How to check if the locking element in the automatic transmission is working properly?
Case Study
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It should take between forty and eighty-five milliseconds for an automatic transmission to shift gears when the lock release button is pressed. How, in the manufacturing process, do you verify that this component is working properly? This task required our experts to take an innovative approach and once again come up with a dedicated solution.
Measuring time takes on another dimension
One of the key elements in the production of automatic transmissions is to make sure that the locking mechanism, which allows the rod to be moved freely, works correctly. What matters here is the timing, which must not exceed the correct value - these are the requirements of the car manufacturer. So how to measure it?
For this purpose, we offered our customer a device with a camera capable of capturing four hundred frames per second. Measuring time took on a different dimension, and this solution allowed the customer to check whether the parts they were assembling actually met the end customer's requirements.
Situation found
A manufacturer and supplier of parts to an automotive company approached us for help in verifying the correct operation of interlock components in automatic transmissions.
The problem
The problem that required our intervention concerned the measurement of the switching time of this interlock component. The customer was unable to take the measurement himself, and doing so was necessary due to the guidelines of the car manufacturer for which these parts are manufactured.
Solution
In order to measure the time and verify that the interlock changed its position and allowed the rod to move freely, we used:
a three and two megapixel camera,
a panel computer with an installed application,
illuminators that provided stable measurement conditions for the camera.
At first the idea seemed a bit complicated, but as the work progressed we came to the conclusion that it made sense and was as feasible and possible.
How does it work?
By using a suitable camera that filmed four hundred frames per second, we were able to determine the time interval for taking one picture. The process was as follows:
starting the camera,
checking on which frame the movement started and on which frame it ended,
counting how many frames the movement lasted,
multiplying the frames by the set time interval, which gives an indication of how long the movement lasted.
The idea seemed simple, but the practical application of the solution was no longer so obvious. During the implementation of the project, there were several issues that needed to be resolved. It turned out that it wasn't really about the whole movement, but just the passage through the element, that is, the moment of the path when the lock is released and it becomes possible to move the rod. Therefore, it took us some time not only to get the project up and running, but also to master the stability of the operation.
Tests
We delivered the finished solution to the customer, which stood in the quality control laboratory. However, the work did not end there, as we tested and checked our solution together with the engineers. In situations where something did not work as it should, we worked together to solve the problem and optimise the application.
Production stages
The production process of the device took about two months, and the work itself can be divided into five stages:
concept creation,
testing,
construction of the finished stand,
functional tests,
optimisation of the application in terms of convenience of use and ability to generate reports.
Benefits for the client
The primary and key benefit for our client was to meet the requirements of an automotive company for which it manufactures car parts. The device we proposed solved this problem, which in turn influenced more efficient work in the production process.
Keywords
- Case Study
Author
Balluff Sp. z o.o.
We have been active on the Polish market for more than 25 years. We serve our customers from Pomerania to the Tatra Mountains, providing first-class service and technical support. We are also present online, where we share our knowledge about the latest implementations, industry trends, events or technical aspects of our solutions.
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