Method of manufacturing a friction disc

A method of manufacturing a friction disc of the kind including a metal backing plate formed with a centrally disposed bore therein, with the wall of the bore being of splined form, and a plurality of friction pads carried by the backing plate on each major surface thereof and angularly spaced around said bore, the method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of powder compacts of friction material at the required positions on the backing plate, and resistance heating each of the powder compacts to sinter the compacts into the required friction pads and to bond the pads to the backing plate, the resistance heating of each powder compact being effected by urging one electrode of a pair of electrodes against said compact to press the compact against the adjacent major surface of the backing plate and then passing a heating current through the compact between said pair of electrodes.