The working principle of the transmission system on both manual and the automatic system is quite easy and interesting. In my previous article, the transmission system was explained as the mechanism that transmits the power created by an automobile engine to the driving wheels is called the TRANSMISSION SYSTEM (or POWER TRAIN). As the engine needs to convert its mechanical power to the drive wheels, the transmission has a great part to play. These include varies the torque, the direction, the speed, and allows the car to start at high torque.
Read: Everything you need to know about transmission system
Most drivers prefer manual transmission system over automatic transmission system in their vehicle. Well, they both have their benefits and limitation which is explained in another post.
Today we’ll be looking at how both manual and automatic transmission system work.
Contents
Working of a manual transmission system:
The working of a manual transmission system contains a set of gears along with a pair of shafts which is the input and output shafts. The gear on the first shaft engages with those on the other shaft. The ratio between the selected gear on the input shaft and the gear engaged on the output shaft determines the overall gear ratio for that gear.
Gears are engaged in manual transmission system by moving the shift lever. The engagement is done by the linkages that control the movement of the gears along the input shaft. Cars with four gears or speed have two linkages and cars with five or six speeds has uses three linkages. This linkages changes by moving the shift lever left and right.
Clutch plays an important role in the working of the manual transmission as disconnect the engine from the input shaft of the transmission when pressed. It frees the gears on the input shaft causing it to easily move as the engine is sending torque through the input shaft. This caused the engagement. The clutch is said to be disconnected when the clutch lever is not press. Once the clutch disconnects the power from the engine to the transmission, the driver easily selects the gear and release the clutch. Releasing the clutch allowed engine power to be reengaged to the input shaft which makes the car to move at the selected gear ratio.
Read: Different Types of clutch and their working principle
The video below contains how the manual transmission system works:
Working principle of an automatic transmission system:
In the working automatic transmission system, the same process occurs just as the manual transmission but it happens backdoor and automatically. The clutch is eliminated in this situation and the transmission relies on the torque converter for the desired speed gears.
When the engine is spinning slowing, a very little torque is transmitted through a fluid and turbine inside the torque converter. And when the engine is spinning quickly, all of the engine’s torque is transferred to the transmission. The torque converter is the reason why cars with automatic transmission move slowly forward when idling an in the drive. A small amount of the engine’s torque is being supplied to the transmission’s input shaft.
As the torque converter is handling the connection of the transmission’s input from the engine. the gears inside the transmission are engaged without the driver’s direct instruction. The transmission uses a single concentric shaft with a set of gears inside and around each other in a planetary arrangement including a sun gear. A planet carrier holds the multiple-planet gears and a ring gear.
The planetary gear set functions by changing the rate of input to output gear speeds through the engagement of one gear to another. The range of available ratios depends on which is engaged to which. There is a complete hydraulic system or control system that engaged the set of planetary gears at a given time. This hydraulic control system is controlled by an electronic control unit programmed.
The gear sets are connected to the engine’s input by a series of internal clutches, which is controlled by the computer and hydraulic system. It helps the engine to determine the gear ratio that will be output through the output shaft to the drive shaft of the wheel.
Watch below video to see how automatic transmission system work:
That’s it for this article, “Working principle of automobile transmission system”. I hope the knowledge is attained, if so, kindly comment, share, and recommend this site to other technical students. Thanks!
