A VERIFIED AND VALIDATED MODEL FOR SIMULATION-DRIVEN DESIGN OF HEAVY DUTY TRUCK SYNCHRONIZERS

The strong market trend toward lower fuel consumption for heavy road transports requires more frequent gear shifting and increased gear shift performance, i.e. shorter shift time. Increased shift performance means higher loads for the synchronizer which brings component and shifting process optimization more into focus. Traditionally, synchronizer development has relied on physical testing of complete synchronizers in general gearbox test rigs or in specialized synchronization test rigs leaving much of the causes of the observed effects unclear. This paper presents a generalized FE-based thermomechanical simulation model to be used for model-based synchronizer analysis and design. The model is targeted for studies of how different external loads and the values of different synchronizer design parameters affect the temperature transient in the friction lining. Recommendations of how major modeling complications should be treated are presented. The developed simulation model is verified and validated with a combination of analytical means and transient temperature measurements of bulk and surface temperatures. The applicability of the presented model, as well as its limitations, are discussed and exemplified with different design cases.