Finite Element Analysis and Optimization of Automotive Disk Brakes Using ANSYS

The safety of vehicle operation is largely influenced by the performance of the brakes. The quality of automotive brake performance directly affects the lives of drivers and passengers. This paper conducts an in-depth study based on the structural characteristics of disk brakes for a specific model of sedan, analyzing the roles of key components in the brake system. Then, using simulation techniques such as finite element analysis and topology optimization, it provides strong support for optimizing the design process. First, the symmetrical structure of the disk brake is analyzed, and 3D modeling is performed in SolidWorks 2025. Next, static simulation analysis is conducted using ANSYS R1, with results showing that the maximum total deformation of the brake is 0.038 mm (not strain), and the maximum stress is 155.78 MPa, which meets the requirements for emergency braking. On this basis, modal analysis is further conducted to clarify the natural frequencies and vibration patterns of each mode, comparing the differences in vibration modes across different orders. Through computational verification, the brake does not experience resonance, effectively improving the stability of each mode and the comfort of driving and riding. Finally, the variable-density method enabled 10.49% weight reduction while maintaining resonance safety, validating the proposed ‘static–modal–topology’ workflow for brake lightweighting. Unlike previous FEA studies that merely verified static strength or performed isolated modal checks, this work establishes an integrated “static–modal–topology” sequential optimization workflow which explicitly couples the prestress-induced frequency shift with lightweighting constraints, thereby filling the gap in simultaneous resonance-risk-aware and mass-target-driven brake design. The proposed ‘static-modal-topological’ sequential framework achieves a 10.49% weight reduction rate, representing a 26.4% improvement over the 8.3% reduction rate of single-topological optimization methods in the literature. Notably, it controls the first-order frequency of prestressed coupling at 1885.7 Hz (exceeding the engine’s 200 Hz upper limit) for the first time, resolving the core contradiction of ‘difficulty in balancing lightweighting and resonance risk’.