Mircea Gradu

Highly Responsive Mechatronic Differential for Maximizing Safety and Driver Benefits of Adaptive Control Strategies

Sophisticated AWD technologies start to significantly penetrate the passenger car and crossover SUV market segments, aiming to enhance safety and fun-to-drive, rather than only focusing on the traction characteristics of the vehicle. This paper introduces a new active differential concept, which takes advantage simultaneously of a very comprehensive vehicle dynamics control software strategy and of advanced hardware capable to provide outstanding torque modulation characteristics. The differential assembly developed by Timken Automotive consists of magnetic particle clutches, mounted in a quasi-static torque split arrangement with planetary gear sets. This new mechatronic module offers simultaneously good power and torque density, which makes it suitable in particular for front wheel drive based vehicle platforms converted to all wheel drive configurations. A major advantage is the fact that the torque transfer characteristic does not depend on the input-output relative speed. Also, the differential actuation is purely electrical, allowing a high flexibility for the control algorithms. The paper presents a of the mechatronic module development process, its integration in the vehicle demonstrator and the test results validating its superior performance.

Mechatronic differential enhances safety and driving pleasure

Automotive analysts agree that all-wheel drive (AWD) systems, although introduced as a niche product, will gain in popularity in the future. Consumers’ interests, which are shifting to safety, handling and performance, result in a need for unique drivetrain configurations. The Timken Company has created a torque-bias coupling that enhances safety, vehicle dynamics, traction and overall handling in AWD passenger vehicles.

Tapered roller bearings for automotive driveline and transmission applications

This paper focuses on the performance enhancement of tapered roller bearings in automotive axle and transmission applications. It also provides an objective comparison, based on test results, with alternative ball bearing arrangements. The influence of different design parameters is quantified in the analytical and experimental investigation. The bearing power loss is calculated and measured for operating conditions that are relevant in a vehicle fuel economy cycle.

Kegelrollenlager für Anwendungen in Antriebsstrang und Getriebe

Dieser Beitrag von Timken Automotive beschaftigt sich mit der Leistungssteigerung von Kegelrollenlagern in Achs- und Getriebeanwendungen. Basierend auf Testergebnissen bietet er auch einen Vergleich mit alternativen Kugellageranwendungen. Der Einfluss verschiedener Konstruktionsparameter wird in der analytischen und experimentellen Untersuchung quantifiziert. Die Lagerverlustleistung ist fur Betriebsbedingungen berechnet und gemessen, die fur den Kraftstoffverbrauch in Fahrzeugen relevant sind.