Brake Noise Testing

Brake noise testing in manufacturing or automotive applications is essential for detecting and tracking noise resulting from mechanical vibration. This testing can help uncover potential issues with a braking system or its design.

Abnormal brake noise could serve as an early warning indicator of underlying issues, such as rotor damage, that can lead to braking performance and safety issues. When it comes to design, brake noise analysis can give engineers insights into how to design quieter braking systems.

Sound and vibration measurements are the major inputs for detecting brake noise events. Microphones and accelerometers are properly placed to capture sound and vibration emissions from all components involved accurately.

Engineers process and analyze the data acquired this way, using it to develop more reliable braking systems.

There are different kinds of brake noise, and testing and analysis of each helps in better brake designs. Here are common types of brake noises:

• Squealing: High-pitched noise occurring at higher speeds and having distinct tonal quality with components exceeding 1,000 Hz.
• Moaning: Low-pitched noise typically heard at moderate speed levels, with frequency components centered around 100 Hz.
• Creep-groaning: Similar to moaning, its low-frequency noise occurs at a speed less than walking pace and with frequency components around 100 Hz.
• Judders: Low-frequency vibrations felt rather than heard with dominant frequency components around 10 Hz.

Accurate brake noise testing offers several advantages. We explore some of these benefits below.

• Brake design and improvement: A break noise test puts components of a braking system design to the test. Brake noise detection helps to discover areas where component adjustment, refinement, or replacement is needed.
• Reduce noise pollution: While it’s normal to hear a slight squeak or squeal when, for example, a new brake pad is applied, a persistent or loud noise is not ideal and irritating to drivers and passengers. Accurate brake noise tests help uncover the underlying issue causing the unwanted sound.
• Safety: Being the most important crash avoidance system in vehicles and machines, a brake that performs well in the no-noise department over competition demonstrates a manufacturer’s commitment to comfort as well as safety, quality, and excellence.

KEYENCE data acquisition solutions find applications in automotive and other industrial brake noise testings.

The NR-X Series multi-input DAQ can accurately measure and monitor sounds and vibrations—the two most important parameters in brake noise detection. It also supports other measurement units such as temperature, strain, pulse, and CAN, for a total of eight unit measurements.

Another DAQ device in the NR Series is the NR-500. Apart from covering all the functions required of a data logger, the NR-500 multi-input data logger comes with direct PC connectivity to skip intermediary devices and features an ultra-compact design to fit in any brake testing space.

For more information on how KEYENCE DAQ can help with a specific brake noise detection application, contact us today.