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This page contains information that has been extracted from various publications Heat Treat Process Vol. 1 No. 6 Nov. 2001 Cryogenic processing has become an integral part of the production process for many racing components. Many top racing teams have the process done if the manufacturer does not provide it. They do so because cryogenic processing has proven its worth time and again under extremely competitive conditions. Racers are generally people in a big hurry and would not take the time for cryogenic processing if there was no advantage to it. Applications that benefit from cryogenic treatment probably number more than anyone expects. Brakes and Clutches. Brakes of a racing car take a real beating. It is not unusual for a racing vehicle to finish a race with the brakes totally worn out. This is especially true during road races and endurance racing, where brake rotors can get so hot they glow visibly at night. Cryogenic processing can be applied to both rotors and pads. The net result is two to three times the life of untreated components even under severe racing conditions. As a side benefit, the rotors are less prone to crack or warp. It is interesting that drivers report better braking action and feel. Some drivers are so sold on the concept that they have their street vehicle equipped with treated brakes. Clutches are a form of brake, and the results are very similar. Drag racers have been doing some work on clutch plates to measure the coefficient of friction but exhibit significantly less wear. As an offshoot of racing development, cryogenically treated rotors and pads are making their way into fleet operations on the road. U. S. Postal Service specifies cryogenic processing for their rotors and is experiencing up to three times as many miles as they were getting on the unprocessed rotors. Similarly, many police fleets are starting to adopt treated rotors and pads. They, too, are experiencing large maintenance savings on both parts and labor. What is metallurgically interesting is that the brakes are a gray cast iron that has a pearlitic structure. This rules out the austenite to martensite transformation as the mechanism for increased life. |
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