Friction Materials Industry Information

Friction materials are used to induce friction in applications when slow or decreasing movement is desired, such as in brakes and clutches. Brake systems use friction materials to stop wheels from rotating. When a brake is pressed, it activates a system that places the material against a disc or drum that slows the vehicle down. Clutches also need friction materials in order to engage after gear changes. Without them, the clutch slips and can not transfer power. Friction material manufacturers are utilized by a variety of industries, such as mining, oil and gas, forestry and construction.

Friction itself is defined as resistance to relative motion that opposes the travel direction of an object, mainly caused by surface roughness. It is created by contact of solid bodies with one another. In the case of braking, the friction materials press against the drum or disc to create friction. Different types of friction include static, kinetic and rolling. The byproducts of friction are deformations and heat. It is important that friction materials used in brakes have good energy absorption because of the high temperatures that result from braking.

The friction material manufacturers industry has undergone major changes throughout the years. For a long time, the most popular kind of material used was asbestos fibers, but that has changed in recent years due to health concerns associated with asbestos. Asbestos was banned for a time by the government, forcing friction material manufacturers to discover new substances to use. Although asbestos materials are legal again, they are fading from the market as new materials are finding their way into the forefront of the industry. Ceramic materials are one of the newest and best examples of this constantly evolving industry.

A variety of friction materials are available for many different uses. It is necessary to know what is required of the friction materials before purchase because different materials offer varying coefficients of friction. For example, it is important to have a material that creates a large amount of friction if quick stopping is an issue. Likewise, if a great deal of heat is going to be produced during breaking, it is important to have friction materials with high energy absorption rates, such as semi-metallic materials. For the most part, specific ingredients of friction materials are kept secret by manufacturers, and new developments are being made all the time.