Development of compacted vermicular graphite cast iron for railway brake discs

In the case of employing brake discs as a key component of mechanical brake equipment, the initiation of thermal cracking owing to repetitive thermal shock generated during braking may potentially lead to higher maintenance costs, worsened braking performance, and greater risk of railway accidents. The purpose of this study is to gain basic data to facilitate application of compacted vermicular (C. V.) graphite cast iron to brake discs in order to obtain high thermal crack resistance and improved lifetime. To this end, this study developed three types of C. V. graphite cast iron with differing content of key elements, including Ni, Cr, and Mo. Each test specimen underwent numerous tests for evaluation of materials characteristics, and the results were compared with those obtained for existing materials. The test results show that the thermal fatigue lifetime of material C is nearly double that of the conventional material. This demonstrates the suitability of material C as a material for brake discs in mid- to high-speed railway vehicles.