TMD Friction says it is the first manufacturer to receive preliminary approval for K-blocks and that it is now focusing on completing the remaining winter and field tests which will take place over the next 12 months. The German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology has funded the research initiative, with a UIC expert monitoring the entire testing process.
TMD Friction says that during the development phase it has emphasised the use of raw materials which offer less block and wheel wear compared with conventional cast-iron brake blocks which act directly on the wheel tread and can result in wheel surfaces losing their shape. Tests during the research initiative have found that brake blocks made from second-generation organic composites can reduce both noise emissions and wheel wear, with a reduction of eight decibels reducing the perceived noise level by half.
