Find friction materials including friction discs, brake lining, clutch facings and more. From disc brake pads to brake bands, you will find the friction material you need.
Use the time-saving Request for Quote tool to submit your inquiry to all the friction material manufacturers and suppliers you select.
Ferotec Friction leads the worldwide industry in the manufacture and distribution of top-quality and competitively priced industrial friction materials. Our products are used in various clutch and brake applications and include flexible molded, rigid molded and woven friction materials. Call for details.
Thermal Ceramics provides insulation products for industrial, transportation, appliance and fire protection applications. We provide, among many other things, quality materials and systems for automotive issues, such as: thermal, noise reduction, high temperature filtration and friction materials.
You only need to know one name for your friction material needs – Cook Bonding & Manufacturing. We have been around for almost 3 decades and offer friction materials, gear tooth facings, press blocks, crane brake shoes, hoist frictions & other specialty products that can be custom made.
Superior Graphite formulates advanced raw materials to meet the demands of rigorous friction applications. Our FormulaFX™ and Resilient Graphitic Carbons™ (RGC) product lines are the new generation of friction materials, combining cushion, lubrication, thermal conductivity and strength.
Hibbing International Friction manufactures asbestos free friction materials for industrial product OEMs and the aftermarket. We offer friction material bonding services. Our products are used for crane brakes, tension control brakes, material handling equipment, overhead hoists and more.
PMAutomotive is a manufacturer of custom molded clutch and brake friction materials. We design, engineer and manufacture asbestos free friction materials to meet your specific needs. We are a service-oriented company willing to meet the needs of our customers. We are ISO 9001:2000 certified.
Friction materials are used to induce friction in applications
when slow or decreasing movement is desired, such as in brakes and clutches.
Brake systems use friction materials to stop wheels from rotating. When a brake
is pressed, it activates a system that places the material against a disc or
drum that slows the vehicle down. Clutches also need friction materials in
order to engage after gear changes. Without them, the clutch slips and can
not transfer power. Friction material manufacturers are utilized by a variety
of industries, such as mining, oil and gas, forestry and construction.
Friction itself is defined as resistance to relative motion that opposes the
travel direction of an object, mainly caused by surface roughness. It is created
by contact of solid bodies with one another. In the case of braking, the friction
materials press against the drum or disc to create friction. Different types
of friction include static, kinetic and rolling. The byproducts of friction
are deformations and heat. It is important that friction materials used in
brakes have good energy absorption because of the high temperatures that result
from braking.
The friction material manufacturers industry has undergone major changes throughout
the years. For a long time, the most popular kind of material used was asbestos
fibers, but that has changed in recent years due to health concerns associated
with asbestos. Asbestos was banned for a time by the government, forcing friction
material manufacturers to discover new substances to use. Although asbestos
materials are legal again, they are fading from the market as new materials
are finding their way into the forefront of the industry. Ceramic materials
are one of the newest and best examples of this constantly evolving industry.
A variety of friction materials are available for many different uses. It is
necessary to know what is required of the friction materials before purchase
because different materials offer varying coefficients of friction. For example,
it is important to have a material that creates a large amount of friction
if quick stopping is an issue. Likewise, if a great deal of heat is going to
be produced during breaking, it is important to have friction materials with
high energy absorption rates, such as semi-metallic materials. For the most
part, specific ingredients of friction materials are kept secret by manufacturers,
and new developments are being made all the time.
Types of Friction Materials
Asbestos materials used
to be the most common type of friction materials, but due to connections
to lung disease,
they are being phased out of the market.
Brake bands use friction material to slow vehicles by pressing against the brake disc.
Brake lining is the heat-resistant material that creates friction in braking devices.
Ceramic friction materials are
very popular because they eliminate squeal and audible vibrations.
They are also less abrasive to rotors
and their brake pads tend to have a longer life-span than those of
other materials.
Clutch
facings are
used to maintain lower coefficients of friction, which provide smooth
and stable clutch engagement/disengagement.
They help reduce clutch chatter, are available in molded and woven
compositions
and can be found with asbestos or asbestos-free materials.
Elastomeric materials are resilient and adaptable, and help maximize
the consumption of power and energy. They were created especially
for high speed and energy applications.
Fiberglass materials are new to the market, and are currently being
tested for durability, preservation of rotors and drums and
noise level.
Friction
discs are metal plates bonded with friction materials that
are used to brake.
Graphitic materials are
used in applications that have a higher temperature because of their
good energy absorption. These kinds of materials help hold in heat
for a long period of time.
Non-asbestos lining includes all friction materials made without
asbestos, due to concern over the affect of asbestos on
health. These tend to
be more abrasive and accelerate rotor wear.
Paper materials have some of the best performance of the friction
materials. They are made of fibers and fillers and, after
the addition of water,
are dried and compressed into a sheet.
Semi-metallic friction
materials are high performance and designed
to prevent fade and squeal. They handle heat better
than many others.
Sintered metal materials are compacted friction modifiers and metallic
powders, and work best with very little oil flow.
They have the ability to operate in very high temperatures.
Friction Materials Terms
Balance – Refers to the stability between the
front and rear brakes.
Bleeding – The process by which overheated or spoiled brake fluid
and air bubbles are removed from the brake system.
Brake Drum – Metal housing bolted to an axle and vehicle wheel
that looks like a large jar lid. Brake shoes are forced against the drum
to stop rotating wheels.
Brake Lining – Heat-resistant
friction material that presses against the disc/drum to create braking
force.
Brake Pad – Made of friction materials and bonded to metal plates.
Brake pads need to be replaced occasionally due to heavy wear.
Burnish – Process of wearing in brakes so that the contact between
the friction material and the rotor or drum becomes stable.
Caliper – The assembly that
houses the brake pad(s) and applies them to the rotor. This also houses
the hydraulically operated pistons
to which the pads are bonded.
Clutch – Any of various contraptions used to engage and disengage
two moving parts of a shaft or shaft and driving mechanism. When changing
gears, the clutch pedal is pressed, disengaging the clutch and allowing
the gear change; when released, the clutch engages and transfers the
rotating motion throughout the entire driveshaft.
Coefficient of Friction – The ratio of force necessary to move
an object compared to the weight of the object itself.
Disc Brake – Consists of brake pads, caliper and rotor. This is
the part of the brake system that actually stops the vehicle.
Drum – A large circular metal
housing that looks like an oversized jar lid and is bolted to a vehicle’s
axle and wheel. Brake shoes are forced against the inner section of the
drum, which then stops the
rotating wheel.
Dynamometer – Apparatus in a laboratory used to test brake system
performance.
Fade – Temporary reduced braking power. Fade results from overheating
of the friction material.
Groove Patterns – Grooves on friction material that help dispel
heat, get rid of fluid and eliminate noise.
Master Cylinder – The cylinder that contains hydraulic fluid and
a piston. It is connected directly to the brake pedal and transmits pressure
to the brake operating system.
Recovery – The return of braking performance to a normal level
after fade has diminished. This measures friction materials’ ability
to perform after overheating.
Rotor – Also referred to as a disc or drum, this is the circular
metal object to which the brake pads are applied, creating friction to
slow and stop the vehicle.
Shoe – A steel semicircular form coated with a friction agent that
presses against the inside of a drum when activated.
Squeal – High-pitched noise made when braking. Squeal indicates
that brakes should be inspected for wear.
