As the only industry-approved and peer-reviewed brake lining certification, the Brake Manufacturers Council (BMC) improved the Brake Effective Evaluation Procedure (BEEP®) program by including the SAE J2784 -- FMVSS 135 inertia dynamometer test procedure to assess the BEEP pass/fail criteria.
As Rick Jamieson, CEO ABS Friction Corporation and chairperson of BMC Friction Committee, states “that these continuous efforts from the BMC align with the government’s strategic framework outlined on NHTSA Docket No. 2008-0113, which states that the product design should be measured against accepted and voluntary product industry standards."
The core of the enhancement is the upgrade to utilize the new SAE J2784 -- FMVSS 135 inertia dynamometer test procedure. The J2784 was developed under a collaboration effort with the SAE Brake Dynamometer Test Committee. One of the features of the SAE J2784 test procedure is that it allows the evaluation of vehicle braking for ABS/Electronic Brake Proportioning when used in conjunction with the appropriate vehicle modeling. Other main technical benefits of the SAE J2784 are:
Follows the mandate from the FMVSS 135 of doing "best driver effort" brake applications with brake pedal (equivalent to brake pressure on the dynamometer) fully applied typically in less than one second;
The test sequence better reproduces the lining conditioning, which is critical to FMVSS performance;
Single-ended test than enables the assessment without the influence of a reference friction material on the other axle and precludes the limitations of current dual-ended setups. Additionally, single-ended allows reliable testing for braking conditions at high deceleration levels as the FMVSS 105 and 135 vehicle tests are;
Includes all the test sections from the vehicle protocol during inertia-dynamometer testing (regular and high speed effectiveness at full and light load; failed hydraulic for diagonal or front-to-rear split systems, failed booster' parking brake for rear or drum-in-hat systems; and temperature assessment for fade, hot performance, and brake recovery)
The BMC validated the BEEP model with fully-instrumented vehicles on FMVSS-compliant proving grounds and laboratory tests using OE and aftermarket friction materials of known and different qualities. The BMC's Technical Steering Committee reviewed the test results and, in combination with their individual experiences and testing activities, provided feedback to the program. This structured and permanent peer review keeps the model valid, relevant and current.
The BEEP Certification program leverages a group of independent but synchronized entities (BMC, SAE-PRI, and Link Engineering) that specialize on particular and complementing activities with the ultimate goal of improving the quality and safety of friction products installed on vehicles that drive the United States' roads every day.
For more information, visit www.brakecouncil.org.
