International Dealer News IDN 139 October/November 2017 | Page 26

road trip Granollers, near the Montmelo Circuit de Barcelona- Catalunya. Galfer then started to develop sintered metal compounds for disc brake pads, and some six years ago created an all new production process for their 2nd generation of sintered metal brake pads with the implementation of their ISO/TS 16649 quality system. Galfer currently employs some 60 plus peop le and outside of Spain sells to some 50 different countries through a network of over 70 importers/distributors. Galfer’s brake pad range features three primary ranges – Semi Metal, Sinter Street and Sinter Sport – with applications and formulations for hundreds of models across six primary applications for street bikes, sportbikes, off-roaders, trials bikes, tourers and cruisers – with more than 2,000 pad and disc part numbers for nearly 7,000 different models. The principal differences between Galfer’s semi- metallic and sintered compounds are temperature, durability, noise, modularity and resistance to dirt and mud. Brake pad operating temperatures are determined by the total weight and speed of the vehicle and the braking force applied. At up to 250 degrees Centigrade, Galfer says their semi-metallics work better than their sintered compounds but, as with all such pads, the organics in the compounds mean they are softer and therefore less durable than sintered – although they create less wear on the disc. Alejandro Dominguez Research and Development Manager Galfer say their semi-metallic compounds are entirely noise free, whereas sintered pads can produce noise in cool or humid conditions. The company says that the modularity (feel/response) delivered by semi- metallics is greater than the more abrupt braking cycle triggered by sintered pads, but that in conditions of extreme dirt and mud, harder sintered pads are more durable. INDUSTRIAS GALFER S.A. Barcelona, SPAIN Tel: [phone] [email protected] EXHIBITOR www.galfer.eu Hall 22 R44 Five or ten out of every 200 pads are taken from each batch for quality control, involving a shearing test to measure the strength of the union between the pad and the backing plate; the thickness of the pad is measured at six different points on the pad surface; the density of the pad is measured in order to ensure they will meet Galfer’s durability requirements Galfer discs are subjected to a 5-stage quality control process for flatness (using a precision surface marble table), thickness (measured at 12 different points of the disc surface), external diameter, hardness of the steel and brake track surface rugosity (smoothness – to make sure the disc will meet Galfer’s application-specific friction requirements) 26 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017