“The composite structure makes the brake pedal 50 percent lighter than a comparable steel design. The structural component meets the demanding load requirements thanks to the tailor-made fiber-layer construction of the Tepex insert and additional local tape reinforcement. Extensive automation allows the geometrically complex safety-critical component to be manufactured efficiently and in a way that is suitable for large-scale production,” explains Dr. Klaus Vonberg, an expert in lightweight design at HPM’s Tepex Automotive Group.
“This tailor-made fiber-layer structure and the combination of organic sheets and tapes have made it possible to reduce brake pedal weight even further while simultaneously achieving the exceptionally high level of mechanical characteristics that such a safety-critical component needs to provide,” says Dr. Daniel Häffelin from the Innovation Center at BOGE Elastmetall. There are currently four different brake pedal designs in mass production based on an all-plastic version. For all component versions, the load paths are also optimized to suit the various torsion directions.