In a manufacturing method for a sliding member, a nitrogen diffusion layer, a nitrogen compound layer, and an oxidation layer are formed by executing a first step of cooling a workpiece formed of a steel material after heating the workpiece in an atmosphere containing ammonia at 570 to 660 C., a second step of performing, subsequently to the first step, tempering while pressurizing a front surface side of the workpiece, and a third step of performing, subsequently to the second step, steam treatment of heating the workpiece in a steam atmosphere.

A friction part includes a friction surface with a first friction zone, a second friction zone, and a first circumferentially extending groove band separating the first friction zone from the second friction zone in a radial direction. At least one dimension of the first friction zone, the second friction zone, or the first circumferentially extending groove band is optimized with respect to a cooling behavior of the frictionally operating device. In an example embodiment, the friction surface has a third friction zone and a second circumferentially extending groove band separating the second friction zone from the third friction zone. The first friction zone is a radially innermost friction zone and a first radial dimension of the first friction zone is approximately 1 to 2 times a sum of a second radial dimension of the second friction zone and a third radial dimension of the third friction zone.

A friction plate includes a core plate. The core plate includes an interior core surface, an exterior core surface, a first clutch face having a first plane extending, and a second clutch face having a second plane. The friction plate also includes a friction material disposed on at least one of the first and second clutch faces. The core plate includes a plurality of projections. At least one of the projections extends away from the first and second planes with respect to the axis such that the at least one of the projections is configured to provide a spring force to the other friction plate of the clutch assembly during disengagement of the friction plate from the other friction plate, and to direct the lubricant axially away from the first clutch face along the axis during rotation of the core plate for limiting drag torque in the clutch assembly.

A friction disc has a flat carrier ring which includes a first surface and a second surface, wherein a first annular friction lining is arranged on the first surface, the first annular friction lining including a geometry that deviates from the circular ring shape, wherein the carrier ring also includes the geometry of the first friction lining, each as viewed in the axial direction, and/or the first annular friction lining including at least one opening in the axial direction, which extends in the axial direction also through the carrier ring, wherein the opening is formed to start at the inner circumference or at the outer circumference of the carrier ring.

A friction disc has a flat carrier ring which includes a first surface and a second surface, wherein a first annular friction lining is arranged on the first surface, the first annular friction lining including a geometry that deviates from the circular ring shape, wherein the carrier ring also includes the geometry of the first friction lining, each as viewed in the axial direction, and/or the first annular friction lining including at least one opening in the axial direction, which extends in the axial direction also through the carrier ring, wherein the opening is formed to start at the inner circumference or at the outer circumference of the carrier ring.

A method and plant for the thermal treatment of friction elements including a convective heating step which is performed within a convective tunnel oven. The friction elements are arranged laid, in an orderly manner, upon a plurality of trays each tray having a perforated resting plate upon which the friction elements are laid in a position next to one another only, but not overlapped. The trays are piled on top of each other whilst being kept distanced from one another in a stacking direction by an amount that is greater than the thickness of the friction elements. Groups of piled up trays containing the friction elements are arranged side by side on belt conveyor means that pass through the tunnel oven in order to transport the friction elements therethrough.

A method and plant for the thermal treatment of friction elements including a convective heating step which is performed within a convective tunnel oven. The friction elements are arranged laid, in an orderly manner, upon a plurality of trays each tray having a perforated resting plate upon which the friction elements are laid in a position next to one another only, but not overlapped. The trays are piled on top of each other whilst being kept distanced from one another in a stacking direction by an amount that is greater than the thickness of the friction elements. Groups of piled up trays containing the friction elements are arranged side by side on belt conveyor means that pass through the tunnel oven in order to transport the friction elements therethrough.

A method of producing a friction material. The method includes mixing silica containing filler particles and a liquid binder to form a binder-filler liquid mixture. The method also includes saturating a fibrous base material with the binder-filler liquid mixture to form a saturated fibrous base material. The method further includes curing the saturated fibrous base material at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time to cure the saturated fibrous base material to form the friction material.

A wear volume estimation device estimates a wear volume of a brake pad of a vehicle. A wear volume function expresses the wear volume as a function of a vehicle speed, a brake pressure, and a brake duration. The wear volume estimation device calculates the wear volume by using the wear volume function. Moreover, the wear volume estimation device estimates a temperature of a contact surface of the brake pad that comes in contact with a brake rotor, and updates temperature history information indicating at least a temperature history of the contact surface based on the temperature of the contact surface. The wear volume estimation device variably sets the wear volume function according to the temperature history of the contact surface indicated by the temperature history information acquired at a time of previous braking.

The brake pad (10A, 10B) comprises a lining (22) made of friction material and a plate (20) supporting the lining (22). The lining (22) comprises: a rear edge (34) located on the side where the disk (9) is able to come out of an interface with the pad (10A, 10B) when the disk (9) rotates in an direction of travel of the vehicle, and a front edge (36); a collection groove (3) that opens into the friction face (30) and is located close to the rear edge (34). The lining (22) has a rear region (60) comprising the rear edge (34) and the collection groove (3), and a front region (62) comprising the front edge (36), the front region (62) having a chamfered portion (66) such that an area of a friction surface of the front region (62) increases when a thickness of the front region (62) decreases.