about the course

This well established course on the Braking of Road Vehicles is updated annually to meet the current needs of the braking industry.

It is a comprehensive course starting from the fundamentals of brakes and braking systems for car and commercial vehicle applications.

Many recent developments in the field of braking are considered and the subject matter will be treated from both theoretical and practical standpoints.

The course is designed to facilitate discussion and interchange of experience between course members and lecturers who are all expert practitioners in their own field.

who should attend?

The course is intended for engineering, technical and professional staff in the industry who would benefit from a period of concentrated study in this important branch of automotive engineering. The course is broad enough in concept to benefit vehicle engineers generally, as well as those with specialist brake interests.

A degree, technical diploma, HND or HNC, or some professional qualification and practical experience is desirable, though not essential.

Continuing Education Certificates of Attendance will be issued to participants which count towards individual CPD records.

This year, for the first time, delegates will be offered the opportunity to undertake a course assessment which, if successful, will result in academic credit which may subsequently be used to count towards a higher degree.

benefits of the course

Delegates on the course benefit from up to date guidance through the field of braking, with particular focus on road vehicles - cars and commercial vehicles. The course also has benefit for those who are not directly involved in cars or commercial vehicles though, since the theory and technology of braking has relevance in many fields, e.g. industrial engineering, aerospace, motor cycles, railways.

Each Delegate receives a book of the course notes which is convenient and up to date for ease of reference, and a Certificate of Continuing Education from the University of Bradford. This can be used as evidence of CPD for professional purposes, and even contribute towards a Higher Degree if the Delegate wishes to gain further academic qualifications.

Employers benefit from increased knowledge and understanding in the field of braking, in particular a broader understanding, e.g. friction materials for vehicle designers, legislation for materials suppliers, or basic theory and science for researchers.

The course also offers opportunities to discuss particular issues with the lecturers, which can offer valuable insight into the way other braking specialists have dealt in the past with similar concerns. There are opportunities to ask questions and talk to academic staff working in a range of related fields. The broad range of companies and organisations represented each year at the course (usually over 30 different companies and organisations from all over the world) provides a first class networking environment.

• Friction and friction materials
• Brakes & braking system design & analysis
• The dynamics of braking & car braking distribution
• Truck & trailer braking distribution
• Regenerative braking
• Design, installation, and production of brake rotors
• Materials design for disc brakes
• Brake testing
• Brake noise and judder
• Holographic interferometry in brake noise studies
• Thermal effects in brakes
• Steering system and tyre interaction during braking
• ABS & TCS
• Legislation and Type Approval
• Brake system layout
• Passenger car ESC systems
• CV brake actuation and antilock systems
• Tour of research laboratories
• The 15th Peter Newcomb Memorial Lecture & Course dinner
• CV brake design
• Electronic braking – an aid to vehicle stability
• Case studies