Developing trends in disc brake technology for rail application

The substitution of conventional ferrous materials by light-alloy solutions gives the opportunity for significant reduction of the rotating masses in the bogie and by that a decrease of energy consumption. The potential of co nventional Al-cast-alloys is not suitable to solve this. Castable MMC-mater ials are a high-promising alternative. Under economic pressure MMC-solution s need not to be only superior but also cost effective. And due to the low ductility of those particulate reinforced materials there is a need for new concepts. Locally optimised disks consist of a ductile carrier [body] with wear resis tant rubbing sur faces. This led to several prototype disk brakes manufactu red by different casting processes. This paper gives an overview about the state-of-the-art and newly developed manufacturing routes and materials, metallic and nonmetallic, for rail dis k brake application.