Table of contents

• Report: Factory visit to Brembo A factory visit to the brake specialist Brembo

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12th pictures

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Laboratory check: problem cases such as brake fading are simulated on 18 test stands.

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Disc wheel? No, Gianluca has to go back to the Ducati Multistrada bikes.

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Mastermind: Eugenio Gandolfi is known as the brakes in the MotoGP pit lane.

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Ready to brake: After Mirco and Stefano’s station, the brake is ready for use.

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Professional hitchhiker: David Guastamacchia heads the motorcycle testing department in Stezzano.

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the “red mile” on the Milan-Venice motorway near Bergamo. In Brembo’s research center, the top brakes are being further improved so that we can continue to play among the world’s best.

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Everything from a single source: The rim manufacturer Marchesini has been part of Brembo since 2002.

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The Hitchhiker’s Galaxy: Manufacture of motorcycle brakes at the headquarters in Curno.

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Still clean: Nicola mills the brake calipers for KTM crossers for around 25 minutes.

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Line on the road: Ten test drivers sound out the prototypes’ potential in everyday life.

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Stops every Harley: Roberta assembles master brake cylinders for Brembo’s largest customers.

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In the factory: The Wall of Fame – this is where the Brembo brakes installed by other manufacturers are exhibited.

accesories

Report: A factory visit to the brake specialist Brembo

Report: Factory visit to Brembo
A factory visit to the brake specialist Brembo

The red mile is actually called “Kilometro Rosso” and stands on the Milan-Venice motorway near Bergamo. Behind the facade it is more smoky than wicked. Visiting the brake specialist Brembo.

Jorg Lohse

11/25/2010

The statement is bursting with self-confidence: “Of course I can build the super brakes”, says Eugenio Gandolfi, only to continue with a mischievous grin, “but there is no motorcycle in this world that can take this power.” The motorcycle sport sales manager of Brembo can afford that pride. After all, there is hardly anyone in the Olympus of the racing circuit who does without the expertise of the Italian brake manufacturer: For example, 14 of the 17 MotoGP drivers relied on Brembo brake components in the 2010 season, including stars such as Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) and Casey Stoner (Ducati) or Dani Pedrosa (Honda). Even the newly crowned world champion Jorge Lorenzo only allowed Brembo to slow him down on his Yamaha M1. The effort is correspondingly high: A separate, self-contained branch of the factory with 100 employees in Curno near Bergamo deals exclusively with the development, testing and production of brake components for racing use in motorcycles, Formula 1, DTM or rally vehicles.

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Many racing scenarios from the premier classes can be simulated on special test stands: “In fact, we can currently implement a maximum of 50 percent of our actually available braking performance”, Eugenio Gandolfi illustrates the current level of development in motorcycle racing. The transfer of technology for everyday use is of secondary importance. “It took 17 years alone for the radial master brake cylinder to make its way into series production of motorcycles”, explains Head of Technology Roberto Lavezzi. The feather-light carbon brake discs, hard to imagine the racetrack without, make little sense in everyday life due to their temperature sensitivity. Because they do not work in a cold state, only when they are hot do the linings grip the carbon fiber discs powerfully.

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Mastermind: Eugenio Gandolfi is known as the brakes in the MotoGP pit lane.

In any case, the racing components are designed for extremely high stress, while the series parts are also subject to high continuous stress. “The carbon discs are worn out after 3000 kilometers, for example. That is a maximum of five race weekends. A racing brake caliper only has to last one season”, explains Eugenio, “while the brake caliper for a production motorcycle should still function perfectly after ten years.” David Guastamacchia is responsible for this area and is behind the with his team of 21 “Kilometro Rosso”, the red high-gloss facade of Brembo in Stezzano near Bergamo, is working on the testing of prototypes.

Before going to the test stands, the test samples are put together and meticulously measured on site. These values ​​are later decisive for quality assurance when the prototypes go into series production. The test cycle for the brake components lasts a full 19 weeks, which begins harmlessly with the first pressure tests in David’s laboratory. The parts are then properly added to the 18 test stands, where wear measurements are taken or they are subjected to an endurance test for up to a week and examined for critical points such as brake fading. In order to mature into series production, for example, a master brake cylinder or a hydraulic clutch fitting must endure several 100,000 actuations. But things only get really interesting for David and his crew when they go to the road for real testing. Ten test drivers do their laps not only on a proving ground near Milan, but also in the winding, mountainous area around Lake Como. “Only after 2000 kilometers do we have all the driving situations on the road, including the wet test and noise measurement, in the can”, explains the test chief. The workshop is shared by the car and motorcycle departments.

Quite a few two- and four-wheelers are covered with tarpaulin. David laughs: “Not only our braking systems are prototypes. Many of the vehicles for which we develop braking systems are at the same stage.” Alongside Ducati, Aprilia and MV Agusta, one of Brembo’s largest customers is the US brand Harley-Davidson: “Which may surprise you. After all, it is not Brembo but the Harley logo that can be seen on brake calipers or master brake cylinders”, explains Paolo Magri, head of the Brembo motorcycle division.

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The Hitchhiker’s Galaxy: Manufacture of motorcycle brakes at the headquarters in Curno.

The same applies to BMW: The major customer from Munich also has his brake calipers labeled. Of course, the traditional Italian company also has its eye on the booming markets in the Far East. For almost a year, Brembo has had foundry plants and machines in Nanjing through a cooperation agreement with the largest passenger car and commercial vehicle manufacturer in China. Brembo has been trading with the Bybre brand (an abbreviation for “by Brembo”) present in India, where the braking system for the new KTM 125 Duke is also produced at the Pune location. The key data for the production of motorcycle parts including the manufacture of Marchesini wheels are modest in the global Brembo world (see above) with 5500 m² and 230 employees at the Curno location and remind us of the company’s early days: almost 50 years ago The father of the current company boss, Emilio Bombassei, opened a small workshop near the Brembo river, where he initially specialized in the production of brake discs for Alfa Romeo, before the company logo was first delivered to Moto Guzzi on a motorcycle in 1972 showed up.

Brembo

Alberto Bombassei is the second generation to run Brembo.

The small one-man business has now become a stock corporation with production facilities in 36 countries and more than 5400 employees worldwide.

• Founded in 1961 in Curno in Val Brembana (Italy) by Emilio Bombassei.
• Manufacturer of car brake discs since 1964, initially as a supplier for the spare parts market.
• 1975 Collaboration with Enzo Ferrari, construction of braking systems for Formula 1.
• 1980 first aluminum brake caliper.
• In 1995 the number of employees rose to over 1000.
• 2007 becomes the Brembo Research Center “Kilometro Rosso” inaugurated.

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