Product R&D: ZF Aftermarket - Key to success of TRW Braking range

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. 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

Adhesive Technology, which bonds the pad to the carrier plate without the use of solvent-based adhesives. By using powder, ZF says a total of 150 tonnes of solvents are eliminated from the manufacturing process each year, a process which was honoured with the Partslife Environmental Award for 2019. This manufacturing takes place in fully automated factories, which feature the latest in cutting edge systems, such as scientific manufacturing employing statistical quality control methodology, which works hand-in-hand with the environmental production aims. ZF explains that these practices have led to ISO/ TS 16949 and ISO 14001 certification. Ultimately, it says the high level of precision in the manufacturing process produces final products that conform to exact tolerances, which in the workshop, provides hassle-free fitment. The TRW brand is also said to be a leader in the fields of Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS), Electric Park Brakes (EPB), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Integrated Brake Control Systems (IBC), vacuum boosters and brake callipers, as well as new-generation drum brake systems.

For further information on the TRW braking range, visit www.trwbraking.com.au

TRW: BACKED BY ZF

ZF is a global technology company and supplies systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology, enabling the next generation of mobility. ZF explains that it allows vehicles to see, think and act. In the four technology domains of Vehicle Motion Control, Integrated Safety, Automated Driving, and Electric Mobility, ZF offers comprehensive solutions for established vehicle manufacturers and newly emerging transport and mobility service providers. ZF electrifies different kinds of vehicles. With its products, the company says it contributes to reducing emissions and protecting the climate. ZF, which acquired WABCO Holdings Inc. on May 29, 2020, now has 160,000 employees worldwide with approximately 260 locations in 41 countries. ZF Friedrichshafen AG’s leading aftermarket and fleet solutions portfolio is built on its strong brands: Lemförder, SACHS, TRW and WABCO. It says a broad product and service offering, advanced connectivity solutions for digital mobility management and a global service network, support and enhance the performance and efficiency of all vehicle types throughout their life cycle. The company says its aftermarket organisation is both an architect and pacesetter for the Next Generation Aftermarket and the preferred partner for fleet and aftermarket customers worldwide.

For more from ZF, visit www.zf.com/au

Australian Automotive Aftermarket Magazine Publisher, Cameron McLachlan, takes a look at the products driving the automotive aftermarket. cameron@aaaa.com.au