Aerospace & Automotive Drilling of Carbon Ceramic Brake Disc (CCB)

🕜 Efficiency - 5x higher | 📈 Hole Quality - 5x better | ⚙️ Tool Life - 4x longer
  • Difficulties in Machining
  • HIT Achievements
  • Industry Application
  • Back to list

What makes Carbon Ceramic Brake Disc (CCB) difficult to machine?



Carbon-ceramic brake discs (CCB) use ceramic matrix composites (CMCs, Ceramic Matrix Composites), which are a type of high-performance advanced composite material. This material combines the toughness of carbon fiber with the high-temperature resistance of silicon carbide ceramics, capable of withstanding temperatures above 1000°C; it is lightweight, which can reduce unsprung weight and improve handling stability; its service life is more durable than ordinary cast iron brake discs and exhibits almost no brake fade.

Despite the excellent performance, carbon fiber ceramic composite material itself has high hardness and brittleness, which can cause severe tool wear; the heterogeneous structure composed of carbon fiber and ceramic results in unstable cutting force during processing, making product quality difficult to control; the processing time is long, and a single disc may take several days or even a week to complete.

 

☑️ Drilling of Carbon Ceramic Brake Disc (CCB): Machining Information

 
    Drilling of Carbon Ceramic Brake Disc (CCB): Machining Information
  Material   Carbon Ceramic Brake Disc (Carbon-SiC)
  Feature   Φ5 x 5mm (blind holes)
  *aspect ratio 1x
  Ultrasonic Tool Holder           HBT40-SK10



📧 Contact Us for Ultrasonic Process Solution for Drilling of Carbon Ceramic Brake Disc (CCB)!

💡 Check out more successful case study: Surface Grinding of Carbon Ceramic Brake Disc (CCB)
 

HIT's Goal in Drilling of Carbon Ceramic Brake Disc (CCB)


The goal is to see how HIT HBT40 ultrasonic machining module can help optimize the process of drilling of carbon ceramic brake disc (CCB) in efficiency, hole quality, and tool life.



 

Ultrasonic-Assisted Drilling of Carbon Ceramic Brake Disc (CCB): Machining Results

 

Drilling of Carbon Ceramic Brake Disc (CCB): Machining Efficiency

with HIT HBT40 ultrasonic machining module in drilling of carbon ceramic brake disc, it helps reduce the process time per hole, which brings 5x higher machining efficiency
(Figure 1. with HIT HBT40 ultrasonic machining module in drilling of carbon ceramic brake disc, it helps reduce the process time per hole, which brings 5x higher machining efficiency)

 
  • By using HIT's ultrasonic machining module to assist in the drilling process of carbon ceramic brake disc (CCB), the ultrasonic vibration provides the tool with high frequency micro-vibration.  During machining, the tool intermittently impacts the workpiece, creating space for cooling and chip evacuation, which helps reduce drilling force.
  • The reduction in drilling force allows for optimization of machining parameters, effectively shortening the process time per hole and achieving a 5x higher machining efficiency.


 

Drilling of Carbon Ceramic Brake Disc (CCB): Hole Quality

with HIT HBT40 ultrasonic machining module in drilling of carbon ceramic brake disc, it helps reduce the size of edge-cracks compared to that without ultrasonic
(Figure 2. with HIT HBT40 ultrasonic machining module in drilling of carbon ceramic brake disc, it helps reduce the size of edge-cracks compared to that without ultrasonic)


with HIT HBT40 ultrasonic machining module in drilling of carbon ceramic brake disc, the size of edge-cracks became smaller than that without ultrasonic, which brings 5x better hole quality
(Figure 3. with HIT HBT40 ultrasonic machining module in drilling of carbon ceramic brake disc, the size of edge-cracks became smaller than that without ultrasonic, which brings 5x better hole quality)

 
  • The high frequency micro-vibration generated by ultrasonic help further reduce drilling force.  The tool's impacts on the workpiece become smaller yet more frequent, significantly decreasing the size of edge-cracks around the drilled holes.
  • The reduction of crack size leads to a 5x better hole quality.


 

Drilling of Carbon Ceramic Brake Disc (CCB): Tool Life

with HIT HBT40 ultrasonic machining module in drilling of carbon ceramic brake disc, the number of drilling holes is more than that without ultrasonic, which brings 4x longer tool life
(Figure 4. with HIT HBT40 ultrasonic machining module in drilling of carbon ceramic brake disc, the number of drilling holes is more than that without ultrasonic, which brings 4x longer tool life)

 
  • Lower drilling force not only reduces the size of edge-cracks, but also provides better cooling and chip evacuation, which greatly reduces tool wear.
  • Compared with the process without ultrasonic (using the same machining parameters), the number of drilling holes completed per tool increases, and the overall tool life is extended by 4x.



 

HIT Ultrasonic Machining Technology Achievements in Drilling of Carbon Ceramic Brake Disc (CCB)



🕜 Efficiency - 5x higher (much less process time per hole)
📈 Hole Quality - 5x better (much smaller crack size)
⚙️ Tool Life - 4x longer (more drilling holes per tool)


💡 Check out more successful case study: Surface Grinding of Carbon Ceramic Brake Disc (CCB)
 

Drilling of Carbon Ceramic Brake Disc (CCB): Industry Application



Drilling of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) is applied in the Automotive, EV, Motorsport Parts, and Aerospace industry, especially used for carbon-ceramic brake discs (CCB), engine blocks/piston components, etc.


Carbon-ceramic brake discs (CCB) use ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), which are a type of high-performance advanced composite material. They were initially used in the aerospace field and entered motorsports such as F1 in the 1980s, later expanding to high-performance civilian supercars such as Ferrari and Porsche. They are now widely used in high-performance automotive, EV, and aerospace fields.

This material combines the toughness of carbon fiber with the high-temperature resistance of silicon carbide ceramics, capable of withstanding temperatures above 1000°C; it is lightweight, which can reduce unsprung weight and improve handling stability; its service life is more durable than ordinary cast iron brake discs and exhibits almost no brake fade.

From aerospace technology to civilian vehicles, the application of CMC materials symbolizes the crystallization of advanced manufacturing technology, which also explains why such products are expensive but favored by high-performance car manufacturers and the motorsport industry.

The value of carbon-ceramic brake discs lies not only in their excellent braking performance but also in the extremely high difficulty and time-consuming nature of the manufacturing process.


That was when HIT's Ultrasonic Machining Module came to help!  HIT offers a comprehensive solution in machining advanced materials.  With the assistance of HIT's Ultrasonic Machining Technology, clients stopped worrying about poor hole quality while trying to speed up the process time.  The machining efficiency can be enhanced while tool wear is greatly reduced.  HIT assures its clients of not only matching up with their requirements, but also achieving even better outcomes!



💡 Learn more about other HIT Ultrasonic Machining of Semiconductor Advanced Material case studies: 

💡 Check out the latest news: