Custom friction material formulation for brake and motion-control applications
FTL helps engineering and R&D teams select, develop or optimise friction materials around the complete application.
The appropriate route may use an established FTL formulation, require further optimisation of an existing material or begin a new development programme.
Material work can then remain connected with component engineering, prototype manufacture, testing, inspection and controlled repeat supply through one accountable manufacturing chain in North Wales.
FTL provides application-led material engineering rather than a catalogue-only material-selection service.
FTL friction-material development credentials
The relevant material, testing, inspection and approval requirements must be agreed for the individual application.
When a friction-material formulation review is the right starting point
Formulation work should begin with a defined application problem or development requirement, not with an isolated coefficient target.
No established material has yet been selected
A new brake or motion-control programme has a required function and operating environment, but the material route has not yet been defined. FTL can review whether an existing formulation offers an appropriate starting point or whether further material development is required.
New Programme SupportThe current material is not behaving as required
The engineering team is experiencing inconsistent braking, excessive or unpredictable wear, thermal-performance concerns, or variation between components or production batches. FTL can assess whether further material work should form part of a wider performance investigation.
Performance OptimisationThe original friction material is obsolete or unavailable
An existing component must remain supportable, but the original material, specification or supplier is no longer available. FTL can review the current application and available evidence before proposing an alternative formulation and revalidation route.
Legacy & Obsolete Reverse EngineeringThe material and complete component need to be developed together
The friction material cannot be selected responsibly without considering component geometry, associated metallic components, bonding, mating surfaces, finishing, inspection and the complete manufacturing route.
An established material needs reassessing for a changed requirement
The application, component, operating environment or required performance has changed, and the existing material route needs a new technical review.
A prototype material must progress into controlled production
The development route must establish a controlled material reference, applicable component construction, testing and acceptance requirements, production repeatability, traceability and ongoing supply arrangements.
Define the application before defining the formulation
The first technical discussion establishes what the material must achieve and the conditions against which it should be assessed.
What is the application?
- What equipment or system the friction component belongs to
- Whether it brakes, holds, locks, damps or controls motion
- What the component or material needs to achieve
- What has prompted the enquiry
Is this a new design or an existing component?
- A new programme
- An existing material
- An existing component
- A legacy or obsolete component
- A performance problem
- A prototype moving towards production
What operating conditions are known?
- Temperature
- Load
- Speed
- Contamination
- Required braking or holding behaviour
- Available installation space
- Conditions under which the component is applied
- Known wear or thermal concerns
What component information is available?
- Drawings or partial drawings
- Specifications
- Existing components
- Current material references
- Mating-surface information
- Bonded or assembled construction
- Inspection information
- Test results
A complete technical pack is not required before the first conversation.
What material behaviour is required?
- Friction behaviour
- Coefficient stability
- Wear rate
- Thermal performance
- Repeatability
- Bonding or component integration
- Dimensional or installation constraints
What evidence will be required?
- Which material characteristics must be assessed
- Which test conditions are relevant
- Which component features require inspection
- The acceptance criteria
- Required documentation
- Traceability requirements
- FTL and customer validation responsibilities
How will the material or component be supplied?
- Prototype quantities
- Expected annual volumes
- Required material or component form
- Repeat-production requirements
- Inventory holding
- Scheduled call-off
- Packaging and labelling
- Export and delivery
Expected annual volumes are discussed after the application and technical fit have been established.
Four possible routes can follow the application review
A custom requirement does not automatically mean that a completely new formulation is necessary.
Select an established FTL formulation
An existing FTL material may provide an appropriate starting point where its approved characteristics align with the application and required validation route. The project still needs to confirm application fit, material form, component integration, required testing, acceptance responsibilities and production and supply requirements.
Optimise an existing formulation
An established material may require further work where the application needs a different balance of friction behaviour, wear, thermal performance, component integration or production repeatability. The required changes and evidence must be agreed before development begins.
Develop a new formulation route
Where no current material provides an appropriate starting point, FTL can define a new development route around the application brief, required material behaviour, component requirements, prototype work, testing, validation and production transfer. A new route should not be described as complete or approved until the agreed evidence has been produced.
Gather further application evidence first
The responsible outcome of the initial review may be that the operating conditions, current component or system-level evidence need to be better understood before formulation work proceeds.
FTL will not guarantee that a new formulation is required, that an unavailable original material can be copied exactly or that one material change will resolve a complete system problem before the technical review is completed.
Friction-material families within FTL's stated portfolio
FTL's confirmed material portfolio includes organic, composite, sintered, Kevlar and woven friction materials.
Each family can involve a different material-development and manufacturing route. The family name alone does not establish suitability for a specific application.
Organic friction materials
An organic formulation may be assessed where its approved characteristics align with the required application, component and test conditions.
Explore Organic Friction MaterialsComposite friction materials
A composite route can be selected, developed or optimised around a defined engineering requirement. "Composite" must not be treated as one universal specification or performance profile.
Explore Composite Friction MaterialsSintered friction materials
A sintered route may be considered where it is supported by the application, complete component, operating conditions and required evidence.
Explore Sintered Friction MaterialsKevlar friction materials
Kevlar is one of FTL's stated material families. Suitability must follow review of the component, operating environment and required validation route rather than the fibre name alone.
Explore Kevlar Friction MaterialsWoven friction materials
Woven materials can be assessed where the required material form, component integration and application conditions align with the engineering brief.
Explore Woven Friction MaterialsPublished data is a starting point. Final material selection depends on the complete application and agreed validation process.
A formulation must be assessed against more than one material value
A nominal coefficient or material-family name cannot describe how a friction material will behave across the complete application.
The project should define the relevant requirements, test conditions and acceptance criteria before development work is assessed.
Friction behaviour
- The required braking or holding function
- Whether static, dynamic or both types of behaviour are relevant
- The conditions across which behaviour must be assessed
- The acceptable level of variation
Wear
- The current or expected wear concern
- Relevant operating conditions
- How wear will be measured
- The evidence required before the material progresses
A wear result is meaningful only within its stated test or operating conditions.
Thermal performance
- Relevant temperature conditions
- Whether the exposure is continuous, intermittent or cyclical
- Which material behaviour must remain sufficiently stable
- Whether additional component or system testing is required
Complete-component behaviour
- Component geometry
- Mating surface
- Backing or associated metallic components
- Bonding
- Surface preparation
- Finishing
- Installation and wider system conditions
Manufacturing repeatability
- Controlled material reference
- Applicable manufacturing stages
- Inspection requirements
- Batch or lot traceability
- Production documentation
- Change-control responsibilities
Validation evidence
- What FTL will test
- Which conditions the tests represent
- What evidence FTL will provide
- What additional customer or system-level work remains necessary
- Who holds final approval responsibility
A stage-gated friction-material development process
The exact sequence varies by application, but every stage should produce enough evidence to support the next technical decision.
Establish technical fit
- Application, required function
- New, existing or obsolete
- Current material or component
- Known operating conditions
Define application requirements
- Temperature, load, speed, contamination
- Required friction behaviour
- Wear and thermal considerations
- Component constraints, testing, docs
Review existing formulations
- Relevant established materials
- Current references, data sheets
- Existing component or test info
- Evidence gaps
Define development plan
- Target behaviour, material family
- Prototype route, component form
- Tests, acceptance criteria
- Responsibilities, decision gates
Produce prototype material
- Agreed prototype material or variants
- Form and quantity per scope
Integrate with component route
- Geometry, metallic components
- Machining, bonding, surface prep
- Finishing, assembly, inspection
Test and inspect
- Material, dynamic, dimensional or bond testing in scope
Refine where required
- Revise material, component or route on evidence
Support validation and approval
- Engineering, manufacturing, testing evidence in scope
- Customer or authority completes system-level work
Establish production route
- Controlled material reference and revision
- Component construction, stages, inspection
- Records, traceability, change control
Transfer into repeat supply
- Repeat material and component manufacture
- Final inspection, finished-goods storage
- Call-off, packaging, export, worldwide delivery
Testing must answer a defined material-development question
Test data is most useful when the samples, conditions, acceptance criteria and next decision have been agreed in advance.
Dynamic and material testing
FTL's confirmed capability. The exact samples, equipment, conditions, methods, units and acceptance criteria must be agreed for the project.
Dimensional inspection
Where the material progresses into a finished component, CMM inspection can verify relevant component dimensions against the agreed requirements.
Within scope, testing can also cover coefficient-stability, wear-rate and thermal-performance assessment, bond or shear assessment where a material is bonded to a backing component, and production evidence such as in-process checks, final inspection and batch and lot traceability. Each result must be interpreted within its stated test conditions and the complete application context. The depth of these methods is owned by Testing & Inspection.
FTL's test capability supports engineering and production decisions within the agreed scope. It does not automatically prove complete system performance or provide final product approval.
What a friction-material formulation engagement can deliver
The exact deliverables depend on the project and agreed development stage.
Depending on scope, an engagement can produce an application and requirements definition, a material-route recommendation, prototype material or components, testing and inspection evidence, a controlled material and production definition, and a complete-component and supply route. The depth of each is owned by the linked capability.
Not every project will produce a new formulation, complete component or approved serial-production route. Progress depends on the evidence generated at each decision gate.
Keep the formulation connected to the finished component
A friction material can behave differently when its component geometry, mating surface, bonding, finish or operating environment changes. FTL can keep the material-development route connected with the complete component and its manufacturing controls through a single accountable chain.
Single-source manufacturing. Material development, component engineering, machining, bonding, finishing, testing, inspection, traceability and repeat supply can stay connected under one accountable route. See how the complete connected model works.
Actual lead-time, procurement or cost benefits depend on your existing supply arrangement and the agreed FTL scope.
Formulation capability supports three engineering service routes
Custom friction-material development for demanding industries
The development principles are consistent, but the operating, documentation and approval requirements differ by application.
Aerospace
Material-development support for braking, locking, holding, actuation and motion-control components where traceability and validation responsibilities must be clearly defined.
Aerospace Friction Materials & Components →
Defence
Custom formulation support for defence brake and motion-control components where supplier assurance, documentation, traceability and programme continuity matter.
Defence Friction Materials & Components →
Wind Energy
Material selection, development and optimisation for yaw-brake and related wind-energy friction applications.
Wind Turbine Friction Materials & Components →
Industrial Equipment
Custom material support for industrial braking, crane, motor, safety-equipment and general motion-control applications.
Industrial Friction Materials & Components →Material-development capability backed by manufacturing and inspection controls
Related proof: establishing a replacement material route
SDTS approached FTL after the original aircraft brake pad was no longer available. FTL redesigned the pad using a material that met the stated aeronautical technical requirements and manufactured the replacement component, supporting SDTS's route to a certifiable modification.
“FTL's responsiveness in redesigning the pad with a material that meets aeronautical technical requirements, and their ability to adapt to our aeronautical environment allowed us to certify a modification applicable to our aircraft.”
Olivier Moulin SDTS
Read the SDTS Case Study →Confirmed capability proof
Material development sits within FTL's accredited manufacturing and inspection controls, including ISO 9001 and AS9100 / EN9100. The relevant standards and approvals are set out in full on the Quality & Certifications page.
View Quality & Certifications →This case demonstrates material-route and component-development capability.
The questions buyers need answered before approving a material route
Can FTL match or improve the current material performance?
Is the proposed material already proven in service?
How does FTL support consistent quality and repeatability?
Can FTL support more than formulation work?
How quickly can a formulation be developed?
Can the price be improved?
Frequently asked questions about friction-material formulation
What is custom friction-material formulation?
Does every custom application require a completely new formulation?
At what stage should we contact FTL?
What information should we provide?
Can FTL match an existing friction material?
Can FTL improve an existing friction material?
What friction-material families does FTL work with?
Can FTL formulate a material solely from a coefficient requirement?
Can FTL work from an existing physical component?
What testing can support material development?
Does FTL testing prove complete system performance?
Can FTL manufacture the complete component after developing the material?
Can FTL provide technical data sheets?
Can prototype material progress into serial production?
How long does friction-material development take?
When are annual volumes and pricing discussed?
Can FTL support customers outside the UK?
Start with what the friction material needs to achieve
Tell FTL what the application is, what the component needs to do and what information your engineering team currently has.
A short initial brief is enough. The relevant technical, engineering and commercial team members can then assess whether the requirement should use an established material, an optimised formulation or a new development route.
Optional drawing, specification or current-material information can be uploaded.