AUTOMATIC

GEAR TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

What is transmission?

The transmission is a device that is connected to the back of the engine and
sends the power from engine to drive wheels.
Purpose of the transmission is to provide high torque at the time of starting
engine, hill climbing & accelerating.

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Introduction:-

Variety of controllers have been developed to improve driving as well as

operating conditions of vehicles, such as to provide smooth throttle
movement, zero steady state speed error, good speed tracking over rod
slopes, and robustness to system variation and operating conditions. The
complexity of the speed control algorithms has increased through the years
to meet the Growing demands on more stringent automotive performance
criteria. Only with the recent availability of inexpensive microprocessors
more sophisticated control strategies have been implemented. The clutch-
less automatic gear transmission system utilizes a gearbox that automatically
changes the gear ratio, which allows the driver to simply select one gear to
move or park the vehicle. There are two main types of transmission in cars:
manual transmission and automatic transmission. The key difference
between a manual and an automatic transmission is that the manual
transmission locks and unlocks different sets of gears to the output shaft to
achieve the various gear ratios, while in an automatic transmission the same
set of gears produces all of the different but discrete gear ratios. The
planetary gear set is the device that makes this possible in an automatic
transmission. Manual transmissions can be very tiring to drive in heavy stop
and-go traffic. It has the problem of Worn or slipping clutches. In cold
weather manual transmissions can become sluggish and hard to shift. Also in
the beginning can be difficult to learn.

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History:-

This technology was first developed in the early 1900s in Germany for use
in marine applications. The 1948 Oldsmobile was the first model to use a
true automatic transmission. The Hyrdo-Matic, developed by GM engineer,
Earl Thompson, was advertised as "The greatest advance since the self-
starter." The Hydro-Matic went through continual upgrading and refinements
through 1955. But, the basic design and theory used were consistent
throughout its remarkably long life span. Americans lead the way in
deploying automatics. Mercedes introduced their first automatic in 1962.
Rolls Royce's 1955 intro was with GM's Hydro-Matic. Daimler (then owned
by Jaguar) first used a BorgWarner 4-speed in 1962. Through the1980s
changes and advances occurred quickly.

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This image is a pictorial view of automatic gear transmission system

Types:-

There are two basic types of automatic transmissions based on whether the
vehicle is rear wheel drive or front wheel drive

1. Rear wheel:-On a rear wheel drive car, the transmission is usually

mounted to the back of the engine and is located under the hump in the
center of the floorboard alongside the gas pedal position. A drive shaft
connects the rear of the transmission to the final drive which is located in the
rear axle and is used to send power to the rear wheels. Power flow on this

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system is simple and straight forward going from the engine, through the
torque converter, then through the transmission and drive shaft until it
reaches the final drive where it is split and sent to the two rear wheels

2. Front wheel:-On a front wheel drive car, the transmission is usually

combined with the final drive to form what is called a transaxle. The engine
on a front wheel drive car is usually mounted sideways in the car with the
transaxle tucked under it on the side of the engine facing the rear of the car.
Front axles are connected directly to the transaxle and provide power to the
front wheels. In this example, power flows from the engine, through the
torque converter to a large chain that sends the power through a 180 degree
turn to the transmission that is along side the engine. From there, the power
is routed through the transmission to the final drive where it is split and sent
to the two front wheels through the drive axles

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Parts and operation:-
A hydraulic automatic transmission consists of the following parts:

Torque converter: A type of fluid coupling, hydraulically connecting the

engine to the transmission. It takes the place of a mechanical clutch,
allowing the transmission to stay in gear and the engine to remain running
while the vehicle is stationary, without stalling. A torque converter differs
from a fluid coupling, in that it provides a variable amount of torque
multiplication at low engine speeds, increasing breakaway acceleration. This
is accomplished with a third member in the coupling assembly known as the
stator, and by altering the shapes of the vanes inside the coupling in such a
way as to curve the fluid's path into the stator. The stator captures the kinetic
energy of the transmission fluid, in effect using the leftover force of it to
enhance torque multiplication.

Pump: Not to be confused with the impeller inside the torque converter, the
pump is typically a gear pump mounted between the torque converter and
the planetary gearset. It draws transmission fluid from a sump and
pressurizes it, which is needed for transmission components to operate. The
input for the pump is connected to the torque converter housing, which in
turn is bolted to the engine's flywheel, so the pump provides pressure

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whenever the engine is running and there is enough transmission fluid. Early
automatic transmissions also had a rear pump, allowing push-starting.

Planetary gearset: In an automatic transmission, however, the gears are

never physically moved and are always engaged to the same gears. This is
accomplished through the use of planetary gear sets.

The basic planetary gear set consists of a sun gear, a ring gear and two or
more planet gears, all remaining in constant mesh. The planet gears are
connected to each other through a common carrier which allows the gears to
spin on shafts called "pinions" which are attached to the carrier .

One example of a way that this system can be used is by connecting the ring
gear to the input shaft coming from the engine, connecting the planet carrier
to the output shaft, and locking the sun gear so that it can't move. In this
scenario, when we turn the ring gear, the planets will "walk" along the sun
gear (which is held stationary) causing the planet carrier to turn the output
shaft in the same direction as the input shaft but at a slower speed causing
gear reduction (similar to a car in first gear).

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If we unlock the sun gear and lock any two elements together, this will cause
all three elements to turn at the same speed so that the output shaft will turn
at the same rate of speed as the input shaft. This is like a car that is in third
or high gear

Clutches and bands: to effect gear changes, one of two types of clutches or
bands are used to hold a particular member of the planetary gearset
motionless, while allowing another member to rotate, thereby transmitting
torque and producing gear reductions or overdrive ratios. These clutches are
actuated by the valve body (see below), their sequence controlled by the
transmission's internal programming. Principally, a type of device known as
a sprag or roller clutch is used for routine upshifts/downshifts. Operating
much as a ratchet, it transmits torque only in one direction, free-wheeling or
"overrunning" in the other. The advantage of this type of clutch is that it
eliminates the sensitivity of timing a simultaneous clutch release/apply on
two planetaries, simply "taking up" the drivetrain load when actuated, and
releasing automatically when the next gear's sprag clutch assumes the torque
transfer. The bands come into play for manually selected gears, such as low
range or reverse, and operate on the planetary drum's circumference. Bands
are not applied when drive/overdrive range is selected, the torque being
transmitted by the sprag clutches instead. Bands are used for braking

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Valve body: hydraulic control center that receives pressurized fluid from the
main pump operated by the fluid coupling/torque converter. The pressure
coming from this pump is regulated and used to run a network of spring-
loaded valves, check balls and servo pistons. The valves use the pump
pressure and the pressure from a centrifugal governor on the output side (as
well as hydraulic signals from the range selector valves and the throttle
valve or modulator) to control which ratio is selected on the gearset; as the
vehicle and engine change speed, the difference between the pressures
changes, causing different sets of valves to open and close. The hydraulic
pressure controlled by these valves drives the various clutch and brake band
actuators, thereby controlling the operation of the planetary gearset to select
the optimum gear ratio for the current operating conditions. However, in
many modern automatic transmissions, the valves are controlled by electro-
mechanical servos which are controlled by the electronic engine control unit
(ECU) or a separate transmission control unit (TCU, also known as
transmission control module (TCM).

Hydraulic & lubricating oil: called automatic transmission fluid (ATF),

this component of the transmission provides lubrication, corrosion
prevention, and a hydraulic medium to convey mechanical power (for the
operation of the transmission). Primarily made from refined petroleum, and
processed to provide properties that promote smooth power transmission and

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increase service life, the ATF is one of the few parts of the automatic
transmission that needs routine service as the vehicle ages.

Application:-

It is mainly used in cars as a power transmitting system.

Advantages:-

*there is no clutch pedal in an automatic transmission car.

*Automatic Transmissions incorporate a lock-up clutch which provides a

direct mechanical connection from the engine to the transmission. This
maximizes fuel economy. Thus Automatic Transmission cars will always
provide better fuel economy than Manual Transmission cars.

*The Torque Converter: torque converter is the main component in fully

automatic transmission that provides many unique benefits such as
multiplication of the engine torque and reduced shock and strain on the
entire driveline. In Manual Transmission there is loss of momentum, power
and speed because the clutch separates the engine from the transmission at
every gear shift. IN Automatic transmission however, is more efficient
because the engine and transmission are always connected.

*Automatic Transmissions incorporate a lock-up clutch which provides a

direct mechanical connection from the engine to the transmission. This
maximizes fuel economy. Thus Automatic Transmission cars will always
provide better fuel economy than Manual Transmission cars

*A major concern for any driver is the loss of traction on muddy, slippery or
slippery terrain. Automatic Transmission cars can be a solution to this
concern as it can help maintain control even in the toughest ground
conditions. The engine's power gets continually delivered to the wheels
without any interruptions for gear shifts and thus the car can pull away
gently.

*Lower running costs: The absence of the need for new clutches or flywheel
regrinds for starters and the reduction of overall abuse on the rest of the

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driveline as compared to Manual Transmission helps keep the running costs
low in Automatic Transmission cars.

Disadvantages:-

*automatics are more expensive

* Heavy maintenance

* Transmission boxes are heavier.

* Repair and maintenances are of high costs.

* Regularly need to change your automatic transmission fluid (ATF) during

service intervals.

* A transmission will not work properly or may even slip or shudder with the
incorrect fluid

Conclusion:-

Being able to drive a stick-shift means more than just understanding your
gears, however.thats because to shift gears, you usually don’t just move shift
lever and be done with it instead you have to press clutch pedal. to eradicate
the gear shifting complication this system is implemented in the cars to
make and understanding driving easy.

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