Why is silicon carbide disc brakes are so expensive?

[SSSnail]

Seriously, I was walking around in Harbor Freight Tools and saw silicon carbide grinding discs for a few dollars each. :awe:

I say we petition for silicon carbide brake rotors to be standard on all cars!!!

 

[Joepublic2]

The grinding wheels are a cheap aluminum oxide(I think)/silicon carbide composite vs. the the brakes which are a different composite that has much higher engineering and manufacturing standards. If a cutting disc blows up it's not as big a deal as your breaks failing.

 

[videogames101]

So all cars will be more expensive, and you'll get the carbide brakes for the same price you'd get them at now? Ok.


Also, I'd sign that petition.

 

[Squisher]

Seriously, I was walking around in Harbor Freight Tools and saw silicon carbide grinding discs for a few dollars each. :awe:

I say we petition for silicon carbide brake rotors to be standard on all cars!!!

Are you talking about these?

If so, not much carbide in there.

 

[Fenixgoon]

my guess is high quality SiC brake discs are going to be liquid phase sintered (LPS) or hot pressed / hot isostatically pressed (HIPed).

in each case, you'll need high density to achieve good mechanical/wear properties, which can be very tricky with ceramics, even from batch to batch.

from what i've read, SiC requires a sintering temperature of around 1600-1800C or higher. furnaces that go that high in temperature generally aren't cheap.

 

[LTC8K6]

We use SC hearth plates in our high temperature ovens, and they have been expensive as long as I can remember. The only thing that we can cut the plates with is a diamond saw blade.

 

[darkswordsman17]

It would be pointless, as for typical street driving they would actually offer worse performance, as they need to get up to proper temp for them to operate their best. They offer two key advantages, light weight and fade resistance (thanks to its high temp sustainability). Cost is the overriding factor though.

 

[EightySix Four]

It would be pointless, as for typical street driving they would actually offer worse performance, as they need to get up to proper temp for them to operate their best. They offer two key advantages, light weight and fade resistance (thanks to its high temp sustainability). Cost is the overriding factor though.

I would actually go as far as to say they are inferior for day to day driving. Could you imagine the wrecks as morons tailgating on the highway don't realize their brakes need a little warmth in them to stop?

The only time they'd be superior on an "appliance" car is when it suddenly accelerates