Following the launch of its latest ‘True Originals’ product campaign, TRW Aftermarket explains how through innovation and R&D, a first to market approach and an unrivalled understanding of the market, the business retains its position at the top of the table for brake discs.
As a leading automotive safety expert, it’s important to TRW to retain as much control over the manufacturing and testing processes as possible. In line with this, the business manufactures more than 70 per cent of TRW branded discs in-house at TRW’s global manufacturing plants, including its leading European facility in Frydlant, Czech Republic.
TRW Aftermarket’s Stephan Schwarz, Senior Product Controller for Brake Discs in Europe explained: “As a pioneer in the design, development and manufacture of complete braking systems for vehicle manufacturers (VMs), the TRW brand has more than 100 years’ experience. For 20 years, we have directly transferred this knowledge and experience into our aftermarket offer, and today manufacture in excess of 12 million brake discs every year.
“Our OE experience affords us innate knowledge of how each part operates within a system and how systems interact with each other. By manufacturing parts that work in harmony with each other, and within that particular system, we are able to provide the perfect braking solution every time, for every class and weight of vehicle.”
For more powerful engines, TRW offers a range of High Carbon Discs which offer better stability and performance because they resist higher temperatures without distorting. The use of high carbon in the casting process allows the discs to run cooler, meaning they offer optimum performance and are less likely to distort and suffer from noise vibration and harshness (NVH) problems such as hot judder and brake squeal.
When the discs are used in conjunction with brake pads manufactured from TRW’s comparable friction material, it results in the ‘Perfect Match’; the safest braking package available for powerful vehicles with a higher output of kinetic energy.
For increased performance and reduced corrosion, TRW led the market in 2007 with a small range of black painted discs coated in a special paint developed in-house in partnership with a major VM. Now, due to customer demand, every TRW disc comes black painted, as standard.
The discs are packaged in a special VCI (Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor) paper which takes the place of an oil film coating. This eliminates the need to laboriously degrease them prior to fitting, saving time in the workshop.
Again, back in 2007, the business introduced an integrated solution: disc, wheel bearings and ABS sensor ring.
The disc solution offers mounted wheel bearings assembled with innovative equipment that ensures correct pressing-in of the wheel bearings. This is coupled with either a ‘toothed’ or ‘magnetic’ ABS phonic ring – depending on the OE specification (the magnetic version covers ABS systems with active sensors). Completing the package are necessary fixing screws and dust caps.
“Bearings and sensor rings are safety critical components and should be replaced each time the disc is changed as they could be damaged during the changing process,” Stephan added.
“Attempting to reuse either the bearing or the ABS phonic ring, could leave them weak and damaged and therefore unsafe and could also increase the risk of damage to the end product. In addition, if the bearing is not pressed in at the exact angle, it causes higher friction of the turning parts which can seriously damage the wheels. This is a win-win situation for the customer,” he concluded.
