NASA’s heat-dissipation knowledge and advanced aerodynamics provides enhanced surface cooling, reduction of brake fade, and extended vehicle range and fuel efficiency
Santa Rosa, Calif.—Developed in partnership with NASA, Orbis Brakes has announced the launch of its Periodic Wave disc brake line.
Brakes have not seen a significant disruption since the introduction of carbon-ceramic brakes 20 years ago. Orbis had been pioneering a design innovation that would cool brakes more efficiently when a NASA engineer offered his agency’s heat-dissipation knowledge. The partnership resulted in the patented Periodic Wave disc brake, which uses advanced aerodynamics to provide enhanced surface cooling, reduce brake fade, and extend vehicle range and fuel efficiency.
“This is a collaboration of some of the smartest people on the planet,” said Orbis co-CEO and co-founder Marcus Hays. “We decided from the beginning that it wasn’t innovation unless it produced real-world results, and that’s exactly what we’ve done.”
Its first product, the NextWave, is a “superlight” disc brake rotor and pad expected to retail at a fraction of comparable performance brakes. The EcoWave is an environmentally driven high-performance replacement brake rotor and pad priced to compete with entry-level brakes. Orbis will also be introducing LightWave, the lighter, cooler, high-performance replacement rotor, monoblock caliper, and vented pad, and CarbonWave, the world’s first integral wheel and brake, delivering the lowest unsprung weight in the industry, according to the company.
The Orbis brake weighs 50% less on average than conventional cast iron brakes, reducing the energy needed to manufacture them by half and lowering carbon consumption across the supply chain. A global upgrade to Periodic Wave brakes could remove billions of pounds of CO2 from the atmosphere.
Made from 100% recyclable iron, the design also reduces brown emissions, the particulate matter from brakes, tires, and road surfaces that is considered exponentially more toxic than tailpipe emissions and is expected to become a major environmental issue in coming years.
The company said industry analysts expect high-performance and commercial vehicle owners to be a prime audience for the Orbis upgrade, as well as the fast-growing number of electric car owners looking for aftermarket products that share their high-efficiency, low-emission values.
Orbis Brakes plans launch the NextWave Q3 2022, and EcoWave Q1 2023.
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