JRS Industrial Friction Brake

Our client asked us to complete a feasibility study to reduce the size, weight and cost of one of their key products: a joint rate simulator. This is a device used extensively by the automotive industry for calibrating torque wrenches. At the heart of this device is a computer controlled friction brake used to retard the rotation of a very low inertia shaft.

An initial study reviewed alternative braking mechanisms and identified several candidates that might lead to significant improvements. However, scope for improvement was also identified from the existing, commercially established mechanism. 42 Technology recommended that the route with the lowest risk and development time would be to incrementally improve the existing technology by scientific materials selection and the use of FEA stress modelling.

Our work on friction material selection, reviewed a wide range of commercially available friction materials to generate a short list which were rigorously tested. A number of materials were proven to be more effective and lower cost than the original material, including the final selection which provided approximately double the coefficient of friction to our client’s original material but at much lower cost.

The FEA work indicated that we could modify the design to reduce the weight of the assembly by approximately a factor of two whilst maintaining the stress deflection at the same level as the original design.

The work was expanded to consider systems comprising two or three brakes.

Together the design improvements identified by 42 Technology lead to a new product that was half the size, weight and cost of the original design.