Disc brake assemblies are subjected to high mechanical and thermal loading. You will cover an in-depth overview of existing designs, and best methods and practices in analysing existing and generating new designs.

Delivered by academic and industrialist specialists who are actively undertaking research and development activities, this course offers the most relevant and up-to-date material. By covering a variety of disc and calipers designs, modelling techniques - both analytical and numerical (finite element and computational fluid dynamics) - and experimental procedures, this course provides complete insight into the loading, modelling, design and optimisation of a brake assembly and its components.

In addition to lectures, you will participate in hands-on sessions to become more familiar with the modelling and experimental procedures.   

At a glance

  • Dates
    • Please enquire for course dates
  • DurationThree days
  • LocationCranfield campus
  • Cost

    £1,600. The course fee includes refreshments and lunch during the day. Accommodation is not included and must be booked separately

    Concessions available

Course structure

Lectures giving fundamental approach, methods and technologies. These are supported by worked examples, case studies as well as design software demonstrations and laboratory sessions.

What you will learn

On completion of the course, you will gain comprehensive understanding of the braking technology, necessary tools, best methods and practices in designing, developing and researching disc brakes.

Core content

  • Brake Designs - Discs and Calipers
  • Mechanical and Thermal Loading
  • Heat Generation and Partition
  • Temperatures, Thermal Stresses and Deflections, FE Modelling
  • Heat Dissipation, Experimental Investigations and CFD Modelling
  • Brake Sizing - Thermal effects
  • Interface Pressure Distributions, Caliper Stresses and Deflections - Introduction to and Demonstration of FE modelling, Digital Image Correlation and other experimental methods
  • Caliper and Disc Design Optimisation
  • Case studies.

Who should attend

Practising engineers, researchers and managers working in automotive and other sectors. 

This course requires a suitable level of previous knowledge in at least some of the relevant areas of brake technology. This experience could have been gained through industrial or academic (research) work. For those delegates without such experience, attending a course such as the Braking of Road Vehicles course at the University of Bradford, would provide an appropriate foundation.

Speakers

  • Dr Marko Tirovic (Cranfield University)
  • Prof Steven James (Cranfield University)
  • Prof David Barton (Leeds University)
  • Prof Andrew Day (Bradford University)
  • Mr Stewart Wren (EURAC UK Ltd)
  • Dr Nicolas Sergent (River Simple)
  • Dr David Bryant (Bradford University)
 

Concessions

20% discount for Cranfield alumni.

10% discount when registering 3 or more delegates from the same organisation at the same time.



Accommodation options and prices

This is a non-residential course. If you would like to book accommodation on campus, please contact Mitchell Hall or Cranfield Management Development Centre directly. Further information regarding our accommodation on campus can be found here.

Alternatively you may wish to make your own arrangements at a nearby hotel.


Location and travel

Cranfield University is situated in Bedfordshire close to the border with Buckinghamshire. The University is located almost midway between the towns of Bedford and Milton Keynes and is conveniently situated between junctions 13 and 14 of the M1.

London Luton, Stansted and Heathrow airports are 30, 90 and 90 minutes respectively by car, offering superb connections to and from just about anywhere in the world. 

For further location and travel details

Location address

Cranfield University
College Road
Cranfield
Bedford 
MK43 0AL

How to apply

To apply for this course please use the online application form.

Read our Professional development (CPD) booking conditions.