Seoul 2000 FISITA World Automotive Congress June 12-15, 2000, Seoul, Korea

F2000A125

Finite Element Analysis and Optimal Design of Automobile Clutch Diaphragm Spring
Wook-hee NAM1) * Choon-yeol LEE2) Young S. CHAI3) Jae-do KWON4)
1)

VALEO-Pyeonghwa Co., Ltd. KOREA 2-4) YEUNGNAM University, KOREA

A diaphragm spring is an important component of a clutch assembly, characteristic of which depends largely on that of a diaphragm spring. A diaphragm spring is subject to high stress concentration in driving condition, which frequently causes cracks and fracture around finger area. In this paper, behavior of a diaphragm spring is analyzed by finite element method to calculate sensitivity of design parameters, which is used to perform optimal design of diaphragm spring shape. As an object function, tangential stresses are taken and minimized to improve durability. Characteristics of the diaphragm is used as equality constraint to maintain the original design purpose and sequential linear programming(SLP) is utilized as an optimization tool. With optimized design, it is verified that concentrated stress is decreased maintaining release load characteristic. Keywords: Clutch, Diaphragm Spring, Finite Element Method, Optimal Design decided the characteristic of clamp load and release load firstly. It is calculated from the shape of diaphragm spring, pressure plate and cover plate. Also, it is decided the size of clutch disc and cover using its material property. It is very difficult to design the diaphragm spring due to decide its shape, dimension, material, method of machining, heat treatment, durability characteristic. An automobile clutch transfer high torque with friction. For this reason, it happen deterioration, fatigue phenomenon and crack due to heat load, heat fatigue, dynamic load in result of friction among flywheel, clutch disc and pressure plate. It is important to reduce clutch life time due to those reason. A stress characteristic of diaphragm spring according to operation of release bearing and wear of the clutch disc with repeated use on a car during life time. The principle purpose of this paper is develop a basic data to optimize of clutch diaphragm spring from result of dynamic analysis by clutch engagement and disengagement. Also, it is researched to increase of clutch reliability and life time by optimization design for diaphragm springs shape and dimension. A diaphragm spring has nonlinear behavior between force and displacement and maximum stress is acted upper and bottom edge as hoop stress. The theoretical analysis of simple disc spring without finger is done by Almen and Laszlo. For disc spring of taped section, it is done by Brecht and Wahl. A theoretical design of diaphragm spring is based on very simple shape. So, each clutch maker use as modified formula. In this paper, it is calculated release load characteristic and tangential stress characteristic of clutch diaphragm spring using finite element method instead of a modified theoretical formula. From a relation between forcedisplacement characteristic and stress characteristic of diaphragm spring, it is calculated a variable range of release load and tangential stress according to design parameter. This design parameter is decided the shape of diaphragm spring. Design optimization is acted by sensitivity , which is based on design parameter. A control condition is constant characteristic of clutch pedal effort and release load, because these value is defined by car 1

INTRODUCTION
A composition of friction clutch which used on manual transmission are clutch cover, clutch disc and release bearing. A diaphragm spring of clutch cover is connected with cover plate and pressure plate. A diaphragm spring load push pressure plate and clutch disc by clutch pedal. The rotation power of engine is transferred from flywheel, which is connected with crankshaft to transmission throw clutch disc, located between flywheel and pressure plate. When push clutch pedal by driver, release bearing push diaphragm spring and then it is lifted the pressure plate toward vertical-axle direction. When design clutch, it is

Fig. 1 A layout of an automobile clutch

* Corresponding author. e-mail: Wookhee@yahoo.com

maker. The object function is tangential stress at each point of a diaphragm spring. An analysis of design optimization is used sequential linear programming.

contact position between release bearing and diaphragm spring depend on clutch pedal effort.

2. F.E.M. OF DIAPHRAGM SPRING 2.1 FINITE ELEMENT MODELING

Figure 4. A condition of tangential stress A condition of displacement is from free state, which is no clutch pedal effort, to pull clutch pedal stroke like figure 4. The tangential stress are more effect on the end of top and bottom of top position, when a diaphragm operate. To optimize the tangential stress at the end of diaphragm spring, it is acted the optimized design. The mechanical properties of the diaphragm spring, 50CrV4, are 206 kN/mm2 youngs module, 0.3 of poission ratio.

2.2 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

It is calculated finite element analysis to get the characteristic of diaphragm spring. When push clutch pedal, the release load characteristic by release bearing and diaphragm spring displacement are approximately 3th dimension function, like figure 5.

Figure 2. Finger tip and coining shape of Diaphragm

Figure 2 shows the shape of top view, side view, coining, finger tip in diaphragm spring. The structure of diaphragm spring is thin plate, cone and coning shape. The coining shape is axial symmetric. It is calculated a finger of the diaphragm spring due to symmetric shape, likes figure 3. The condition of analysis are 8 node, shell element, displacement of -direction except diaphragm finger .

Figure 5. Variation of Release Load with respect to the /H

Moment Mr, Mz of r, z direction, displacement of zdirection, contact position of diaphragm spring and pressure plate peak is fixed. The release load push the

When push clutch pedal, release bearing load transfer to diaphragm spring. A pressure plate lift toward axial direction by diaphragm spring and strap plate. At this time, a engine power do not transfer to transmission. A driver feel pedal effort very sensitive during clutch engagement

and disengagement time. A diaphragm spring should be satisfied these severe condition. Figure 6 shows a tangential stress with respect to between deflection and height in the bottom surface edges P2 and P3.

happened concentrated stress on coining portion. These phenomenon are the same on the car. To avoid a failure and increase life time of diaphragm spring, the stress are needed to minimize. In this paper, it is optimized design using tangential stress P1, P2, P3, P4 as object function.

3. SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS AND OPTIMIZATION DESIGN 3.1 SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS ACCORDING DESIGN PARAMETER
To optimize diaphragm spring, it is done sensitivity analysis firstly. The design parameter are like figure 10 to optimize design.

Figure 6. Variation of tangential stress with respect to the /H in the bottom surface edges

Figure 8. Variation of tangential stress with respect to the /H in the top surface edges

Figure 7. Distribution of tangential Stress in the bottom surface at the /H = 1 (N/mm2)

Figure 7 shows a distribution of tangential stress in the bottom surface at flat state. Figure 8 shows a variation of tangential stress with respect to displacement and height in the top surface edges. Figure 9 shows a distribution of tangential stress in the top surface at the setting state, when install on the flywheel. On figure 6 and 7, a compressed stress is acted inside of diaphragm spring, a tensional stress is acted out side of diaphragm spring and it is 3

Figure 9. Distribution of tangential Stress in the top surface at the /H = 1 (N/mm2 )

The changeable design value are within 10% and is taken inequality constraint.

1.t min t t max 2. min max 3.N min N N max 4.R2 min R R2 max 5.R7 min R7 R7 max
Where, t is a thickness of Diaphragm Spring is angle of Diaphragm Spring N is number of finger R2 is contact position with Release bearing R7 is peak position of pressure plate 2 is half width of Slot hole R5 is inner diameter of Diaphragm Spring The optimized design value used sequential linear programming are like that. 1. t = 2.4mm To get release load characteristic as used constrain condition and variation value of tangential stress as used object function, it is calculated release load and tangential stress at point of P1, P2, P3, P4. The variable of design parameter are within 5%. 2. Alpha = 10.85 deg. 3. N = 18 4. R2 = 29mm

6.R5 min R5 R5 max 7. 2 min 2 2 max

3.3 RESULT OF OPTIMIZATION DESIGN AT DIAPHRAGM SPRING

3.2 DESIGN OPTIMIZATION USING SEQUENTIAL LINEAR PROGRAMMING

A characteristic of diaphragm spring is non linear. On the design optimization of non linear, the sensitivity calculation is very difficult to solve not theoretical formula but finite element method, also is not actual due to astringency problem. It is calculated release load and tangential stress at point of P1, P2, P3, P4 using taylor expansion.

5. R7 = 96mm 6. R5 = 78.5mm 7. Delta2=6.5mm To verify the effect of design optimization used sequential linear programming, it is calculated the release load and tangential stress at point of P1, P2, P3, P4 using finite element method. Figure 11 shows nearly constant a variation of release load between optimized result and unoptimized result. Figure 12 and 13 show that the absolute value of tangential stress is decreased in the bottom and top surface edges. The release load is constant and tangential stress is decrease. Figure 14 and 15 show distribution of tangential stress in the bottom and top surface at setting state.

f = fo + h = ho +

f o f dt + o d + ...... t ho h dt + o d + ...... t

4. CONCLUSION
In this paper, it is calculated finite element analysis and decided design parameter. By the result, it is calculated a variable of release load characteristic and tangential stress using finite element method and sensitivity. After design optimization, the release load characteristic is constant and tangential stress is decrease at point of bottom and top position. By design optimization, it can be find the best condition to avoid fracture and extend life time.

REFERENCES
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