Abstract: Method wherein at least one piezoceramic sensor (15) and an electric circuit (18) to collect an electric signal emitted by the piezoceramic sensor (15) when subjected to a mechanical stress and possibly processing it are made as a unit electrically insulated (118) equipped with at least a branching (119) ending with respective electric contacts (20,21) having connected the at least one piezoelectric sensor (15), where the electric circuit (18) and the at least one sensor (15) are mechanically fixed integral with a first surface (13) of a supporting metal element (11) of a brake pad (1) and branching (119) is formed so as to position the at least one piezoelectric sensor (15) at a predetermined point of the first surface (13).

Abstract: An automated station (1) for the finishing of brake pads (4) comprises at least one rotary finishing tool (2) for finishing a friction layer (22) of the brake pad (4), a workhead (3) to pick, retain and release the brake pad (4), a handling unit (6) to move the workhead (3) along a programmable path comprising a pass over the rotary finishing tool (2) and a guide (5) having a mouth (27) which is passed through by the workhead (3) in order to start the finishing pass along the length of the programmable route, the guide (5) contacting the workhead (3) to define, along at least one direction (A; C), the relative position between the workhead (3) and the brake pad (4) during the finishing carried out by the rotary finishing tool (2).