You know the Brembo brand, which peeks out from between the wheel spokes on the world's most potent automobiles, as a boutique maker of exemplary braking components. But while you weren't paying attention, Brembo grew from a 1961 Italian upstart into the world's largest independent manufacturer of cast iron brake rotors, aluminum calipers, and carbon-ceramic-material (CCM) discs. Brembo supplies braking equipment for cars, motorcycles, and commercial vehicles worldwide with 35 manufacturing and business operations in 14 countries on three continents. This $1-billion enterprise has over 5000 employees, more than 500 engineers and technical specialists, and its fingers in more than brake rotors, calipers, and friction materials. Brembo affiliates manufacture seat belts, child safety equipment, helmets, and motorcyclist air bag jackets. This firm also assembles corner modules -- consisting of suspension linkages, wheel hubs, brake components, and ABS sensors -- for Aston Martin, Ferrari, Maserati, and Porsche.
But what you really want to know is how the heck Brembo makes those big black rotors that stop the fastest Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches, and Corvettes like a wall of jello? (The world's top nine performance brands all use Brembo CCM braking systems.) Pay attention to what follows because there may be a quiz.
1. It all begins with the right materials. The mix of initial ingredients is two components long: carbon fibers and phenolic resin. The fibers are carefully chosen for length and thickness (diameter). The resin is in solid granular form. The Brembo experts we interviewed-business development director Roberto Vavassori, North American vice president Adrian Smith, and engineering manager Emanuele Bruletti-wouldn't be more specific because they don't want you cooking up brake rotors at home.
2. The ingredients are mixed together in a proprietary formulation and then loaded into a steel mold. Removable cores are fitted to provide the radial vents necessary to expedite heat rejection during brake applications. The mold halves are closed, pressure and heat are applied. When the molding dies are opened and the cores are extracted, a near-net-shape brake rotor emerges. The amount of excess material is minimized because removing it with subsequent operations is difficult due to the extreme hardness of a finished CCM rotor. While what emerges looks like a finished part, it's not yet ready for use. ...next page >>