Thermal Bonding

Our initial step involves removing the old brake or clutch lining. This can be achieved through various methods: using a de-bonding furnace with flame for breaking the bond (except for Aluminum brake shoes), grinding with a flatbed linisher, or machining on a lathe, all with dust extraction units. Afterward, we perform shot blasting if suitable and check for any metalwork faults. The platform of the brake shoe or clutch disc is then keyed, and thermal adhesive is applied. We cut the appropriate lining size, key the mating side, and apply thermal bonding adhesive, allowing it to cure overnight.

Next, we attach the brake or clutch lining to the brake shoe or clutch disc. For suitable cases, we use a pneumatic or hand brake shoe expander to apply constant force. In other cases, we employ a metal former and clamps for the same purpose. Once we have enough work for the bonding oven, we place the clamped parts inside and bake for 1-2 hours.

After cooling, we remove clamps and formers, trim excess lining material, and paint the relined brake shoes or clutch discs with Hammerite blue paint. Notably, our vintage and classic brake shoe customers may opt not to have their aluminum relined brake shoes painted.

Riveting System

Our process begins by removing the old brake and clutch linings, either with our pneumatic de-riveting machine for suitable metal parts or by manually punching out old rivets using hand tools, all conducted within a controlled environment with dust extraction facilities.

Once the old linings are removed, we assess the metal parts. If appropriate, we proceed with shot blasting and lightly skimming the brake or clutch platform to remove any noticeable high spots. When working with pre-formed commercial brake linings, we paint the brake shoe and use our pneumatic riveting machine for the relining.

For marine winch bands, we cut non-asbestos woven brake lining to the correct size, clamp it onto the brake band, drill it to match the brake band’s size, and apply Hammerite blue paint to the brake band. We then countersink the woven brake lining to the correct depth and secure it with copper countersunk rivets, using our specialized winch band riveting tools.

In the case of clutch plates, we cut the suitable thickness and size of clutch facing, clamp it onto the clutch plate, drill it with the correct-sized drill, and paint the clutch plate with Hammerite blue paint. We then countersink the clutch discs to the appropriate depth and attach them with copper rivets, either using our pneumatic riveting machine or, for lower-pressure requirements, our bench riveting tool.

For specific requests, such as Mobile Crane Kessler Brake Shoes, some customers may opt for both riveting and bonding, a combination of both processes.

Cold Bond System

We specialise in relining Warner Electric and various other brands of electromagnetic clutch and brake units using a cold bond adhesive. Unlike thermal bonding, which can potentially damage the integrated electric coil due to the heat, we employ a different approach.

First, we remove the old brake or clutch lining, then we key the remaining metal and resin face and apply our cold bond adhesive. To meet specific size and thickness requirements, we custom-cut a friction disc. After keying the mating surface of the friction disc, we apply the cold bond adhesive. The friction disc is then fitted into the electromagnetic clutch or brake recess, and we maintain constant pressure using a flat metal disc former and clamps. The cold bond adhesive cures overnight, after which we remove the clamps. Finally, we skim the friction facing to achieve the necessary thickness and ensure the mating armature plate is perfectly flush.