Straight from Michigan Technological University where I attended for five years in the School of Technology, an announcement was made last week.

"By Laura Walikainen

August 13, 2003 -- Researchers at Michigan Technological University's Institute of Materials Processing (IMP) could greatly improve vehicle braking systems with a new, lightweight, low-cost brake rotor.

IMP has developed an aluminum brake rotor that retains the advantages of aluminum while overcoming its disadvantages. The new design could reduce the weight by as much as 50 percent. Plus it has great corrosion resistance, faster heat dissipation, better wear resistance, and higher strength and ductility than conventional, cast-iron brake rotors. The aluminum rotor could be cheaper to maintain, matches well with existing brake pads and has equivalent braking performance. Also, after the steel surface has been worn rough, it can be machined and the rotors used for several more years."

Read more....

 

theres been talk of aluminum rotors with the racing crowd for some time. But they where talking of a '100%' aluminum rotor... And what i always heard was "there not quite there yet" but i like this idea with bonding to steel, and im sure when it comes out (if it does) its going to be more expensive then an all STEEL rotor.

"The aluminum rotor could be cheaper to maintain" how so?

any word when we can start seeing these for sale? im sure my FC will be antique by then...

 

yea how could it be easier to maintain? wouldn't they where down 10x faster due to all that pressure/force? also wouldn't you think i'd be alot more expensive to buy. you can buy some good rotors for an fd on ebay for like $300(for a set), thats a really good deal. how much more would we be looking at?
-t

 

I am just posting the news and know no answers right now. I can, however, send your questions to someone there that might be able to help get answers.

The part about the cheaper to maintain, the only thing I can think of is since it would dissipate heat quicker there would be less frictional wear due to heat? I would only be guessing though as I'm not a materials engineer (I prefer electronics myself ).

 

have em' send the rotors right over! ill be happy to test them on a race track!

i really dont have any q's that need to be answered as of now. but if more info is just floating around, i would like to see that. Im not going to have any serious q's untill im able to buy them.

 

My guess is that since aluminum dissipates heat much quicker than steel, it won't warp as easily. In that, you wouldn't have to machine/replace it as often.

 

Here is the reply I received from my contact:

I've sent your note on to the reseacher, Scott Huang. He will be out of town until Aug. 31, but will follow up after that. -Dean

I mentioned sending me a set to try too