Holistic Measurement of the Friction Behavior of Wet Clutches

Abstract

The safe and efficient torque transmission of wet disk clutch systems requires high coefficients of friction. To achieve good controllability and high comfort, a positive slope of the coefficient of friction over sliding velocity is ensured by a reasonable formulation of the lubricant and choice of the friction pairing. This results in low transmittable torque at low sliding velocities. Thus, the occurrence of unwanted micro-slip in dynamic operation modes must be considered for the design of safety-relevant clutch systems. This work presents a methodology for the holistic measurement of the friction behavior of wet disk clutches. It is suitable for numerous applications and supports a sound understanding of frictional properties in the range of sliding velocities occurring in brake shifts through forced slip operation down to static torque transmission. The experimental determination of the holistic friction behavior is crucial for developing optimized design guidelines for modern clutch systems.