parts, but its working seamlessly
in an automotive system. For example pressing the brake pedal once will activate all
brakes on the four wheels.
 Most brakes are designed to use friction between two surfaces, they’re pressed to
convert the kinetic energy of the moving object into heat.
 friction brakes in an automobile store braking heat in the drum brake or disc brake and
gradually releases it into the air.
 On modern vehicles, the brake pedal is pushed against the master cylinder. There is a
piston that pushes the brake pad against the brake disc, which slows the wheel down.
On the brake drum, the cylinder pushes the brake shoes against the drum to slow down
the wheel.
 THE BRAKING SYTEM
Functions of the automotive braking system
 The braking system provides decelerate a vehicle in a controlled and repeatable fashion and
full stop when it`s appropriate.
 One of the function of braking system is maintaining a constant speed when travelling
downhill.
 The braking system holds the vehicle stationary on a flat or on a gradient if it`s necessary.
• To stop the moving vehicle.
• To de accelerate the moving vehicle.
• As a precaution for accidents and To prevent the vehicle from any damage due to road
conditions.

Characteristics of a good braking system

 The characteristic of a brake system includes peak force, continuous power dissipation, fade,
smoothness, power, pedal feel, drag, durability, weight, and noise.
 Some other factors that are listed may be considered as the characteristic of a brake system.
THE BRAKING SYTEM
The braking system

Components of the braking system

 Brake pedal: the component of a brake system is used to activate the brake by pressing
it down by foot. It’s located in the middle of the accelerator and clutch pedal inside the
vehicle.
 Fluid reservoir: The fluid reservoir is the housing where the brake fluid or brake oil is
store.
 Fluid lines: The fluid lines are the pipes through which the brake fluid flows in the
vehicle.
 Brake pads: The brake pad is a steel backing plate employed on disc brakes. It’s often
made of ceramic, metal, or other hard-wearing composite materials.
The braking system

Components of the braking system

 Brake shoes: Brake shoes are two pieces of sheet steel joined together so it can carry the brake lining.
 Brake drum: The brake drum is a rotating drum-shaped component used in the drum brake system.
 Rotor: The rotor is a cast-iron brake disc connected to a wheel or axle, sometimes made of reinforced
carbon-carbon, ceramic matric, or some other composite.
 Brake lining: A brake lining is a heat-resistant, soft but also tough material with high friction
characteristics. It’s enclosed inside the brake shoe.
THE BRAKING SYSTEM
Components of the braking system
 Caliper: The caliper carries the brake pads and pistons.
 Floating caliper or sliding caliper: the part moves relatively with the rotor as it uses a
piston on a single side of the disc to push the inner brake pad into the braking surface. It
then pulls the caliper body in to apply pressure on the opposite side of the disc.
 Fixed calipers: the fixed caliper does not move in relative to the rotor, which works
sensitive to imperfections. It uses one or more single pairs of opposing pistons to clamp
from each side of the rotor.
 Master cylinder: the master cylinder converts the non-hydraulic pressure from the
driver’s foot into hydraulic pressure. it then controls the slave cylinders at the opposite
end of the hydraulic system.
 Vacuum booster: this braking system component is used to improve the master
cylinder and increase pressure to which the driver foot supply through the use of a
vacuum in the engine intake. This is effective while the vehicle’s engine is running.
The braking system
 BRAKING SYSTEM
Types of braking system
Types of braking system
 braking systems is classified on the basis of various needs and purposes of an automobile vehicle.
1. On the Basis of Power Source
Air brake system (pneumatic):
 The air braking system types are commonly found in heavy vehicles such as trucks, buses, etc. just like other types, the brake pedal
is pressed.
 However, air from the atmosphere enters the compressor through an air filter to the reservoir through an unloader value.
 It further enters the brake chamber through a brake valve which is fitted to control the intensity of braking. This results in braking.
 It is the types of braking system in which atmospheric air through compressors and valves is used to transmit brake pedal force from
brake pedal to the final drum or disc rotor.
• Air brakes are mainly used in heavy vehicles like busses and trucks because hydraulic brakes fails to transmit high brake force
through greater distance and also pneumatic brakes generates higher brake force than hydraulic brake which is the need of the heavy
vehicle.
• The chances of brake failure is less in case of pneumatic brakes as they are usually equipped with a reserve air tank which comes in
action when there is a brake failure due to leakage in brake lines.
• High end cars these days are using air brakes system due to its effectiveness and fail proof ability.
 THE BRAKE SYSTEM
Electromagnetic brake system
 This is one of the rising design of the brake system, it uses an electric motor that is contained in
the automobile to aid the stopping of the vehicle.
 Electromagnetic braking system types are used in most hybrid vehicles where electric motor
charge the batteries and powers the brakes.
 However, In some buses, a secondary retarder brake that uses an internal short circuit and
generator is employed.
 In this types of braking system, the magnetic field generated by permanent magnets is used to
cause the braking of the vehicle.
• It works on the principle that when we pass a magnet through a cooper tube, eddy current is
generated and the magnetic field generated by this eddy current provide magnetic braking.
• This is the friction less braking system thus there is less or no wear and tear.
• This is the advanced technology in which no pressure is needed to cause braking.
• The response to the braking in this is quite quick as compared to other braking systems.
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Types of braking system
Hydraulic brake system
 The hydraulic braking system types are composed of master cylinders that receive hydraulic braking fluid from a
reservoir.
 Through connections of an assortment of metal pipes and rubber fittings, the system is attached to the cylinders of
the wheel.
 The wheel features two opposite pistons, located on the band or drum brakes.
 The pressure pushes the piston apart, forcing the brake pads into the cylinders, which cause the wheel to stop
moving.
 It is the type of braking system in which the brake force applied by the driver on brake pedal is first converted into
hydraulic pressure by master cylinder (for reference read article on master cylinder) than this hydraulic pressure
from master cylinder is transferred to the final brake drum or disc rotor through brake lines.
• Instead of mechanical linkages, brake fluid is used in hydraulic brakes for the transmission of brake pedal force in
order to stop or de accelerates the vehicle.
• Almost all the bikes and cars on the road today are equipped with the hydraulic braking system due to it high
effectiveness and high brake force generating capability.
BRAKING SYSTEM
THE BRAKING SYSTEM

Vacuum Brakes-
 It is the conventional type of braking system in which the vacuum inside the brake lines
causes brake pads to move which in turn finally stops or de accelerates the vehicle.
• The exhauster, main cylinder, brake lines, valves along with disc rotor or drum are the
main components that combine together to make a vacuum braking system
• Vacuum brakes were used in old or conventional trains and are replaced with air brakes
nowadays because of their less effectiveness and slow braking.
• Vacuum brakes are cheaper than air brakes but are less safe than air brakes.
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Electrical Brakes-
 It is type of braking used in electric vehicle in which braking is produced using the electrical motors which
is the main source of power in electric vehicles, it is further divided into 3 types-
 (i) Plugging Brakes-When the brake pedal is pressed in the electric vehicle equipped with plugging
braking, the polarity of the motors changes which in turn reverses the direction of the motor and causes the
braking.
 (ii) Regenerative Braking- It is the type of electrical braking in which at the time of braking the motor
which is the main power source of the vehicle becomes the generator i.e. when brakes are applied, the
power supply to the motor cuts off due to which the mechanical energy from the wheels becomes the
rotating force for the motor which in turn converts this mechanical energy into the electric energy which is
further stored in the battery.
• Regenerative braking saves the energy and are widely used in today’s electric vehicles.
• Tesla Model-S provides the most effective regenerative braking.
 (iii) Dynamic or Rheostat Braking- It is the type of electrical braking in which resistance provided by the
rheostat causes the actual braking, in this type a rheostat is attached to the circuit that provides the
resistance to the motor which is responsible for de acceleration or stopping of the vehicle.
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Servo brake system(vacuum):
 The servo braking system types are found on most vehicles today, they are designed to increase the
amount of pressure the driver applies through the brake pedal.
 The system uses a vacuum in the inlet manifold to generate extra pressure required for the brake to
happen. Also, the systems are only effective when the engine is running.
 In some vehicle designs, more than of the braking system is included as they work in unison to offer a
stronger and more reliable system.
 However, the system fails occasionally based on the combination of the types of brakes, which may result
in motor accidents.
Mechanical Brakes-
 It is the type of braking system in which the brake force applied by the driver on the brake pedal is
transferred to the final brake drum or disc rotor through the various mechanical linkages like cylindrical
rods, fulcrums, springs etc. this system of linkages make it possible to de accelerate or stop the vehicle.
 Mechanical brakes were used in various old automobile vehicles but they are obsolete now days due to
their less effectiveness.
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Brake Pumping system:
 The types of braking systems are employed on automobiles whenever a pump is included in the design.
 It’s used in an internal combustion piston motor to stop the fuel supply, which in turn causes the internal
pumping to loss to the engine, causing braking to occur.
On the Basis of Frictional Braking Contact
 On the basis of the final friction contact made between the rotating brake components i.e. brake drum or
disc rotor and the brake shoe the braking systems are of 2 types-
 (i) Internal expanding brakes (e.g.- drum brakes)
 (ii) External contracting brakes(e.g. disc brakes)
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On the Basis of Application-
 On the basis of method of applying brakes, braking systems are of 2 types-
 (i) Foot or service brakes
 (ii) Hand or parking brakes
 Service Brake or Foot Brakes-
 It is the type of brakes in which the brakes are applied when the driver presses the brake pedal mounted
inside the cockpit or at the foot space of the vehicle with his foot, this pedal force applied by the driver is
further multiplied and sent to the braking drum or disc either by mechanical linkages or by hydraulic
pressure which in turn causes braking.
• In cars foot operated brakes are used and in bikes the combination of foot and hand operated brakes are
used.
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Parking and emergency brake system:
 Parking and emergency types of the braking systems work with levers and cables where it’s controlled mechanically by force.
Though it’s controlled using a button on newer vehicles to stop the vehicle in case of emergency or while parking on a hill. The
system can bypass the normal braking system when it malfunctions.
 When the brake is engaged, a cable pulls and it passes to the intermediate lever that causes the force to increase and pass to the
equalizer. The equalizer splits into two cables, it divides the force and sends them to the rear wheels aiding the slow and
stopping of the vehicle.
 The braking system bypass other braking systems by controlling brake shoes directly. The system is beneficial if the typical
braking system fails.
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On the Basis of Brake Force Distribution
Single acting brakes
 It is the type of braking in which brake force is transferred to either a pair of wheels(in cars) or to the single wheel(in
bikes) through single actuation mechanism(mechanical linkages or master cylinder).
 These types of braking system is commonly used in bikes or in light purpose vehicles.
Dual Acting Brakes-
 It is the type of braking in which the brake force is transferred to all the wheels of the vehicle through
dual actuation mechanism (tandem master cylinder or mechanical linkages).
This type of braking is used in cars as well as in heavy purpose vehicle.
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Materials design requirements for brake systems
 Most friction pairs consist of a hard, usually metallic, rotating component and a relatively compliant ‘friction’ material in the form of a
brake pad or shoe.
 Any rotor material must be sufficiently stiff and strong to be able to transmit the frictional torque to the hub without excessive
deformation or risk of failure.
 Thus the rotor material should have high volumetric heat capacity) and good thermal
conductivity in order to absorb and transmit the heat generated at the friction interface
without excessive temperature rise.
 The primary function of the friction material is generally considered to be the production of a
stable and predictable coefficient of friction to enable reliable and efficient braking of the
vehicle over a wide range of conditions.
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Materials design requirements for brake systems

 The overwhelming majority of rotors for conventional automotive brakes is manufactured

from grey cast iron(GI).
 It has good volumetric heat capacity due mainly to its relatively high density, and reasonable
conductivity due largely to the presence of the graphite (or carbon) flakes. The coefficient of
thermal expansion is relatively low and the material has an MOT well in excess of 700 C (but note
that martensitic transformations at high temperatures can hot judder faults.
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Traction control systems
 Traction control systems (TCSs) aim to control and maintain vehicle stability during
acceleration maneuvers.
 A good practical example, is preventing wheel spin when accelerating on a low friction
surface or on a steep up-grade.
 This is achieved by the optimization of individual wheel torques through the control of
some combination of fuel mixture, ignition and driven wheel brake torque.