Fabrication of a Glass Fibre Reinforced Composite Rotor Disc for a bicycle Disc brake

Abstract

As we move towards more sustainable livelihood there has been a certain increment in the usage of eco-friendly transport medium. Even corporate and non-corporate organisations have started adopting non-pollutant vehicles such as bicycles, solar-powered vehicles etc. As there have been many technological advancements in the recent past even bicycles have been considered a fast and easy medium of transport thereby requiring efficient and effective safety parameters concerning structural and integral stability. As it is known that there has been a constant growth in the study of materials being used for braking applications, depending upon the economic and performance factors many investigations are ongoing in this field. Brakes play a vital role in controlling the speeding vehicles as in today's bicycles. In order to provide a better efficient and economical braking system for bicycles, a rotor disc made of Glass Fibre Reinforced Composite (GFRC) was studied along with the conventional rotor discs. Upon testing and analysis factors affecting the performance of vehicles such as weight ratio, braking efficiency, durability, impact strength and few other material characteristics were studied for use and fabrication. GFRC was found to be a promising material to be used for the fabrication of rotor disc which is durable, efficient and economical.