PRODUCT R&D
R&D KEY TO SUCCESS OF TRW BRAKING RANGE For more than 100 years, the TRW brand – part of ZF Aftermarket – has earned a reputation as an expert in automotive braking and safety systems.
ZF says its Aftermarket Division is leading the field with TRW OE quality braking components for passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles and heavy commercial vehicles, as well as motorcycles, with products also covering steering and suspension. Available throughout Oceania via ZF Services Australia, the TRW brake program offers more than 9,000 passenger car part numbers, with the range featuring superior solutions for a wide array of applications, with a local target of more than 90% car parc coverage across the TRW range. The range covers brake pads and discs, as well as companion products like brake hydraulics, brake hoses, brake fluid, brake grease and brake cleaner. ZF says safety is at the forefront for its activities with its team conducting rigorous testing of all items, giving vehicle manufacturers, aftermarket suppliers, workshops, and ultimately consumers, the confidence to trust the wide array of products available from its brands.
Research, Development and Innovation The success of the TRW range has largely grown thanks to the focus on ongoing research and development programs, which are carried out with extensive input from vehicle manufacturers globally.
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Australian Automotive Aftermarket Magazine March 2021
In recent times, ZF’s Aftermarket Division has focused on developing products specifically for the e-Drivetrain market, which has resulted in many new innovations, including the TRW Electric Blue brake pad for electric and hybrid vehicles, which limits noise and vibration while reducing brake dust. ZF says products such as TRW Electric Blue are the result of ongoing consultation with vehicle manufacturers on future product lines, with recent trends seeing development centre on regenerative braking systems, vehicle motion control surrounding automated/autonomous driving, reducing CO2 emissions, as well as digitalisation.
Another instance of innovative technology in play is the advanced copper-free COTEC coating applied to the friction material of all TRW brake pads as standard. Produced from natural occurring silicates, the treatment allows for improvements of seven metres in stopping distance when fitted new. Further, ZF says its TRW DTEC brake pads take the COTEC-coated range to the next level, by reducing rim surface dust by up to 45 percent, all while making significantly less noise. Green credentials are also at the heart of the design and production of the braking range. TRW brake pads are produced using Powder
