EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVE CONTROL OF AUTOMOTIVE DISC BRAKE ROTOR SQUEAL USING DITHER

This paper presents an experimental investigation into the application of “dither” control for the active control and suppression of automobile disc brake squeal. Dither control is characterized by the application of a control effort at a frequency higher than the disturbance to be controlled. In the particular system considered here, a vibro-acoustic analysis of a disc brake system during squeal determined the acoustic squeal signature to be emanating from the brake rotor. This squeal was eliminated, and could even be prevented from occurring, through the application of a harmonic force with a frequency higher than the squeal frequency. The harmonic force was generated by a stack of piezoelectric elements placed within the brake's caliper piston. The harmonic force represented a small variation about the mean clamping force exerted by the brake upon the rotor. The high-frequency vibration in the brake system due to the action of the control system was not heard if an ultrasonic control frequency was used. More importantly, the active control system is shown to be able to prevent squeal from even occurring. This gives rise to a possible active control system integrated into the brake system of automobiles to prevent squeal.