As you know, in the world there are several types of car transmissions: the well-known mechanics and the so-called automatic machine. But recently, automakers began to equip their new products with a robotic box. Checkpoint "robot" - what kind of transmission is it and how is it arranged? About all this and not only - further in our article.
Box feature
Gearbox “robot” - what kind of transmission is this? It is a mechanical box in which the clutch and gearshift functions are automated. Thus, the entire operation of the gearbox does not depend on the driver, but on the electronic unit with a specific control algorithm.
The driver himself gives only input information for the transmission.
Device
A robotic box may vary somewhat in design, but its overall arrangement is unchanged. This type of transmission is a manual gearbox with a gear and clutch control system. Moreover, it does not matter what manufacturer this unit was manufactured.
Automated "robots" have a friction clutch. It can be either a disk package or a separate mechanism. The most reliable and durable dual-clutch design is considered. Volkswagen Golf was the first car to be equipped with the upgraded Robot gearbox. Drivers' feedback noted a good response from the electronics and speed switching speeds during acceleration. In addition, the design of the double-clutch gearbox made it possible to provide torque transmission without interrupting the power flow. In this case, the time for switching speeds was less than one second. But, as practice has shown, such boxes are "tenacious" only on flat German autobahns. When operating on our roads (primer, gravel and permanent pits), the double-clutch gearbox resource is halved.
But back to the design device. The clutch drive itself can be either electric or hydraulic. In the first case, the actuators are an electric motor and a mechanical transmission. The hydraulic drive is carried out using special cylinders. The latter, in turn, are controlled by a solenoid valve.
In some cases, electric-powered robotic boxes have a hydro-mechanical unit with an electric motor that moves the clutch actuator cylinder. A striking example of this is the Easytronic transmission, which was used on Opel cars.
The Robot, a gearbox with an electric drive, has a relatively low gear shifting speed (from 0.3 to 0.5 seconds). But at the same time, he does not need to maintain a constant pressure in the system, as is necessary for hydraulic counterparts.
At the same time, hydraulic gearboxes have a faster gearshift cycle, which ranges from 0.05 to 0.06 seconds. For this reason, this type of transmission is used on most modern race cars and supercars (such as Ferrari and Lamborghini). On cars of a budget class, such boxes are not used even as an “option”.
How does the robot checkpoint work?
Work and control over most of the mechanisms of this transmission is carried out by an electronic system, which includes the main control unit, as well as many auxiliary sensors. The latter monitors all the necessary parameters of the gearbox (the position of the forks for disabling gears and selector, oil pressure, etc.) and transfer them to the main unit. After that, the electronics forms further actions and sends them in the form of short signals to actuators (electric actuators and electrovalves). And so there is a smooth and quick gear shift.
Operating modes
Despite the fact that the design of the robotic box is based on the principles of operation of mechanics, at the request of the driver, it can function in automatic mode. How does the robot checkpoint work in this case? When switching to automatic mode, the electronic unit independently implements the box control algorithm specified by the program. The driver only needs to press the gas pedal and monitor the situation on the road. In traffic jams, the work of the robot “on the machine” helps a lot. In manual mode, the driver has the ability to independently shift gears from low to high and vice versa.
Management is carried out using the classic gearshift lever.
The relevance of the box in Russia
Unfortunately, our automakers have not yet put into practice the installation of robotic transmissions on their cars. However, more recently, the VAZ plant announced that starting from 2015, the Robot gearbox will be installed in series at VAZ Priora cars. The weight of the box will be about 34 kilograms, while it is very resistant to Russian winters. And if the previous machine blocked the engine starting at -27 degrees, then the current "robot" can work even in 40-degree frost. VAZ also announced the nominal service life of this checkpoint, which will be exactly 10 years (although the warranty period for some reason ends already in the 3rd year). Thus, the VAZ plant is trying to revive the former popularity of the domestic Priora. Now he is set to mass-produce models 2170-2172 at least until 2020.
Benefits
Many drivers say that the robotic box has incorporated all the advantages of an automatic machine and mechanics. That is, when driving, you simultaneously get the comfort of the automatic transmission and do not worry about increased fuel consumption. In general, high efficiency is the main advantage of robotic boxes. Their design is based on a computer with a specific control program that distributes torque forces as rationally as possible. Unlike a simple driver, electronics never "freaks out" in traffic jams, does not get depressed, resistant to physical exertion and fatigue. That is why such boxes very quickly gained popularity in the world market. Now the robotic transmission is installed on class A, B and C cars (including the Toyota Corolla sedan). Gearbox "robot" was put on the German all-wheel drive jeep Volkswagen Amarok. Now the "German" in this configuration is available on both the European and Russian markets.
But this is not all the advantages that the Robot gearbox boasts. Owner reviews note the high reliability of this transmission. And only with a mileage of 200-250 thousand kilometers, it may require the replacement of some mechanisms. Repair of the Robot checkpoint concerns mainly the clutch, which suffers heavy loads, especially on impassable sections of the road.
At the cost of this box is much cheaper than a standard machine. And the “Robot” checkpoint is very unpretentious in maintenance. An oil change is perhaps the only operation that needs to be done with it every 50-60 thousand kilometers.
Weight Features
And, of course, the weight of the box. In this parameter, it surpasses the machine several times. On average, the curb weight of a robotic gearbox for cars is only 30-40 kilograms. At the same time, the machine weighs from 50 to 100 kilograms.
That is, with a "robot" the car becomes lighter, and accordingly, the load on the engine, wheels, shock absorbers, etc. is reduced.
disadvantages
The main disadvantage of the robotic transmission is its gear shifting speed. Yes, it is precisely because of this factor that large loads arise on the engine of a car that is in traffic. The car begins to accelerate in jerks, which is more suitable for sports driving. Therefore, for lovers of a smooth manner of movement, there is a tiptronic mode on all “robots”.
And if the manufacturers of these transmissions still managed to cope with the problem of jerks, then the question of the safety of driving a car along the slopes has not yet been resolved. The fact is that the robotic box does not have a permanent connection with the engine. Therefore, when driving, the gearbox can turn off spontaneously, and then the car rolls down a hill. But, fortunately, there are very few such ridiculous situations. Therefore, the robotic box can be described as one of the best among all existing ones and as an excellent analogue of the machine.
Symptoms of the Robot gearbox
What kind of transmission, we have already found out. Now about in what places this box can break. The first symptoms that indicate the upcoming repair of the robotic transmission appear soon (about 8 years of operation or after 200 thousand kilometers). Upon reaching this point, the box begins to "work miracles", namely, spontaneously switch to "neutral". Moreover, such a disaster happens in all modes of transmission operation.
Sometimes a symptom of a malfunction becomes jerks when starting the car. In this case, on the Nissan and Toyota vehicles, the Robot gearbox requires the replacement of the clutch disc.
Of course, only specialists can determine the true malfunction. But most often the clutch breaks down at such checkpoints (the Japanese Toyota car is no exception). The “robot” gearbox in this case is repaired by installing an actuator repair kit or by completely replacing it with a new mechanism.
Also, a malfunction of the robotic box can be triggered by the wear of the release bearing and its guide. Here you have to buy a new clutch kit, and sometimes change the front of the housing assembly. But in any case, the repaired box will become usable for another 150-200 thousand kilometers.
To summarize
To summarize all of the above. So, the “robot” is a mechanical transmission with a control unit. It can work both as a mechanic and as an automaton. At the same time, its design is simpler than that of automatic transmission. Also, the "robot" is more reliable and unpretentious in maintenance. A car with this type of transmission consumes 10-15 percent less fuel than one equipped with an automatic machine. Plus, the driver spends almost no time shifting gears (applies to hydraulically driven gearboxes).
Conclusion
We found out how the Robot gearbox works, what kind of mechanism it is and what its features are. As you can see, this type of transmission is perfect for both lovers of mechanics and fans of the machine. Indeed, at any moment it can be transformed from a manual transmission to an automatic transmission. But still, it was not fully explored by our motorists, because most of them are afraid to buy a car with such a box. But, as you see, this transmission practically does not need maintenance, moreover, it is very reliable.