ep

February 11, 2020

All of the transmissions available in the market today is continuing to grow exponentially in the last 15 years, all while increasing in complexity. The effect can be that we are actually coping with a varied number of tranny types including manual, standard automatic, automated manual, dual clutch, constantly adjustable, split power and pure EV.
Until very recently, automotive vehicle producers largely had two types of transmission to pick from: planetary automatic with torque converter or conventional manual. Today, however, the volume of choices available demonstrates the changes seen over the industry.

This is also illustrated by the many various kinds of vehicles now being produced for the market. And not just conventional automobiles, but also all electrical and hybrid vehicles, with each type requiring different driveline architectures.

The traditional development process involved designing a transmission in isolation from the engine and all of those other powertrain and vehicle. Nevertheless, that is changing, with the limitations and complications of the method becoming more widely recognized, and the constant drive among manufacturers and designers to deliver optimal efficiency at reduced weight and cost.

New powertrains feature close integration of elements like the prime mover, recovery systems and the gearbox, and in addition rely on highly sophisticated control systems. That is to make certain that the best degree of efficiency and performance is delivered at all times. Manufacturers are under improved pressure to create powertrains that are completely new, different from and much better than the last version-a proposition that’s made more technical by the necessity to integrate brand components, differentiate within the market and do everything on a shorter timescale. Engineering teams are on deadline, and the development process needs to be better and fast-paced than previously.
Until now, the use of computer-aided engineering (CAE) has been the most typical way to develop drivelines. This process involves components and subsystems designed in isolation by silos within the organization that lean toward verified component-level analysis equipment. While these are highly advanced equipment that allow users to extract very reliable and accurate data, they remain presenting data that’s collected without account of the whole system.

Required more regarding driveline gearboxes? See our website now!