Annual Report 2010 - Knorr-Bremse AG.

RepoR t
101
Tire Pressure Monitoring System now also available in Europe
During the year under review Knorr-Bremse launched the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) in
the European market. This wireless sensing system for state-of-the-art tire monitoring in commercial
vehicles had already been available on the North American auto market since 2009.
TPMS is the only tire monitoring system in the world that keeps a constant eye on both tire pressures
and temperatures in semi-trailer tractors, trailers, trucks and buses. If the tire pressure falls below a set
level, the system warns the driver of the potential danger. TPMS is not just suitable for new-build trucks
– it can also be retrofitted to virtually any commercial vehicle.
As well as being a safety feature, TPMS can also play a key role in cutting fleet operation costs. By enabling
the driver to check and if necessary adjust tire pressure at any time, both tire wear and fuel
consumption can be significantly reduced. A further positive effect is that fact that maintaining the
right tire pressure also enhances the performance of the braking system.
Production of brake pad retaining system with ProTecS launched
During the year under review Knorr-Bremse launched production of the new brake pad retaining
system with ProTecS. This replaces the system used hitherto on air disc brakes SN6, SK7 and SN7 and
can be used on all applications. What is new is the use of a welding point to connect the spring and
brake pad.
This increases the pressing force across the entire working area and significantly increases service life,
particularly in rough driving conditions. The pad retaining system also acts like a sliding shoe, providing
good protection against abrasion on the spring and retaining clip caused by dirt. The system also
has a further advantage – it enables the pad to be slid back more easily out of contact with the disc.
A further feature that comes with the introduction of ProTecS is the cast back plate. This weighs less
than the previous steel plate, generating less momentum, thus preventing radial acceleration of the
pad and reducing deformation in contact with the brake carrier.
The new pad retaining system with ProTecS also offers considerable safety advantages in terms of
servicing. With ProTecS the risky practice of re-using springs is not possible. And the new pad sets are
also more environmentally friendly – the friction materials meet the requirements of Eco-Class 1 and
3 respectively. The cadmium and lead compound content of the pads has been considerably reduced.