Automotive brake pistons form part of the undamped mass of a car. Thus the impetus to save weight is twofold for these parts, as it is based both on the general need to reduce weight and the wish to improve driving comfort. In co-operation with TRW Automotive, Fraunhofer IFAM is currently developing a new generation of such brake pistons, using the integration of aluminium foam as one of a number of new and innovative approaches. The project has by now reached an intermediate stage. Compared to the series standard, considerable weight reductions have been achieved, though some questions remain to be answered. The application itself and the use of aluminium foam for it are protected by a common international patent of TRW Automotive and Fraunhofer IFAM.
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