The clutch is a mechanical device that connects and disconnects engine power to the drivetrain through the clutch disc and cover assemblies. The disc, with friction material linings is mounted on the transmission shaft, transmits power when clamped between the flywheel and cover assembly. During operation, wear occurs due to speed differences and slippage between the engine and transmission. Clutch performance is evaluated under repeat restart conditions on steep gradients to assess thermal durability and reliability in commercial vehicles. The repeat restart test on a 12% gradient replicates truck launches under full load, where excessive slippage generates heat that may lead to friction material wear or failure if critical temperature limits are exceeded.
To address the high cost and time of physical testing, a 1D thermal simulation was developed using GT Suite. The model replicates 90 repeat vehicle launches on a 12% gradient in first gear, integrating driver inputs and drive cycles to predict clutch housing air temperatures. The simulation shows a 95% correlation with test data, validating its accuracy and reliability. This virtual approach enables early-stage design validation and optimization of parameters influencing heat generation and thermal degradation, minimizing dependence on physical trials and reducing development time.
Applied to heavy commercial vehicles, this methodology supports design of experiments for drivetrain parameter analysis, guiding optimal configurations that minimize thermal stress. The adoption of GT Suite as a digital validation tool improves product development efficiency, lowers warranty costs, and enhances product quality. It provides a strategic advantage in competitive markets through faster, data-driven decision-making and enables more reliable and robust clutch design in early development stages.