With over 27 million disc brakes manufactured, Knorr-Bremse sets the standards in terms of function and quality. With the recently launched ST7 trailer brake and with the next generation of heavy-duty disc brakes at the development stage, Knorr-Bremse is set to extend its market leadership.
The new ST7 trailer disc brake is currently the lightest two-piston brake for 22.5-inch wheels on the market. Modifications to the calipers, carrier and pads have brought a 10% weight reduction compared to the predecessor model. The ST7 disc brake is being showcased at the IAA fair not only at the Knorr-Bremse booth but also by various axle and vehicle manufacturers. For heavy-duty trucks and buses Knorr-Bremse offers perfectly coordinated solutions for wheel sizes between 17.5 and 22.5 inches. The benefits for the customer extend from system connectivity – making for significant additional safety – to quantifiable reductions in operating
costs and marked weight advantages. The proven two-piston principle prevents uneven wear so that the pad material wears both evenly and completely even in the toughest applications, representing a clear advantage for the customer in terms of operating costs. All Knorr-Bremse disc brakes can generate maximum torque not only in static conditions but also under real dynamic driving conditions. In addition, without any additional measures all models have sufficient overload capacity to withstand load overlap between the parking and service brakes, which impacts favorably on system costs.
Knorr-Bremse is particularly concerned to supply products that are tailored to the needs of the different markets. To this end, products are developed in close collaboration with the regions and consistently manufactured locally. Research and development expenditure to meet regional requirements represents an important investment in the global market success of the disc
brake.
Knorr-Bremse is also working on an integrated wheelend solution: Wheel brake, calipers and friction pairing, comprising the pads and the brake disc, form an optimized functional unit that will enable weight savings of up to 9 kilograms to be realized compared to conventional solutions. For a standard semitrailer tractor that translates roughly into an additional 36 kilograms of payload.
In order to validate and refine new developments upstream of the road and field test stage, and build on its global technology leadership as a manufacturer of braking systems for rail and commercial vehicles, Knorr-Bremse is currently investing around €80 million in a test and development center in Munich. Through the use of the latest measuring and test rig technology,
this will for example enable load collectives derived from worldwide operational profiles to be reproduced as required and targeted optimization of noise, vibration and harshness behavior to be carried out.