New generation of brake callipers to improve competitiveness and energy savings in very high performance cars

This paper concerns with the optimisation of the innovative rheocasting process to produce a new generation of brake callipers, characterised by very high reliability and strength. The attained very promising properties favoured their use on a very high performance car and the presented technique can be further extended for other important challenging applications. The prototype components are produced using T6 heat treated A357 alloy. Results on the samples machined directly from the produced callipers are in detail described and analysed. Pieces exhibiting some small defects, individuated by non-destructive tests, as well as defectless pieces have been underlined to severe industrial tests, e.g. high pressure tight, as well as severe bench tests, and it has been observed that the proposed technological process assure the fulfilment of the requirements contained in standards.