Effects of stress-relief and natural aging on the geometric tolerances and functional requirements of ferritic nitrocarburized gray cast iron brake rotors

Gray cast iron (GCI) brake rotors are prone to corrosion, particularly in electric vehicles (EVs), owing to their regenerative braking systems. Ferritic nitrocarburizing (FNC) heat treatment has been used to improve the corrosion resistance and cleanability of GCI rotors. However, pre-existing residual stresses in the rotors can lead to distortion after FNC processing, thereby affecting the functional and tolerance requirements. This study investigated the effects of stress-relief (SR) heat treatment and natural aging (NA) on the natural frequency, damping properties, surface roughness, and geometric tolerances of GCI brake rotors before and after FNC treatment. The GCI brake rotors were subjected to SR and NA processes, followed by FNC treatment. The natural frequency, damping Q-factor, surface roughness, and geometric tolerances were measured and analyzed using two-way ANOVA at a 95% confidence level (α = 0.05). The results showed that SR heat treatment significantly reduced the effect of residual stresses and improved geometric tolerances compared to NA. The FNC treatment increased the surface roughness and slightly improved the damping properties but had an insignificant effect on the natural frequency. The combination of SR and FNC treatments provided the best overall performance in terms of quality, geometric tolerance, and surface finish. This study highlights the importance of SR heat treatment for optimizing the manufacturing process of FNC-treated GCI brake rotors for EVs.