They did weigh out the scrap material before dumping in that hopper. Maybe the cylindrical pieces they toss in are a known material and weight so it's "close enough" for them.
Third world brake rotor manufacturing video
- Thread starter atikovi
- Start date
Yes but none of them have the rotors tapped.Plenty of cars use bolts to mount the wheels.
Wheel Studs Versus Wheel Bolts: What's the Difference?
The advantages and disadvantages of having one or the other.www.roadandtrack.com
Right. Just the hubs.
Extra points for using old engine oil for the casting sand.
Synthetic or conventional?
My guess would be that these parts dont leave the country they are produced in.
I had a trainer years ago that did a stint in the Middle east for a major repair project. He said that there was nothing available parts wise unless he brought it with him.
I had a trainer years ago that did a stint in the Middle east for a major repair project. He said that there was nothing available parts wise unless he brought it with him.
The vids are very entertaining, but it’s important to note that serious manufacturing in third well countries is done in modern plants that are equal to anything in first world countries. Don’t be complacent. 
Lots of cars use wheel bolts, MB, BMW, VW, SAAB, Volvo, etc but the threads are in the hub not the rotor, the rotor goes on the hub and the bolt goes through the rotor. Threaded rotors in automotive use would be an unusual design not common in western markets.Plenty of cars use bolts to mount the wheels.
Wheel Studs Versus Wheel Bolts: What's the Difference?
The advantages and disadvantages of having one or the other.
Man, you would think that some manufacturing company would set up shop right next to them, use some automated machines to make this process more efficient and put this "shop" out of business. Wait. the North American rotor manufacturers had automated equipment decades ago and they've all closed up and moved outside of the borders.
It must have been 15+ years ago, I needed a front rotor for my Dodge Dakota pickup. Having a little time on my hands, I wanted to find a rotor that was made in USA. I looked at several chain stores and none of them had one. I remember the O'Reilly's manager even let me look at his stash of replacement brake rotors and all of them were made in Mexico. (At that time) Finally, I found a one-man parts store that had a shop that had been in his family for decades. I told him what I wanted and he checked his parts book and I remember it was a genuine book. He took a rotor off the top shelf that was a different brand than what he was currently selling (he'd gotten in trouble with a couple of previous suppliers, but that was another topic), blew the dust off the box and had me look at it. It was labeled as being made in Canada and that was good enough for me. A year later I needed the other front rotor and I didn't bother to shop around for anything locally sourced. At that time, I believe it was the beginning of the wave of Chinese-made rotors.
This one man shop has been closed for about 7-8 years now. It was in a town of 2,500 and an O'Reilly store that moved his forced his closure.
It must have been 15+ years ago, I needed a front rotor for my Dodge Dakota pickup. Having a little time on my hands, I wanted to find a rotor that was made in USA. I looked at several chain stores and none of them had one. I remember the O'Reilly's manager even let me look at his stash of replacement brake rotors and all of them were made in Mexico. (At that time) Finally, I found a one-man parts store that had a shop that had been in his family for decades. I told him what I wanted and he checked his parts book and I remember it was a genuine book. He took a rotor off the top shelf that was a different brand than what he was currently selling (he'd gotten in trouble with a couple of previous suppliers, but that was another topic), blew the dust off the box and had me look at it. It was labeled as being made in Canada and that was good enough for me. A year later I needed the other front rotor and I didn't bother to shop around for anything locally sourced. At that time, I believe it was the beginning of the wave of Chinese-made rotors.
This one man shop has been closed for about 7-8 years now. It was in a town of 2,500 and an O'Reilly store that moved his forced his closure.
Yeap and how is the rotor attached to the hub ? Long lug bolts that thread into the rotor and then into the hub ? I see fitment issues doing that.
Every time I've seen one of these vids where the end product was packaged in labeled boxes, those brands are 99% of the time specific to a domestic market, be that Pakistan or some other smaller mostly 3rd world country. I doubt any of this stuff makes it to our shores.
For what it's worth Brembo is one of if not the largest supplier of rotors in the world and has a foundry and disc & drum machining plant in the US:
https://www.brembo.com/en/company/news/first-pour-homer-(2)
Waupaca Foundry (Hitachi) also casts and machines rotors in the US.
https://www.brembo.com/en/company/news/first-pour-homer-(2)
Waupaca Foundry (Hitachi) also casts and machines rotors in the US.
You're correct. China is a good example. They have companies that produce world class quality and others that are total dirtbag. As Deming used to teach, quality is 85% on management.The vids are very entertaining, but it’s important to note that serious manufacturing in third well countries is done in modern plants that are equal to anything in first world countries. Don’t be complacent.
You can't manage quality into a product if you don't have good machinery, the best raw materials and skilled workers.
JHZR2
Staff member
At the beginning where they break up a cast iron V8 engine block for the scrap metal with sledge hammers, you think the final product won't be acceptable even in a Yugo. At the end of the video, the rotors look fairly decent. Now you know where Advance and Auto Zone get their brake parts from.
I guess you’ve never been to a US based operation. I was at the Caterpillar operation in IL a few years back. They melt down all sorts of old junk too. Washing machines, engine blocks, etc.
No different.
The difference is that they have very tight control of the end metallurgical characteristics, and can readily and actively add what is needed to meet their specs.
Oh, and lots of PPE and control.
They had guys with sledge hammers busting up blocks?
JHZR2
Staff member
Really big machines eating up any kind of metal. So the large scale equivalent, sure.
Seems like you assumed it was all just nodules of raw iron ore?
I work with Indian folks daily and have had the honor of visiting twice for a month back in 2018/2019. The population there is 3x the US, and the culture is OK with doing things inefficiently for the sake of giving people jobs.
It was a culture shock to see a gentleman's full time job was and still is to clean the bathroom. He will clean it after a single person goes in, and keeps a duty log. There are people who are door greeters, chauffers, groundskeepers for large (and quite beautiful) parks.
I've fallen asleep many times over the pandemic watching these kinds of videos. It makes me appreciate lower level processes versus mass manufacturing. Sure Mr. Ford gave us a great idea, but keep things in context and you might appreciate a trade and the human power that much more.
They also have some **** nice vehicles too. Heres a few from Bengaluru and Jaipur.
from past reading MOST rotors are cast in CHINA even for brand name USA stuff BUT as noted my a benz tech some are better than others!! many high end rotors vary in quality depending on what you pay, even Brembo has lower quality as well as their high end $$$$ stuff!!
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