Study of the Judder Characteristics of Friction Material for an Automobile Clutch and Test Verification

Abstract The friction judder characteristics during clutch engagement have a significant influence on the NVH of a driveline. In this research, the judder characteristics of automobile clutch friction materials and experimental verification are studied. First, considering the stick-slip phenomenon in the clutch engagement process, a detailed 9-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) model including the body, each cylinder of the engine, clutch and friction lining, torsional damper, transmission and other driveline parts is established, and the calculation formula of friction torque in the clutch engagement process is determined. Second, the influence of the friction gradient characteristics on the amplification or attenuation of the automobile friction judder is analyzed, and the corresponding stability analysis and the numerical simulation of different friction gradient values are carried out with MATLAB/Simulink software. Finally, judder bench test equipment and a corresponding damping test program are developed, and the relationship between the friction coefficient gradient characteristics and the system damping is analyzed. After a large number of tests, the evaluation basis of the test is determined. The research results show that the friction lining with negative gradient characteristics of the friction coefficient will have a judder signal. When the friction gradient value is less than −0.005 s/m, the judder signal of the measured clutch cannot be completely attenuated, and the judder phenomenon occurs. When the friction gradient is greater than − 0.005 s/m, the judder signal can be significantly suppressed and the system connection tends to be stable.