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SSP 20 Automatic Gearbox Fundamentals PDF
SSP 20 Automatic Gearbox Fundamentals PDF
SSP 20 Automatic Gearbox Fundamentals PDF
- Fundamentals -
The operating principle of an automatic gearbox is basically the same in all passenger
cars. They vary in design details depending on how they are installed and on the power
output of the engine.
This self study programme is intended to impart to you the basic design of an automatic
gearbox and the operation of certain components. The components presented apply
in the vast majority of cases to all automatic gearboxes or are identical to those used
in gearbox 01M fitted to the OCTAVIA.
2
Contents
Power Conversion 4
General Design 7
Torque Converter 16
Lock-up Clutch 18
Shift Elements 23
Multi-disc clutch 23
Multi-disc brakes 24
Band brakes 24
Freewheel 26
Gearbox Control 27
System overview of an automatic gearbox 28
Emergency programme/Self-diagnosis 30
Hydraulic System 31
Hydraulic fluid circuit/hydraulic fluid pump 31
Hydraulic shift control unit 32
Diagram of hydraulic system 33
Pressures in the hydraulic system 34
Hydraulic shift elements 36
3
Power Conversion
to 7000 rpm).
Tractive force at driven
4
The manual gearbox
n
the gearbox output.
The torque gain is obtained, however, by a loss in
n
rotational speed.
The engine power is not altered as a result of the
gearbox.
M Output = M Input i
Important:
When starting off and shifting gears in a car fitted with a manual gearbox,
the power flow from the engine to the gearbox has to be interrupted.
As you know, it is not possible to shift gears when the engine is operating SP18-22
under load.
This requires a special mechanical device - the clutch.
When engaged, the clutch transmits the engine torque to the gearbox and
the driven wheels and, when disengaged, it interrupts the power flow.
5
Power Conversion
Today's manual gearboxes do admittedly reflect the state of the art ...........
There has been a considerable improvement in the operation of manual gearboxes in recent years:
Clutches, too, have also undergone numerous improvements, in particular in respect of reducing the
pedal forces required.
How a clutch and gearbox for modern cars are designed and operate is described in
Self Study Programme 18.
But ............
If a car is driven a distance of 10,000 km - as test runs have revealed - the clutch pedal is moved
about 30,000 to 40,000 times.
And the gears are shifted manually with the gearshift lever just as often.
It's therefore no surprise at all that opinions vary considerably when it comes to a manual gearbox.
SP20-13
that is why, have the work done for your automatic gearbox!
SP20-14
Nevertheless, there were a great many prejudices to overcome in the course of developing automatic
gearboxes.
They were considered as "weak" and "not sporty".
Nowadays, thanks to computer technology in the car with electronic shift programmes and determina-
tion of the shift point using fuzzy logic, such arguments no longer hold true.
6
General Design
The differences
What are the differences between a car fitted with a manual gearbox and a car fitted with an
automatic gearbox?
SP15-19 SP15-18
Driver involved in shifting gears. More relaxed driving, sensors detect the driving
Eyes and ears sense the driving situation. resistances. Electronic gearbox control proc-
esses information for selecting a gear which is
engaged by hydraulic shift elements.
The power flow is interrupted during a gearshift. Automatic gearboxes operate without any inter-
As a rule, the car moves without power for 1 to 2 ruption to the power flow and therefore acceler-
seconds during a gearshift (depends on driver). ate continuously.
When it comes to acceleration performance, they
are the equal of a manual gearbox.
Increased physical demand on the driver, full Driving comfort is enhanced, stress is reduced,
concentration on driving situations. overall safety is improved.
7
General Design
starting off
selecting the transmission ratio
engaging the selected gear automatically.
Automatic gearbox
- Main components -
Torque converter
For starting off, for increasing torque and
minimizing vibrations
Planetary gear
For mechanically forming the ratios/gears
Shift elements
hydraulic pressure-operated multi-disc clutches and brakes
(assigned to the individual elements of the planetary gear train)
for carrying out the gear change
Freewheels
For optimizing the engagement of load with
the shift elements
Gearbox control
(electronic/hydraulic) based on shift programmes
Oil pump
For supplying the shift elements, the torque converter
and for lubricating the gearbox
8
Determining Shift Point
When it comes to carrying out the automatic gearshifts, in other words converting the torque in line with
the driving situations which exist, what is of interest in addition to the purely mechanical gearbox design
(planetary gear), are the following three questions.
1. How does the automatic gearbox control detect adaptive shift curve
when a gearshift should be made?
2. Who supplies this information to the control unit? sensors
Let's look in this connection at the system functions for an automatic gearbox, as exist also in the
SKODA OCTAVIA.
Sensors Actuators
Accelerator pedal Gear selection
position valve
Torque converter
Vehicle speed
lock-up valve
Self-diagnosis
Kickdown switch Air conditioning
The shift logic is computed through digitally by a microprocessor in the control unit.
The electronic gearbox control constantly repeats the detection of the sensor signals, calculates the
shift decision and transmits it to the actuators. This cycle is completed in 20 ms.
9
Determining Shift Point
- a sporty
- and an economic programme
Sport
ECO 34
A separate switch on the selector lever pro- 34
vided the driver with the possibility of
43
selecting one or the other shift characteris-
43
Vehicle speed
10
Adaptive characteristics Modern electronic gearbox controls - as is also the case for the
01M gearbox in the SKODA OCTAVIA, calculate a shift in the
characteristic line from a large variety of information which con-
stantly describes the current operating and driving situation.
The driving resistance-based shift programme recognizes driving resistances such as climbing or
descending a hill, towing a trailer and driving into the wind.
The control unit calculates the driving resistance on the basis of the speed of the car, the position of the
throttle valve, the engine speed and the acceleration of the car, and uses this as a basis for specifying the
shift points.
The calculation of the gearshift point based on the driver's style and driving situation is conducted using the fuzzy
logic principle
ECO
% 100 %
1 Sporty factor
90
80
70
60
50 Sport
40
30
20
10
0 0
Sporty factor Accelerator pedal speed
SP20-11
With the speed at which the driver operates the accelerator pedal,
he produces a sporty factor which is determined by the fuzzy logic.
This sporty factor is used to determine a floating gearshift point
between a shift point design oriented more to good fuel economy
or more toward performance.
It is thus possible to have any number of shift points between the
"ECO" and the "SPORT" shift characteristic.
It is thus possible to react much more responsively to the individual
driver's wishes.
11
Determining Shift Point
Classical division
Switching states
80 C
hot 1
1 Yes
Switch
closed
or
0 No
cold 0
0 C Switch
Temperature open
SSP172/107
12
It is often necessary to take decisions which come somewhere between these rigid statements of "hot"
and "cold".
Fuzzy logic makes allowance for an intentional out-of-focus (fuzziness) which does not operate with two
values but with result quantities.
What we then have is an infinite variety of intermediate values such as "almost cold", "cool", "lukewarm"
or "too warm".
hot 1 80 C
almost hot
too warm
warm
lukewarm
cool
almost cold
cold 0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 C
SP20-10
The upper limit of "hot" and the lower limit of "cold", as well as all the intermediate levels,
are assigned to precise temperatures.
Consequently, at 19C,
lukewarm 88% of the entire area is assigned to blue = cold and
12% of the entire area is assigned to red = hot.
19 C
The fuzzy logic recognizes "lukewarm".
hot
SP20-9
13
Automatic Transmission Fluid
It has to
That is why the mineral base oil for automatic gearboxes is provided
with a number of additives to enable and to perform all these tasks
no matter the conditions which exist. In particular, the viscosity
index is improved in order to ensure uniform viscosity over the entire
temperature range.
Standards which have been compiled for this purpose by General
Motors (ATF Dexron) and Ford (ATF Mercon) are recognized world-
wide.
Note:
Use only the automatic transmission fluid ap-
proved by the vehicle manufacturer.
Additive
14
ATF level/ATF temperature
ATF level
Service
Inspect ATF level and
adjust, if necessary
Even if the temperature is exceeded by a Pay particular attention to the inspection tem-
small amount this can result in changes to perature of the ATF if adjusting the ATF to
the ATF level. The expansion of the ATF the correct level.
takes place not in the oil passages but
occurs in the oil pan. The inspection temperature should be meas-
In particular, the heating up of the ATF in ured with the diagnostic tester and set to the
the torque converter forces it into the oil specified temperature.
pan.
When inspecting the ATF level, proceed as
An excessive ATF level results in foaming stated in the current Workshop Manual for
and in ATF flowing out of the overflow. the relevant gearbox.
16
Torque increase
In the torque conversion phase, the torque con-
verter converts the reduction of rotational speed
into an increase in torque.
Pump wheel
At the moment the vehicle starts off, only the pump
Turbine wheel rotates initially. The turbine is stationary. The
wheel difference in speed - known as slip - is 100 %.
Slip is reduced to the extent that the ATF passes
the hydrodynamic energy to the turbine wheel.
Pump speed and turbine speed move closer
together.
Hence: The torque converter operates in the slip range as a hydraulic gearbox with a variable
ratio.
17
Lock-up Clutch
Torque converter lock-up clutch - a Why is the torque converter locked up?
mechanical clutch
Once the clutch phase is reached, in other
words the torque ratio is 1:1, the torque con-
Lock-up
verter operates with relatively high losses.
clutch
The efficiency as a rule is around 85 %, and may
even be as much as 97 % in the case of high-
performance engines which operate at high
speeds.
18
Planetary Gear Systems
The gear change - manual gearbox A gear change in the manual gearbox proceeds as
follows, as most of you will be aware:
The gear change - automatic gearbox There is no possibility in the case of an automatic
gear change for any interruption to the power flow,
which is what we wish from an automatic gearbox.
2 a central gear
the sun wheel - 1 -
several planet gears (three to six) - 2 -
the planet carrier - 3 -
3 an external internally-toothed
hollow gear - 4 -
19
Planetary Gear Systems
20
It is possible to form additional transmission ratio versions from a combination of driving and braking
(holding fixed) parts
Hollow gear
The parts of the planetary gear set therefore
Planet gears with planet carrier
have to be braked or driven from outside.
Sun wheel Turbine shaft
If this is to operate properly, all the shafts of the
parts in question have to be led to the outside
and connected to countershafts.
21
Planetary Gear Systems
Several planet gear sets are positioned one The different combinations and technical standard
after the other for an automatic gearbox in a designs are named after their inventors.
vehicle. It is then possible to combine the
required gearbox steps from this combination.
Simpson gearbox
consists of 2 planet gear sets with a common sun
wheel.
The planet carrier of the one set, the hollow gear of
the other and the input shaft are permanently con-
nected to each other.
The forward gears are each driven through the hol-
low gears.
This design was often used in the age of three-
speed automatic gearboxes.
Ravigneaux gearbox
consists of 2 planet gear sets with a common planet
carrier.
This design is similar to that used in the 01M auto-
matic gearbox of the SKODA OCTAVIA.
SP20-19
22
Shift Elements
Multi-disc clutch
Each gear features at least one shift element
which creates the power flow by means of fric- Externally-toothed disc, positively
tion. connected to outer part
We also find the principle of multi-disc clutch in Disc carrier (clutch bell) for accommodating
the 01M automatic gearbox of the SKODA externally-toothed discs
OCTAVIA.
23
Shift Elements
Internally-
toothed disc
Band brakes
Rotating part
The band brake offers a further design possibility
of holding the elements of a planet set fixed.
SP20-26
24
Overlap
p = Pressure
p t = Time
Pn = Negative overlap
= Positive overlap
In addition to zero overlap, there are also negative and positive overlaps which are applied specifically for
certain operating states.
Negative overlap Positive overlap
Engaging shift element accepts too late. Engaging shift element accepts too early.
(In other words the pressure reduction of the first (In other words the pressure reduction at the dis-
shift element is too early in the case of a power engaging shift element is too late in the case of a
upshift/braking downshift power upshift/braking downshift
or or
the pressure increase of the engaging shift ele- the pressure increase of the engaging shift ele-
ment is too late during a power downshift/over- ment is too soon during a power downshift/over-
run upshift. run upshift. The result is a brief blocking of the
When the engine is operating under load, engine gearbox and thus a drop in torque.
speed rises as a result of the separation. This can be advantageous if the engine has to
In overrun engine speed drops off). be reduced from a high to a lower speed).
25
Shift Elements
Freewheel
The overlap control can be simplified by provid- When the vehicle is operating in overrun, the
ing the assistance of freewheels. power flow is reversed.
The freewheel transmits a torque only in one The freewheel would open as a result and not
direction. permit any engine braking action (in a same way
It rotates freely in the opposite direction. as the freewheel of a bike).
It is used in order to simplify the technical design That is why brakes or clutches are operated in
of a shift mechanism without any interruption to parallel to the freewheel.
tractive force.
It permits exact shift transition without any partic-
ular requirements regarding the control of the
engaging shift element.
Roller freewheel
SP20-29
26
Gearbox Control
To simplify matters, we can say that four components are involved in the control logic and execution of a
modern automatic gearbox
Operating states
Automatic gearbox
Operating states are responsible for producing the control pressures and the shift
travel.
Hydraulics are responsible for producing the control pressures and the shift
travel.
In the course of the development of electronics in vehicle engineering most of these components have
been replaced by corresponding electronic ones.
The hydraulic gearbox control has been transformed into the electronic gearbox control.
Exceptions
The main positions of the selector lever - P - R - N - D - continue to be passed in addition mechanically
by the selector lever to the selector slide valve in the hydraulic shift control unit, as before.
This ensures that the automatic gearbox can continue to operate even if the electronic control unit fails.
27
Gearbox Control
Vehicle speed
Selector lever lock
Engine speed
Starter lockout
Reversing light
Position detection
AC cut-off
ATF temperature
SP20-30
The control unit determines the shift logic with permanent computer operations.
It uses these as a basis for actuating the control elements of the electronic gearbox control, the most
important of these being the solenoid valves which are located in the hydraulic shift control unit of
the gearbox.
The advantages of the electronic gearbox control compared to conventional hydraulic systems:
The effects of wear and tear can be compensated for by adaptive pressure control.
Faults which occur can be bypassed to a certain extent to ensure that the vehicle
continues to operate.
Faults which occur are stored in the fault memory for the Service sector.
The functions of the sensors and actuators of an automatic gearbox control are described in detail in
Self Study Programme 21, Automatic Gearbox 01M.
28
Communication with other vehicle systems
The electronic gearbox control is not a system which operates in isolation. It communicates with other
electronic systems in the vehicle in order to minimise the number of sensors, optimise smooth gear-
shifts and enhance road safety.
29
Gearbox Control
Emergency programme/Self-diagnosis
The electronic gearbox control features strategies in the
event of signal failures = emergency programme.
Example:
The ATF temperature is detected by means of a tempera- 4
1
5
2
6
3
ture sensor. C
7
O
8
Q
9
HELP
V.A.G. 1552
If the sensor fails, an empirical value of "warm gearbox
70C" can be used.
The signal supplied by the engine coolant temperature sen-
sor can also be used as a substitute.
A sporadic fault occurs only for a short time and then dis- Note:
appears again. When carrying out service
Various strategies are used depending on the type of fault: work on an automatic
Control remains in emergency mode even if fault gearbox, therefore, al-
does not occur again, ways read the fault memo-
Control returns to normal mode if fault no longer ry first of all before
occurs during several start operations. carrying out any further
The information remains stored in the fault memory, how- operations.
ever.
Emergency running
30
Hydraulic System
31
Hydraulic System
SP20-33
32
Diagram of hydraulic system
The hydraulic diagram is a simplified detail from the
hydraulic plan of an automatic gearbox.
Shift elements
We can use this diagram to explain the complicated
hydraulic control labyrinth.
Two shift elements are shown. Depending on the design
of a gearbox, this may be six to eight friction elements
(clutches and brakes) in a modern four-speed gearbox.
Shift pressure
Shift valve
Shift pressure stabilised
33
Hydraulic System
Working pressure
Shift element
Shift valve pressure Shift valve
Control valve pressure
Shift solenoid valve
The shift valve pressure is set to 3 - 8 bar by
means of a pressure control valve.
Pressure control
It supplies the electrically controlled shift solenoid
valve
valves.
Important!
Shift solenoid valves use the shift valve pressure
to control downstream shift valves, which in turn
control the shift elements (refer also to shift exam-
ple).
34
Modulating pressure
Shift pressure
Lubrication pressure
SP20-44
35
Hydraulic System
36
Example of operation of shift solenoid valve The example of the operation is intended to
and shift valve - block diagram clearly show us that the working pressure is not
supplied to a shift element through the solenoid
valve.
Off position
The shift solenoid valve is not actuated. No con-
A trol pressure (shift valve pressure) exists at the
X
Off position shift valve.
The zero outlet is open.
O P
Working position
The shift solenoid valve is actuated by the elec-
tronic control unit of the automatic gearbox, it is
A operated electrically.
X
Working position The solenoid valve attracts a valve plunger and
opens the passage for the flow of the shift valve
pressure to the shift valve.
O P
Working pressure The piston (slide) in the shift valve is now moved
hydraulically.
Consequently, the zero outlet is shut off, the con-
nection for the working pressure is opened.
The working pressure now acts fully on the shift
Shift valve pressure
SP20-35 element (clutch or brake, depending on the con-
trol logic).
SP20-42
37
Test Your Knowledge
?
Please complete these points ......................
?
1. In a manually shifted gearbox it is the mechanical
clutch which transmits the engine torque to the
gearbox.
In an automatic gearbox this function is performed by the
.........................................
5. The shift points are determined by the electronic gearbox control in a conventional way using two
parameters.
These are .......................... and .....................
A. Transmitting forces
B. Performing the synchromesh work
C. Storing heat
D. Performing gearshifts
38
7. Which statement is correct?
8. Which valve passes the working pressure of ....... bar to the shift elements?
?
C. The shift valve
7. B; 8. approx. 25, C; 9. Page 33; 10. Diagnostic capability, to interrogate the fault memory; 11. C.
4. Planetary gear, C; 5. Road speed, accelerator pedal position; 6. ATF;B,C;
1. Torque converter; 2. B;C; 3. Planetary gear
Answers:
39