The coefficient of friction (COF) is one of the core factors in the evaluation of brake system performance. It is challenging to predict the COF, since it is strongly influenced by several parameters such as contact pressure (p), slip rate (v) and temperature (T) that depend on the driving conditions. There is a need for better models to describe how the brake friction varies under different driving conditions. The purpose of this research is to study the possibility of using 3D friction pvT-maps to estimate the COF of a disc brake system under different driving conditions. The 3D friction pvT-maps are created by filtering results of material tests conducted in a mini-dyno inertia bench. The COF measured under different driving cycles in an inertia dyno bench with the full brake system are compared with the COF estimated by the friction maps coming from the reduced scale dyno bench to investigate the validity of the simulation approach. This study shows that mini dyno bench is suitable to obtain a tribological characterization of the friction pad–disc rotor contact pair and is able to replace the full inertia dyno bench to investigate the brake system performance.

With recycling and reuse in mind, this study explores the possibility of the utilization of waste generated during the plasma cutting operations to produce aluminum products in a commercial friction material formulation for car braking applications. The as-received waste, analyzed in the form of a powder, was subjected to various characterization techniques to obtain its composition and phase constituents. The friction, wear, and emission analyses were organized in two ways: the first part focused on the selection of the most suitable waste content in the friction material formulation—10, 15, and 20 wt.%—tested in the form of pins, using a pin-on-disc tribometer. The second part evaluated the most suitable content in the formulation in the form of coupons on a subscale dynamometer to comprehend its friction and emission characteristics in a more complex scenario. Through the pin-on-disc analysis, it was seen that the 10 wt.% of waste in the formulation provided permissible friction and wear behavior, and similar emission magnitude and secondary plateau characteristics were seen, as compared to the reference composition. Similar results were recorded on the subscale dynamometer at mild braking conditions. At ‘severe’ testing conditions, a different trend was observed. Through this analysis, the possibility of the addition of this kind of waste in friction material composition has been evaluated deeply, paving a path for further analysis and possible implementation.