What is a fail-safe brake and when are they most commonly used?
In this video, W.C. Branham's VP of Engineering and General Manager, Chad Randleman, will walk you through the basic functions of fail-safe brakes and their most common applications. Enjoy!
What is a Fail-Safe Brake?
Fail-safe brakes are brakes that, by nature, are always engaged. They commonly consist of spring applied brakes which are actuated by a stack of belleville disc springs. The torque is generated through the clamping together of friction surfaces. When pressurized, by either pneumatic or hydraulic pressure, the spring stack is retracted and the brake is opened or disengaged.
When Are Fail-Safe Brakes Used?
Designed for emergency stopping or holding, fail-safe brakes are often used in applications where fail-safe functionality is necessary for safety reasons or to stop a rotating load upon loss of power, an error or hydraulic pressure.
Emergency brakes are critical for a multitude of industrial environments, such as industrial packaging
Imagine your packaging equipment goes awry — it's not just a mess, it's a serious safety hazard. Fortunately, these brakes exist to protect people and reduce the potential for costly physical damage and unnecessary downtime.
W.C. Branham's Brake Line
From as little as 600, to more than 150,000 inch pounds of braking torque, W.C. Branham makes a wide range of caliper disc brakes for industrial and off-highway vehicular applications. Each of our caliper disc brakes are made of either quality machined or cast aluminum construction and are hard-coated for long service life.
Here's a look at our wide selection:
- Pneumatic Brakes
- Hydraulic Brakes
- Mechanical Brakes
- Pneumatic Spring Applied Brakes
- Hydraulic Spring Applied Brakes
- Dual Function Mechanical/Hydraulic
You can also find brake discs and disc/hub assemblies as well as brake repair kits and spare parts on the W.C. Branham website. Don't forget to ask about custom options as well!
