Abstract: The grinding machine for grinding a frictional surface of a pad of the present invention comprises: a grooving cutter to be rotated; a cylindrical grinding wheel arranged at a position distant from the grooving cutter; a pad chucking portion for holding a frictional surface of the brake pad so that the frictional surface can be opposed to the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical grinding wheel; an X-axis feed mechanism for advancing and retreating the pad chucking portion in the direction of X-axis parallel to the frictional surface of the brake pad; a Y-axis feed mechanism for advancing and retreating the pad chucking portion in the direction of Y-axis perpendicular to the frictional surface of the brake pad; a Z-axis rotation mechanism for rotating the brake pad around the Z-axis perpendicular to the frictional surface of the brake pad; and a numerically controlling circuit for controlling the motions conducted by the above mechanisms.

Abstract: A friction material matrix 2 consisting of a mixture of a fibrous base material, a binder, and various fillers is introduced into a molding die 3. Rod members 5 are inserted into the molding die 3 from above. The rod members 5 are vertically actuated while a stroke of the actuation of the rod members 5 is gradually reduced. The friction material matrix 2 is compressed until its volume becomes 50 to 60 vol. % of the initially introduced friction material matrix 2. Then, a bottom plate 4 is raised to compress the friction base matrix 2, so that the friction base matrix 2 is preformed.