METHOD FOR MAKING VEHICULAR BRAKE COMPONENTS BY 3D PRINTING

Abstract

A method for making a vehicular brake component comprises: (a) providing a three-dimensional printer; (b) providing the printer with a schematic for making a preform brake rotor or hub; (c) supplying a metal powder to the printer for making the preform brake rotor or hub; (d) forming the preform brake rotor or hub, per the schematic provided and the metal powder supplied to the printer; (e) sintering the preform brake rotor or hub; and (f) applying a wear coating to the sintered preform brake rotor or hub to make the brake component therefrom. Preferably, such brake components, for automotive racing parts, are made from titanium alloy powders.

Claims

1. A method for making a vehicular brake component comprises: (a) providing a three-dimensional printer; (b) providing the printer with a schematic for making a preform brake rotor or hub; (c) supplying a metal powder to the printer for making the preform brake rotor or hub; (d) forming the preform brake rotor or hub, per the schematic provided and the metal powder supplied to the printer; (e) sintering the preform brake rotor or hub; and (f) applying a wear coating to the sintered preform brake rotor or hub to make the brake component therefrom.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said brake rotor or hub has a wear layer containing 5-60 wt. % of a nonmetallic material.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said nonmetallic material is at least one of the group consisting of silicon carbide, boron carbide, tungsten carbide, chromium carbide, alumina, zirconium oxide, silicon nitride, boron nitride, and titanium diboride.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said nonmetallic material is silicon carbide.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said brake component is a double vane rotor for an automotive racing vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) includes forming said preform by direct metal laser sintering.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) includes forming said preform by binder-based 3D printing.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) includes forming said preform by laser metal deposition.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal powder is selected from the group consisting of titanium alloy, a stainless steel alloy and a steel alloy.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the titanium alloy is selected from the group consisting of: Ti-6Al-4V, Ti-6Al-6V-2Sn, Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo, Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al, and Ti-5Al-2.5Sn.

11. A method for making an automotive brake rotor comprises: (a) providing a three-dimensional printer; (b) providing the printer with a schematic for making a preform of the brake rotor; (c) supplying the printer with a feedstock of titanium alloy powder; (d) making the brake rotor preform from the titanium powder supplied to the printer; (e) sintering the brake rotor preform; and (f) applying a bond coat to the sintered brake rotor preform.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the titanium alloy is selected from the group consisting of: Ti-6Al-4V, Ti-6Al-6V-2Sn, Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo, Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al, and Ti-5Al-2.5Sn.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein a nonmetallic material is 3d printed on an outer wear surface of the brake rotor preform.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the nonmetallic material is integrally applied to the outer wear surface of the brake rotor preform during printing of the brake rotor preform.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the nonmetallic material is applied to the outer wear surface of the brake rotor preform after printing of the brake rotor preform.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the nonmetallic material includes silicon carbide.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Further features, objectives and advantages of this invention will be made clearer with the following detailed description of preferred embodiments made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0037] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a representative racing brake rotor according to this invention;

[0038] FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines II-II of FIG. 1;

[0039] FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the rotor from FIG. 1; and

[0040] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines IV-IV of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0041] Referring now to the accompanying FIGS., a representative racing brake rotor 10 includes two opposite braking surfaces, an outer surface 12 and an inner surface 14 that are oriented parallel to one another. Rotor 10 also has an outer periphery 16 and an inner periphery 18. This representative rotor 10 will have a series of holes or apertures A distributed on its braking surfaces and passing through the rotor, from one braking surface on one side to the braking surface on the other side of this rotor. They allow for air passage through the rotor proper and assist with cooling of the unit. A plurality of lug/stud holes L may be arranged uniformly about the inner peripheral surface of the rotor and extend radially inwardly. A bond coating C is applied thereto, either after 3D printing or concurrent therewith.

[0042] Each 3D printed rotor hereby would include a substrate having a braking surface on each of its two broad sides. Each braking surface is composed of two layers, referred to as coats. Thus, each braking surface is composed of a bond coat and a topcoat. Generally, the bond coat may include a thin layer comprised of nickel and the topcoat a ceramic composition of zirconium oxide and chromium carbide. Both bond coat and topcoat may be applied to the braking surfaces by plasma spraying techniques. Alternately, they may be integrally formed WITH the braking surface as part of a multiple component, multiple material 3D printing process. Following application of these bond and topcoats, the braking surface should be ground smooth.

[0043] As a general rule, increasing the chromium carbide relative to the zirconium oxide increases the wear resistance of the braking surface, while increasing the zirconium oxide relative to the chromium carbide increases the coefficient of friction of the braking surface.

[0044] Coatings composed of more than two layers may, of course, be used, and may even be preferred, for instance for the purpose of making transitions between different coefficients of thermal expansion less abrupt, or for the purpose of introducing various kinds of materials offering special advantages.

[0045] The rotors of this invention may, or may not, have holes in their braking surfaces. Wear layers may be formed on such rotors after initial 3D printing or as part of the overall component printing process.

[0046] Suitable materials for the main braking substrate include cast iron, steel, titanium and its alloys described above, and certain titanium composites.

[0047] The brake rotor described above may also be used for some applications without any coating. For most uses however, a coating is applied to the braking surfaces. In preparation for receipt of the coating, the braking surface may be grit-blasted or sand-blasted in a cabinet for capturing used media.

[0048] In one case, a braking surface may be bond coated, after 3D printing, with nickel aluminide to a thickness of about 0.005 inch. The thickness of this bond coating may range between about 0.001 inch to about 0.03 inch. That component could have its alloy applied by plasma spraying. Next, an intermediate coat would be applied by plasma spraying. That intermediate coat could consist of about 70 parts by weight yttria stabilized zirconium oxide, 30 parts by weight of the composition used for the bond coat, and about 10 parts by weight chromium carbide.

[0049] Finally a topcoat could be applied thereover by plasma spraying. The topcoat comprises about 70 parts by weight yttria stabilized zirconium oxide and about 30 parts by weight chromium carbide.

[0050] Having described the presently preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims.