Continental develops new generation of lightweight brake boosters

Frankfurt, Germany, March 14, 2013. Automotive supplier Continental is launching a new generation of brake boosters. At around half the weight of its predecessor, the new brake booster generation satisfies the requests from vehicle manufacturers for lightweight components to reduce the weight of their vehicles. "For this third generation, we have developed for the first time a full-aluminium brake booster. By reducing the wall thickness of the metal parts and producing an extremely small fitting length, the booster unit is even lighter and saves even more space than its predecessors", said Stephan Krebs, vice-president (R&D Actuation Systems) in the Hydraulic Brake Systems Business Unit at Continental's Chassis & Safety Division.

Compared with the classical steel brake booster, the weight of the new-generation booster (Booster Gen. III) has been reduced by just about 50 percent or 1,700 grams. It is also 12 percent (15 millimetres) shorter. This weight reduction and the improved packaging have been achieved by using thinner metal and by optimising the component's internal dimensions. For example, compared with traditional aluminium technologies, the metal thickness has been reduced by 50 percent – from 2.4 millimetres to 1.2 millimetres – without compromising brake booster service life.

The Hydraulic Brake Systems Business Unit at Continental's Chassis & Safety Division produces single and tandem vacuum brake boosters in all sizes. Every product variant is conventionally manufactured from steel but weight-reduced versions with aluminium shells are also available. The tie-rod version, available in each design variant, offers further reduced weight plus optimised elongation properties. In addition, front bolt designs based on a tie rod basis make them easier to fit. At a front bolt design the tie-rods are hollow which means that fastening bolts can be inserted from the engine side in order to attach the booster unit to the vehicle bulkhead. This latest, particularly light and short brake booster generation III is available in 8/8", 8/9", 9/9" and 9/10" sizes and also as a front bolt version on request.

Brake boosters vital pre-requisites for innovative safety systems

Demand for brake boosters continues unabated because they are an important foundation on which to build innovative safety systems such as Anti-lock Brake Systems (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and advanced driver assistance systems. A main focus of Continental's work is developing safety technologies which either prevent accidents or which at least reduce their severity. One of the most important pre-requisites for this is a good braking system which is able to deliver the braking power demanded as quickly as possible in an emergency; this is the only way for any emergency braking system to function.

The essential factor is the interaction between all the brake components in the system as a whole. The brake booster is of prime importance here; if the driver, in an emergency, removes his foot from the accelerator and immediately steps on the brake, the brake booster generates the necessary hydraulic pressure in the brake calipers for effective braking power to be applied.

Photograph: The latest brake booster generation features further weight reduction and an ultra-short installation length.