A system and method for enhancing a diffusion limited CVI/CVD process is provided. The system may densify a porous structure by flowing a reactant gas around the porous structure. A mass flow controller may be configured to pulse the flow rate of the reactant gas around the porous structure. The mass flow controller may pulse the flow rate from a nominal flow rate to a first flow rate. The mass flow controller may pulse the first flow rate back to the nominal flow rate or to a second flow rate. The mass flow controller may pulse the flow rate between the nominal flow rate, the first flow rate, and the second flow rate, as desired.

A process for manufacturing a friction component made of composite material, includes the densification of a fibrous preform of carbon yarns by a matrix including at least pyrocarbon and at least one ZrO.sub.xC.sub.y phase, where 1x2 and 0y1, the matrix being formed by chemical vapor infiltration at least from a first gaseous precursor of pyrocarbon and a second gaseous precursor including zirconium, the second precursor being an alcohol or a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 polyalcohol modified by linking the oxygen atom of at least one alcohol function to a group of formula ZrR.sub.3, the substituents R being identical or different, and R being selected from: H, C.sub.1 to C.sub.5 carbon chains and halogen atoms.

A friction disk includes a friction disk core having an inner diameter edge, an outer diameter edge, and a first surface with multiple mortises extending radially across the first surface. The friction disk further includes a first wear liner having two wear liner segments each including a wear surface and a non-wear surface having a tenon with a complimentary shape to each of the multiple mortises, the tenon of each wear liner segment being configured to be received by a corresponding mortise of the multiple mortises to couple the wear liner segments to the friction disk core to form an annular liner.

A friction disk of a braking system may include a friction disk core and a first wear liner. The friction disk core has an outer surface that defines a recess extending gradually inward from the outer surface, according to various embodiments. The wear liner mates to the outer surface of the friction disk core and includes a wear surface and a first non-wear surface, according to various embodiments. The first wear liner further includes a notch extending gradually outward from the first non-wear surface of the wear liner, according to various embodiments. In an installed state, the notch is received within the recess, according to various embodiments.

A method of making a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) brake component may include the steps of applying a pressure to a mixture comprising ceramic powder and chopped fibers, pulsing an electrical discharge across the mixture to generate a pulsed plasma between particles of the ceramic powder, increasing a temperature applied to the mixture using direct heating to generate the CMC brake component, and reducing the temperature and the pressure applied to the CMC brake component. The ceramic powder may have a micrometer powder size or a nanometer powder size, and the chopped fibers may have an interphase coating.

A system and method for enhancing a diffusion limited CVI/CVD process is provided. The system may densify a porous structure by flowing a reactant gas around the porous structure. A mass flow controller may be configured to pulse the flow rate of the reactant gas around the porous structure. The mass flow controller may pulse the flow rate from a nominal flow rate to a first flow rate. The mass flow controller may pulse the first flow rate back to the nominal flow rate or to a second flow rate. The mass flow controller may pulse the flow rate between the nominal flow rate, the first flow rate, and the second flow rate, as desired.

A system for monitoring incursion depth of a disk having an outer surface for use in a disk brake system includes a plurality of conductive leads each configured to be located at different distances from the outer surface of the disk. The system further includes a plurality of resistors each coupled to one of the plurality of conductive leads such that total resistance across the plurality of conductive leads changes in response to disconnection of one or more of the plurality of conductive leads caused by wearing of the outer surface of the disk.

A carbon/carbon brake disk is provided. The carbon/carbon brake disk may comprise a carbon fiber, wherein the carbon fiber is formed into a fibrous network, wherein the fibrous network comprises carbon deposited therein. The carbon fiber may undergo a FHT process, wherein micro-cracks are disposed in the carbon fiber. In various embodiments, the micro-cracks may be at least partially filled with un-heat-treated carbon via a final CVD process, wherein the final CVD process is performed at a temperature in the range of up to about 1,000 C. (1,832 F.) for a duration in the range from about 20 hours to about 100 hours. In various embodiments, the un-heat-treated carbon may be configured to prevent oxygen, moisture, and/or oxidation protection systems (OPS) chemicals from penetrating the carbon/carbon brake disk. In various embodiments, the final CVI/CVD process may be configured to increase the wear life of the carbon/carbon brake disk.

A preform for a carbon-carbon composite including a plurality of fibrous layers stacked and needled-punched together to form the preform in the shape of an annulus having an inner radial section and an outer radial section. Each fibrous layer includes a respective plurality of fabric segments comprising at least one of carbon fibers or carbon-precursor fibers. At least one fibrous layer includes a first fabric segment forming at least a portion the inner radial section, the first fabric segment defining a first segment bisector and a first fiber orientation angle, and a second fabric segment forming at least a portion the outer radial section, the second fabric segment defining a second segment bisector and a second fiber orientation angle, where the first and second segment bisectors are radially aligned and the first fiber orientation angle is different than the second fiber orientation angle.

An apparatus for controlling braking of a vehicle having a plurality of brake-packs. The apparatus includes a controller configured to receive a first plurality of input values having a first scatter value; calculate an adjustment factor for each brake-pack based on the received first plurality of input values; output a control signal to cause each brake-pack of the plurality of brake-packs to be applied at a pressure based on the adjustment factor calculated for that brake-pack; and receive a second plurality of input values having a second scatter value. Each input value relates to a different one of the plurality of brake-packs. The adjustment factors are calculated such that the second scatter value is less than or equal to the first scatter value.