Why do Carbon-ceramics delay build??

[EJCR8]

I was just informed by the dealer that my v10 has been delayed another month because of these carbon-ceramics? Why does it take so much longer for these freakin brakes? Is there some worldwide shortage or something? May just want to get other options post build instead of constant delays and excuses!!

[jh001ace]

Audi has now agreed that all R8GT's supplied to the UK will have ceramic brakes as standard so there goes 33 sets

[ianerrid]

If you've seen how they are hand made, you'll understand why....

[EJCR8]

Didn't think about all the GT's! I bet they get preference for the Carbon-ceramics. That's alot of sets if they're hard to produce!

[ignomini]

Don't know if the technology has moved forward, but I seem to recall the Audi guys telling me at Road Atlanta some years ago that the carbon rotors on the R10s took something like six months or a year to cure.

[KfabR8]

I recall Steve Matchet (F1 guru that helps MC SPEED's coverage) saying that carbon/ceramic brakes are sprayed, literally one atom layer at a time and that it takes close to 6 months to produce a lot (as in a group, not many) of them.

Apparently they are not a high volume, mass production type of item yet, but they're getting faster and faster at producing them as technology improves.

[Europrice]

I find this odd that your car is being delayed and the ceramic replacement parts are still not in the US catalog or system at all.

The process of building this discs explained:

Production

"The secret of the advantages of the carbon-ceramic brake disk is the unique production process over approximately 20 days. To produce carbon-ceramic brake disks, we use carbon fibers which are given a special protective coating and then cut into short fiber sections of defined thickness and length. The production process includes preparation of the fiber mixture, the production process for the disk body and the bell mounting as well as the final machining of the assembled brake disk. The entire production process is monitored with various tests and ends with one final testing. The production process of the ceramic brake body continues with a preform pressed with binding resin to a so called green body which will be converted in the ceramic component by carbonizing at 900 °C and siliconizing at 1700 °C in high vacuum. The complex feature of the manufacturing process is the use of the “lost core” technology – a plastics matrix which defines the design of the cooling vane geometry and which burns out without residues at carbonizing – as well as the different fiber components of the brake disk body, the friction layers on the ring exterior side and the point-shaped abrasion indicators which are integrated into the friction layer."

Cheers,

[EJCR8]

My friend ordered his '11 v10 convertible with the carbon ceramics just before I ordered the coupe and his is also delayed to an April delivery. Just want to be sure that I'm not getting excuses from the dealer as every time I call the general manager he quotes a new production date...guess I should stop calling him. Any more delays and I may wait for the '12

[KfabR8]

Bite the bullet and sit back. Soon you'll get a call from your salesman saying "It's in!".

At least you guys are getting a bone thrown at you for a delivery date. I've yet to hear anything other than "The order's gone through."