The device and principle of operation of a robotic gearbox with one clutch
Content
A robotic single-clutch transmission is a hybrid of an automatic transmission and a manual transmission. That is, the robot is based on a conventional manual transmission, but it is controlled automatically, without the participation of the driver. In order to understand whether the robot really combines the advantages of an automaton and mechanics, let's get acquainted with its device and the principle of operation. We will identify the advantages and disadvantages of the box, as well as its differences from other types of gearboxes.
What is a robotic checkpoint
So, is a robot more a kind of automatic transmission or manual transmission? Often it is equated with a modified machine gun. In fact, the robot is based on a mechanical transmission, which has won this right with its simplicity and reliability. In fact, a robotic gearbox is the same mechanics with additional devices responsible for gear shifting and clutch control. Those. the driver is relieved of these duties.
The robotic box is found in both passenger cars and trucks, as well as buses, and in 2007 the robot was even presented on a sports motorcycle.
Almost every automaker has its own developments in the field of robotic gearboxes. Here is a list of them:
| Manufacturer | Name | Manufacturer | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renault | Quickshift | Toyota | MultiMode |
| Peugeot | 2-Tronic | Honda | i-Shift |
| Mitsubishi | Allshift | Audi | R Tronic |
| Opel | Easytronic | BMW | SMG |
| Ford | Durashift/Powershift | Volkswagen | DSG |
| Fiat | dual logic | Volvo | Powershift |
| Alfa Romeo | selespeed |
The device and principle of operation of a robotic gearbox with one clutch
The robotic gearbox can be with one or two clutches. For a robot with two clutches, see the Powershift article. We'll continue talking about the single-clutch gearbox.
The robot's device is quite simple and includes the following elements:
- mechanical part;
- clutch;
- drives;
- control system.
The mechanical part contains all the components of conventional mechanics, and the principle of operation of a robotic automatic transmission is similar to the principle of operation of a manual transmission.
The drives that control the box can be hydraulic and electric. In this case, one of the drives monitors the clutch, he is responsible for turning it on and off. The second one controls the gear shifting mechanism. Practice has shown that a gearbox with a hydraulic drive functions better. As a rule, such a box is used on more expensive cars.
The robotic gearbox also has a manual gearshift mode. This is its uniqueness - both a robot and a person can change gears.
The control system is electronic and includes the following parts:
- input sensors;
- electronic control unit;
- executive devices (actuators).
Input sensors monitor the main parameters of the gearbox operation. These include RPM, fork and selector position, pressure level and oil temperature. All data is transferred to the control unit, which controls the actuators. The actuator, in turn, controls the clutch operation using servo drives.
In a robotic automatic transmission of a hydraulic type, the control system is additionally equipped with a hydraulic control unit. It controls the operation of the hydraulic cylinders.
The principle of operation of the robot is carried out in two ways: automatic and semi-automatic. In the first case, the box is controlled through a certain algorithm, which is set by the control unit based on sensor signals. In the second, the principle of operation is identical to manual gear shifting. Gears using the selector lever are sequentially shifted from high to low, and vice versa.
Advantages and disadvantages of a robotic automatic transmission in comparison with other types of gearboxes
Initially, the robot box was created in order to combine all the advantages of an automatic transmission and a manual transmission. First of all, this includes the comfort of the automatic transmission and the reliability with the economy of the mechanics. In order to determine whether the developers' idea succeeded, let us compare the basic parameters of a robot with an automatic transmission and a robot with a mechanical transmission.
Robot and automaton
We present the comparative characteristics between the two gearboxes in the form of a table. We will take a number of parameters as a basis for comparison.
| Parameter | Robot | Automatic |
|---|---|---|
| Device design | Easier | More difficult |
| Maintenance and repair | Cheaper | Expensive |
| Oil and fuel consumption | Less | Больше |
| Vehicle acceleration dynamics | Better | Worse |
| Carton weight | Less | Больше |
| Performance | Above | Below |
| Behavior of the machine when shifting gears | Jerks, "reverie effect" | Smooth movement without jerking |
| The ability to roll back the car on a slope | There is | No |
| Engine and clutch resource | Less | Больше |
| Driving | More difficult | Easier |
| The need to shift the lever to neutral when stopping | Yes | No |
So, what we have: a robotic gearbox is more economical in all respects, but in terms of comfort for the driver, the automatic still wins. Thus, the robot did not adopt the main advantage of an automatic transmission (driving comfort), at least the one-clutch transmission we are considering.
Let's see how the mechanics are doing and whether the robot has adopted all its advantages.
Robot and manual transmission
Now let's compare the robot with a manual transmission.
| Parameter | Robot | MKPP |
|---|---|---|
| Box cost and maintenance | Expensive | Cheaper |
| Jerks when shifting gears | Less | Больше |
| Fuel consumption | A little less | A little more |
| Clutch life (depends on the specific model) | Больше | Less |
| Reliability | Less | Больше |
| Comfort | Больше | Less |
| Design | More difficult | Easier |
What conclusion can be drawn here? The robot is more comfortable than mechanics, a little more economical, but the cost of the box itself will be more expensive. The manual transmission still remains more reliable than the robot. Of course, the automatic machine is inferior to the robot here, but, on the other hand, it is still unknown how the robotic transmission will behave in difficult road conditions - which cannot be said about the mechanics.
To sum up
The robotic gearbox undoubtedly claims to be one of the best types of transmissions. Comfort, efficiency and reliability are the three main indicators that any gearbox should have. The idea of combining all these characteristics in one box will allow the driver to enjoy a comfortable ride and not worry about the car letting down in unpredictable situations. To achieve this, it is necessary to work on improving the robotic transmission, since at the moment it is still far from perfect.
