disk brake

engineering

Also known as: disc brake

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Last updated

July 23, 2026

Quick Summary

A disc brake is a type of brake that functions by pressing a frictional material against the sides of a rotating disc using a caliper. This process absorbs kinetic energy, converting it into heat through friction.12

Disc brakes are commonly used in automobiles, often on the front wheels, and are known for their resistance to fading, meaning they maintain effectiveness even with prolonged use. They have also been designed for mountain bikes, where they operate by squeezing against a metal disc near the hub. This contrasts with older systems like drum brakes, which used shoes pressing against the inside of a drum.342

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automobile
Brakes
Disc brakes, originally developed for aircraft, are ubiquitous, in spite of their higher cost, because of their fade resistance. Although there are some four-wheel systems, usually discs are mounted on the front wheels, and conventional drum units are retained at the rear. They have been…
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Disc brakes, originally developed for aircraft, are ubiquitous, in spite of their higher cost, because of their fade resistance. Although there are some four-wheel systems, usually discs are mounted on the front wheels, and conventional drum units are retained at the rear. They have been…
Read More

brake
…with one concave surface); for disk brakes they are pads or rings. Friction materials may be organic, metallic, or ceramic; molded asbestos is commonly used.
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…with one concave surface); for disk brakes they are pads or rings. Friction materials may be organic, metallic, or ceramic; molded asbestos is commonly used.
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railroad
Brake systems
…passenger cars—and some freight cars—have disc brakes instead of wheel-tread shoes. Wheel sets of cars operating at 160 km (100 miles) per hour or more are fitted with devices to prevent wheel slip under heavy braking. On European cars designed for operation at 200 km (125 miles) per hour or…
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…passenger cars—and some freight cars—have disc brakes instead of wheel-tread shoes. Wheel sets of cars operating at 160 km (100 miles) per hour or more are fitted with devices to prevent wheel slip under heavy braking. On European cars designed for operation at 200 km (125 miles) per hour or…
Read More