Research Topic

Project Description

Failures of multi-plate clutches must be reliably prevented due to the often safety-relevant functions they perform in drivelines. The results from the previous projects have shown the parameters influencing the damage behavior of wet-running multi-plate clutches with internal lubrication. Based on these findings, the performance limits of dip-lubricated multi-plate clutches are to be determined. The investigations of the damage behavior will be carried out on component test rigs since the damage mechanisms of dip-lubricated clutches can only be determined experimentally. The test and evaluation methodology developed in the previous project and newly developed characteristic values will be applied and further developed. The parameters influencing the performance limits, such as loads (pressure, differential speed, mass inertia), grooves (waffle groove, radial groove, spiral groove, sunburst), oil level (mean friction surface diameter, friction surface inside diameter), and operating mode (load shifting, continuous slip) are evaluated on complete clutch assemblies under operating parameters relevant to practice and under realistic installation situations. The experimental results are then transferred into damage limit curves and design recommendations for the damage-free operation of dip-lubricated multi-plate clutches. Thus, the scientific results can be made available to the industry in a manageable way and quickly find their way into the market. An extensive parameter space and a high number of experimental tests ensure the applicability of the damage limit curves and the design recommendations for the industrial user. This enables an optimization of the friction systems with regard to load carrying capacity already in the early development process. This means considerable cost and also time savings for the mostly small and medium-sized companies.