Friction Torque Parameters Evaluation Applying Design of Experiments Methodology

Each year more strict laws and regulations concern the environmental impact of green house gases of general vehicles. Hence, any step taken towards a systemic efficiency increase of internal combustion engines and power-trains revels great a deal of emission reduction downstream the fuel consumption chain. Most of such mechanical systems depend on friction reduction elements, such as special low-friction coats and rolling element bearings, even so there is still some power loss on these components. In order to reduce such losses due to friction, in other words increasing the component's efficiency, this work applies the Design of Experiments -DoE methodology along with the frictional torque simulation in an automotive application to asses the effects of the variables and its interactions involved in the friction torque theory. For simulation studies a Response Surface Design is generated and Box-Behnken Design is carried out. Based on the results an optimal level of factors is found for the friction torque reduction.