Lightweight brake rotor and components with composite materials

1. A method comprising:

placing a first insert and a second insert in a casting mold so that the first insert and second insert are in spaced-apart relationship in the mold, each of the first insert and the second insert comprising a first material;

casting a molten second material into the casting mold so that the second material flows between the first insert and the second insert and solidifying the second material to provide a product comprising a cast over body portion with the first insert and second insert, the cast over body portion comprising the second material and so that the second material is mechanically locked or metallurgically bonded to the first material and so that one or both of the first insert and the second insert provides working surface(s), further comprising a plurality of posts extending between and permanently connecting the first insert and the Second insert and wherein the second material surrounds each post and wherein the second material is mechanically locked to the first material at the posts, and wherein the posts extending between and connecting the inserts may be in the shape of round rods, rectangular bars, or curved fins, and wherein the first insert and the second insert and the plurality of posts are a single continuous workpiece, further comprising providing a sectioned annular casting core comprising a plurality of core sections, the core having slots formed therein each with an opened end, placing the core sections between the first insert and the second insert prior to casting, and wherein an associated post is received in the slot through the open end, and after the solidifying, removing the core to provide vanes extending between the first insert and the second insert where the slots in the casting core were and to provide vent channels between the vanes, and wherein a permanent mold and permanent core may be used to cast the second material.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the first insert and the second insert includes a plurality of projections extending from an inner face thereof, and wherein the second material is mechanically locked to the first material at the projections, and wherein the projection is trapezoid-shaped, T-shaped, L-shaped, or rectangular-shaped, and wherein the first insert or second insert and the projections are a single continuous workpiece.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second material has a lower melting point, and a lower density if so designed, than that of the first material and wherein the examples of the first material are cast iron, steel, and ceramic composite and the examples, of the second material are aluminum alloy and cast steel.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first insert comprises a first annular brake disc and wherein the second insert comprises a second annular brake disc and wherein the second material comprises-a hub and a cast over body portion extending between the first insert and the second insert and wherein the brake rotor is a disc brake rotor and wherein the first braking surface is provided by an outer surface of the first insert, and further comprising a second braking surface provided by an outer surface of the second insert, and wherein the brake rotor is either solid or vented.

5. A method comprising:

placing at least a first insert in a casting mold so that the first insert comprising a, plurality of projections extending from first surface thereof and the first insert comprising a second surface, the second surface providing a working surface; the first insert comprising a first material;

casting a molten second material into the casting Mold so that the second material provides a cast over body portion comprising the second material and so that the second material is mechanically locked to the plurality of projections and solidifying the second material to provide a drum brake rotor and wherein the first insert comprises a cylindrical wall with projections extending from an outer surface of the cylinder wall and wherein the brake surface is provided by an inner wall of the cylindrical wall, further comprising providing a coating on an inner surface of the first insert to provide frictional damping, and the coating comprising fibers or particles that resist flowing when exposed to the temperature of a molten second material.