The deficient market for technically smart solutions regarding brake calipers presents an opportunity that GETECH AB intends to explore. The task was assigned to the students to investigate how a brake caliper adapted for the rear axle of cars can be integrated with an electrically driven parking brake and a hydraulic handbrake adapted for motorsport.
The work began with a market survey to understand what is currently offered and what is missing. Intensive brainstorming sessions and discussions were then initiated to create multiple concepts with solutions to the problem. Subsequently, requirements and data were gathered to be translated into a specification. This specification became the basis for the selection criteria used in the Pugh matrix to rank the various concepts, ultimately resulting in a winning concept that would be further developed.
The winning concept underwent several iterations to contribute to functional and design improvements, ultimately resulting in the final version. To ensure that the final version would meet the required strength standards, multiple strength analyses and calculations were performed to guarantee functionality and safety. The simulations showed that the brake caliper’s strength meets the functional requirements set by Swedish inspection and the Transport Agency regarding performance.
Once the concept, modeling, and strength checks were completed, manufacturing began. Detailed CAM preparations with clearly reviewed tool selections and tool paths were created, along with favorable fixtures to facilitate clamping possibilities. All of this was to ensure a manufacturing process that delivers a quality result from a three-axis CNC milling machine. When the brake caliper was fully manufactured, it was assembled with standard components. The caliper was then installed on a demonstrator where its functions could be visualized and demonstrated. The result was a rear multi-piston brake caliper with three braking functions in a single compact module. The brake caliper was made from an aluminum alloy and consisted of a total of 53 components.
By Noah Franzén & William Nygren
Cooperation with
BTH Innovation Labs 