What does a robotic gearbox mean? Robotic gearbox: device, principle of operation, advantages, disadvantages. Starting the climb, overcoming it, descending

The robotic gearbox with one clutch is a kind of hybrid automatic transmission and mechanics. That is, the robot is based on the usual manual transmission gears, but it is controlled automatically, without driver intervention. In order to understand whether the robot really combines the advantages of an automatic machine and mechanics, let’s get acquainted with its structure and operating principle. Let's identify the advantages and disadvantages of the box, as well as its differences from other types of gearboxes.

What is a robotic gearbox

So, is the robot more of a type of automatic transmission or manual transmission? It is often equated to a modified machine gun. In fact, the robot is based on a mechanical transmission, which has won this right with its simplicity and reliability. In essence, a robotic gearbox is the same mechanics with additional devices responsible for shifting gears and controlling the clutch. Those. the driver is relieved of these duties.

The robotic box is found in both passenger cars, and in trucks, as well as buses, and in 2007 the robot was presented even at sports motorcycle.

Almost every automaker has its own developments in the field of robotic gearboxes. Here is their list:

The design and principle of operation of a robotic gearbox with one clutch

The robotic gearbox can be with one or two clutches. A robot with two clutches can be found in the article about. We will continue talking about a single-clutch gearbox.

The robot's design is quite simple and includes the following elements:

1. mechanical part;
2. clutch;
3. drives;
4. control system.

The mechanical part contains all the components of conventional mechanics, and the operating principle of a robotic automatic transmission is similar to the operating principle of a manual transmission.

The drives that control the box can be hydraulic or electric. In this case, one of the drives monitors the clutch and is responsible for turning it on and off. The second controls the gear shift mechanism. Practice has shown that a hydraulically driven gearbox functions better. As a rule, such a box is used for more expensive cars.

The robotic gearbox also has a manual gear shift mode. This is its uniqueness - both a robot and a person can change gears.

The control system is electronic and includes the following parts:

1. input sensors;
2. electronic unit management;
3. actuators (actuators).

Input sensors monitor the main parameters of the gearbox operation. These include speed, fork and selector position, pressure level and oil temperature. All data is transmitted to the control unit, which controls the actuators. The actuator, in turn, controls the operation of the clutch using servos.

In a hydraulic automatic transmission, the control system is additionally equipped with a hydraulic control unit. It controls the operation of hydraulic cylinders.

The robot operates in two ways: automatic and semi-automatic. In the first case, the box is controlled through a specific algorithm, which is set by the control unit based on sensor signals. In the second, the operating principle is identical to manual gear shifting. Gears are sequentially switched from high to low using the selector lever, and vice versa.

Advantages and disadvantages of robotic automatic transmission compared to other types of gearboxes

Initially, the robotic gearbox was created in order to combine all the advantages of an automatic gearbox and a manual transmission. First of all, this includes the comfort of the automatic transmission and the reliability and efficiency of the mechanics. In order to determine whether the developers’ idea was a success, let’s compare the basic parameters of a robot with an automatic transmission and a robot with a manual transmission.

Robot and machine

Comparative characteristics between two gearboxes we will present in the form of a table. As a basis Let's take comparisons a number of parameters.

So, what we have: a robotic gearbox is more economical in all respects, but in terms of driver comfort, an automatic transmission still wins. Thus, the main advantage automatic transmission The robot has not adopted the gears (comfort when driving), at least not the single-clutch gearbox we are considering.

Let's see how the mechanics are doing and whether the robot has adopted all its advantages.

Robot and manual transmission

Now let's compare the robot with a manual transmission.

What conclusion can be drawn here? The robot is more comfortable than a mechanical one, a little more economical, but the cost of the box itself will be more expensive. A manual transmission still remains more reliable than a robot. Of course, the automatic transmission here is inferior to the robot, but, on the other hand, it is still unknown how the robotic transmission will behave in heavy road conditions– which cannot be said about mechanics.

Most people who have cars, when they hear the phrase “Automatic transmission,” imagine a driving mode selector instead of a “mechanics” lever on the central tunnel and two pedals instead of the previous three.

The most common after the classic automatic torque converter gearbox is the robotic gearbox.

The result of reading our article will be an accurate and most detailed answer to the question: “robot gearbox - what is it?”

So let's begin.

Robotic gearbox is one of the varieties automatic transmissions. But in order to better understand what the differences are from a classic automatic transmission, it is necessary to consider the design of a typical robotic gearbox.

Construction in detail

It is important to remember that the gearbox from each manufacturer may differ in its features, which gives rise to a slightly different design from the standard one. But even in all this diversity, you can discern 4 elements present in each of these units.

This is the clutch, its drive, the mechanical part, i.e. the gearbox itself and its shift drives, as well as a central control unit for both drives to coordinate all the work.

Now that the main “characters” are known, let’s study the entire “play”. Because It is based on a standard gearbox; we will not describe in detail its operating principle. Let us just mention that inside its housing there are 2 shafts - the primary (or driving) and the secondary (or driven). Next, the gears located on them are moved to the required position using a system of rods for engagement and further joint work in rotation.

This is all about the mechanical part of the robotic box. But the shift control mechanism itself is the activation of the clutch drive and gear shifting using actuators. It is only important to indicate that they can be of 2 types - electric or hydraulic. The former operate as smoothly as possible, but require additional energy to operate. Electric ones are less expensive, but they are the ones that generate shocks from switching.

So, we get at the output automatic control a familiar gearbox, despite the fact that in the cabin there is a selector instead of a lever and two pedals instead of three.

But there are much more actions that are invisible to the owner when pressing the gas. After all, all of them are taken care of by the control unit, which is essentially a computer that sends commands to the controlled on and off drives.

Plus and minus

Like any mechanism, robotic box gear has its pros and cons.

Car forums were simply bursting with various comments, mostly negative, from owners of cars with a similar transmission. Now the disputes have subsided - buyers have become more discerning and attentive to the characteristics that the car they are purchasing has.

The first and most common negative point is jerking when changing gears. In most cases, it is impossible to correct this point - a design feature.

The second negative point is overheating of the clutch when driving in traffic jams. This happens due to a faulty or “thoughtful” clutch release mechanism. In addition, the braking performed by the gearbox, namely the control unit, can heat the clutch discs.

The process of switching between gears also brings a lot of impressions. In some cases you need to speed up. But for changing gears, the speed does not correspond to that set in the control unit for moving to the highest gear. And then, instead of accelerating, the car begins to slow down for a few seconds and only then switch to acceleration. The only thing that can save you in such situations is knowledge of the operating features of the gearbox, as well as a transition to manual control.

Another feature is the constant presence of the car at speed. This leads to wear on the clutch parts as a whole and release bearing in particular. But, on the other hand, there is no point in working as a selector unnecessarily.

The robotic transmission tries to match the hydromechanical “automatic” in everything. In the latter, when you switch to the “Drive” mode and release the brake pedal, the car begins to move off smoothly. To repeat such a technological solution, the engineers did the following: the control unit artificially increases engine speed and partially closes the clutch discs to start moving. As a result, it turns out that the driver of a car with a robotic gearbox presses the brake pedal in the Drive position, and the clutch continues to wear out, being partially closed.

Due to the design, there is no “Parking” mode. This means that hand brake it must be maintained in good condition, and also when starting downhill, it must be used and cannot be “yawned” - at any moment a car with such a gearbox tends to roll in the opposite direction.

In general, most control selectors for robotic gearboxes have a slightly different shape than those of classic automatic transmissions. Therefore, visually determine what type of gearbox is installed in this car, will not be difficult. Firstly, there is no Parking position, and secondly, there are two levels of control - manual and automatic.

From here we can highlight the first positive feature of robotic gearboxes - the ability to choose the shift method.

In addition, in positive aspects This design is credited with the low weight of the gearbox itself, as well as reduced fuel consumption in comparison with hydromechanics. Another important fact when choosing such a unit will be the price - it is significantly lower than that of similar car with classic transmission.

And in conclusion, it should be noted that it is quite possible to service this transmission in garage conditions, because changing the oil is similar to a manual transmission.

It is important to note that automobile designers from leading companies, in their own way, strive to improve the performance characteristics of this type of transmission. For example, Volkswagen widely uses boxes DSG gears with dual clutch. This design deprives the car of shocks when switching. Ford took the same path, introducing its box called PowerShift.

Opel has gone the furthest in such developments. She, together with the design bureau Ricardo, invented gearboxes called Easytronic, main feature which became a single clutch drive and speed selection.

This design solution made it possible to eliminate the inconsistency between the two units and reduce the weight of the gearbox.

Conclusion

Most automakers are increasingly shifting their focus to producing cars with automatic transmissions.

But here there is a departure from classical fluid mechanics and a search for analogue designs. And this trend is not just a pursuit of fashion trends, but a conscious transition to comfortable driving.

And, most importantly, that robotic transmissions are widespread in budget cars. This means that manufacturers have found a consumer for a technologically advanced and at the same time easy to maintain unit.

Development automotive technology does not stand still and new models with universal technical characteristics. Most of the population has not used the third pedal for a long time, preferring automatic switching to mechanics. KP robot appeared not so long ago, but has already managed to gather its audience. Now it is being installed in cars of new series and many have already been able to try it in action. Robot gearbox, what is it and how much does it differ from other types of transmissions?

A robotic gearbox, like all others, has its pros and cons, just like others technical systems. It is worth noting that in general, it is not very different from the mechanical one, but its main focus is ride comfort, which the engineers were able to achieve in full.

First you need to understand what a box is, and only then study its varieties and types. The operating principle of the robot box is quite simple; the software helps you while driving on the road, removing additional responsibilities from the driver. Its big advantage is that it greatly saves oil and fuel, and this is a very important factor in our time. Manual transmission is the choice of a modern person.

Basic information about the robot

Robotic box diagram

If you don't know what a robot gearbox is, it is a standard manual gearbox that is equipped with an electronic computer. This means that all actions in the mechanism occur due to the work of the robot, which controls the speed and load of the motor. In this case, the driver does not need the clutch pedal; all operations occur only according to the readings of the sensors installed in the manual transmission. As before, the driver can control the speed in the car, but switching occurs without his participation. In addition, the robotic gearbox eliminates jolts and jerks while driving, even with frequent speed changes.

Robot operating principle

The operating principle of the robot box is very simple. Since the driver does not have a clutch pedal, when changing speed he simply sends a signal to the computer about which direction the rhythm will change. The computer controls the transmission and instantly reacts to changes in movement. Of course, the robots of the robotic box understand human signals, and this whole well-coordinated scheme as a whole treats all the mechanisms of the car very carefully.

As a result of these actions, any driver achieves excellent dynamics from the car. The characteristic shows what is better and how best to automate processes for a more comfortable ride. Knowing what it is, you will be able to set up processes yourself, without visiting service centers that regulate manual transmission.

Advantages of robots

The robotic gearbox design has a number of features that help you understand whether this option is right for you to meet all your needs. The most important advantage of the robot box is its durability. In terms of service life, it will easily outperform a variator or automatic system switching speeds. Also, the advantages of manual control are that clutch wear is reduced by almost three to four times. And in general, there is a significant saving in oil and fuel. For a robotic gearbox, you generally need almost three times less oil, unlike other options.

Manual transmission is a universal automated gearbox. The driver has the right to choose whether he wants to control the gear shift, or whether he completely trusts the system. This innovation is a great help in case of car slipping. But it is worth remembering that excessive loads on electronics do not have the best effect. The robots of a robotic car rarely lose their settings, but if a problem occurs, you will most likely not be able to drive the car until the problem is corrected. It may go astray and will have to be restored by specialists. And do not forget that a robotic gearbox always has a large number of gears. Now manufacturers are trying to limit themselves to the sixth level.

Disadvantages of robots

Since robotic gearboxes began to be produced quite recently, there is some instability in their operation. Setting up one copy of the machine takes a long time, because each produced circuit is almost unique. This means that the slightest failure in this work can lead to inevitable financial costs.

If you have an idea of ​​how a robotic box works, you should understand that it responds to a signal within a few seconds. In this case, automatic transmission bypasses innovations, as it is considered faster.

There is another problem with this transmission system. Unfortunately, it cannot be reconfigured for a different driving style. If you are accustomed to speed, but due to inexperience you have purchased a robot that is programmed for an economical mode, it will be impossible to remake it. You can, of course, squeeze the maximum out of the car even in these conditions, but the thought that it could and will no longer give you peace.

Software is one of the main problems this mechanism. As practice shows, the robot box suits owners in everything except possible failures in the computer system. Of course, you can regularly seek help from specialists, but this method will always cost money and take a lot of time. It is possible to independently approach this issue only if you have specialized equipment and skills of at least an average level.

Conclusion

Having analyzed the pros and cons of a robotic gearbox, it can be noted that such a car is not for everyone. Those who want to save on fuel and oil will be glad to have this option. Also, lovers of a certain type of driving, having selected the necessary software for themselves, will be very pleased while behind the wheel.

Remember, the gearbox is an integral part of the car, and robotic gearboxes are technologies of the future that will soon become a part of every person’s life. It affects the main processes occurring in it during movement. Be sure to pay attention to its characteristics when choosing best car for yourself.

Statistics show that this type of mechanism is becoming increasingly popular. Saving oil and fuel attracts attention. No one counts how many cars have implemented this technology anymore; what matters is how it behaves on the road. Who knows, maybe in a few years they will replace all standard options, because the world continues to plunge into progress and use modern technologies almost everywhere.

Buyers when choosing a car great value pay attention to the gearbox, among its other characteristics. Naturally, people want to travel in comfort.

Recently, modern technologies have introduced new ways of driving. Automation is replacing mechanics. One of the innovations is a robotic gearbox.

What is it and how does it work?

A robotic gearbox is a manual gearbox that has automated clutch and gear shift control functions. They call it differently. Such boxes have an electric or hydraulic clutch and gear drive. Depends on the specific manufacturer.

It’s worth first understanding how a robotic gearbox works. The principle of its operation is the same as that of a mechanical one. The difference is that the clutch operation and gear selection are handled by servos (actuators). Which includes an electric motor with a gearbox and an actuator. There are also hydraulic actuators.

1 - control unit; 2 — clutch servo drive; 3 — gear shift servo; 4 — input shaft speed sensor.

What are the main features of controlling a robotic gearbox?

The robotic gearbox has its own control features. The main ones include next factor: control is carried out by using a special electronic-based unit that acts on two actuators.

The first servo drive is responsible for the clutch, and the second controls the operation of the synchronizers, which are responsible for engaging the desired gears. This approach frees the driver from pressing the pedal. All functions are performed by electronics.

The smart box can operate in:

• automatic;
• manual modes.

With automatic transmission, gear changes occur at the command of a computer, which takes into account many indicators (engine speed, speed, data ABS systems, ESP and others). In manual mode, a person, using the selector lever or steering column switches, gives a command to switch.

Video: the principle of operation of the clutch and gear shift on a robotic gearbox.

Pros and cons of using a robotic gearbox

This ability to control the gearbox appeared relatively recently, but it quickly gained its adherents. After all, driving a robotic gearbox, according to some reviews, is convenient and comfortable.

But, using a robotic gearbox has its pros and cons, like any other option. Naturally, you should be aware of them when choosing a control option. Numerous tests of the robot box made it possible to identify such moments.

Advantages of using the unit:

1. The design of this gearbox is very reliable. Its basis remains mechanics, which is time-tested and studied. At the same time, it is superior in reliability to CVT and automatic systems.
2. The use of a robotic gearbox is believed to improve fuel economy. Such savings can be up to 30 percent.
3. The robot box requires the use of less oil, 2-3 liters are enough, while the CVT requires about 7 liters. All this leads to greater cost savings.
4. The number of gears corresponds to the number of gears in a manual transmission.
5. The robotic gearbox is based on the same mechanics. This gives additional opportunity free and simple repair, which almost any automotive mechanic can produce. Therefore, there will be no problems with repairs, at least most of common breakdowns can be eliminated quickly and efficiently in a regular auto repair shop.
6. The resource is increased by almost 40 percent when compared with mechanics. This is a very significant difference. Moreover, it’s not only about savings, but also about increased safety.
7. In city conditions, when there are constant traffic jams, and on steep climbs, the manual gear shift function, which is present in the robotic gearbox, will be very useful. This function allows you to remember the usual mechanics, which many car owners miss.

Along with the advantages, there are also disadvantages of this type of gearbox. These include:

1. Many car owners consider the main disadvantage to be the inability to reprogram the unit in order to increase dynamics or save resources. It also doesn't allow you to tailor the gearbox to your driving style. You should get used to the way a certain design works in order to use it comfortably. But Russian craftsmen find a way out of any situation. After the vehicle is under warranty, they simply change the firmware in the electronic control unit.
2. The robot's gear shifting speed is slightly reduced and its response is slow. This is associated with some programming costs, as in any machine.
3. When driving around the city, in traffic jams and on uneven terrain, you need to switch to manual control. Otherwise, rapid wear occurs and the service life of the robotic gearbox is significantly reduced.
4. In some cases, you may feel jerking when changing gears. This is explained by the fact that the gas is not released before the switching moment. You can eliminate this nuisance if you do not press the gas pedal completely.
5. On a hill, the clutch often opens - this is explained by its overheating. Therefore, for climbs it is also better to use manual shift mode.

Video: how to drive a robotic gearbox correctly.

Before buying a car with a robotic gearbox, it is worth collecting as much information as possible on the operation of a particular model. Some of them have constant “glitches” that have already become the norm. For example, the “thoughtfulness” of some robots is about 2 seconds, that is, gear shifting occurs with a certain delay.

Problems include excessive individuality of units. Even identical robotic gearboxes can differ significantly. Such serious differences are usually “treated” with the help of flashing. Moreover, you should not hope that everything will go away on its own; it is better to immediately contact a specialist.

But not everything is so gloomy. For example, according to reviews of the Lada Granta's robotic gearbox, more than half of the owners of this car are satisfied with this control option. Considering that with it the car is more economical and faster.

Video: AVTOVAZ launched production LADA Granta with a robotic gearbox (AMT).

The robotic gearbox combines the convenience of an automatic transmission and the highest reliability, as well as the efficiency of a manual transmission. Many people know or have heard what a robotic gearbox is - the pros and cons of this miracle of technology, as well as its features, we will look at in this article.

Important fact: The robot box is much cheaper than the traditional automatic box. Now, virtually all major car manufacturers equip their cars with robot boxes, equipping almost all their lines with them.

A robotic gearbox, or simply a robotic gearbox, is a traditional manual transmission in which the functions of engaging and disengaging the clutch are entrusted to automation. From the name “robotic gearbox” it follows that the driver only provides input data for the automation, and the operation of the gearbox itself is controlled by an ECU (electronic control unit), working according to a specific program.

[Hide]

How does a robotic box work?

Robotic gearboxes differ in their own design, but common ones can be noted characteristic features This innovative device is a manual transmission with an automatic gear shift control concept.

Automatic transmissions use a friction clutch. The design may include one friction disc, but in some cases it may be a set consisting of several. Such a gearbox can be considered innovative in the system, guaranteeing the transmission of torque without interrupting the power flow.

Operating principle

At the heart of the robotic gearbox system is a manual transmission. In the production process, already tried and tested designs are used. For example, the SMG gearbox from the automaker BMW is a six-speed manual transmission controlled by an electro-hydraulic drive.

Robots can have both electric and hydraulic gear shift drives. In the first case, the control bodies can be servomechanisms. In the second, control is performed using hydraulic cylinders controlled using solenoid valves. This type of drive is usually called electrohydraulic.

In some robotic box devices controlled by electric drive, a special hydromechanical design is used, the purpose of which is to move the main cylinder of the clutch drive using an electric motor.

As in any mechanism, in a robotic one, which we will try to reveal.

Pros

1. Exceptional reliability, because this box is based on mechanics that have been tried and tested for many years.
2. High efficiency - approximately 30%.
3. Increased engine life.
4. Refilling requires much less oil: 2 times less than in a traditional automatic transmission or CVT.
5. There are as many gears in a robotic box as in a manual one.
6. Easy to repair.
7. High clutch life.

Cons

1. It is impossible to change the robot program to change the dynamics or switch to saving mode.
2. Slow, but this is most likely the fault of the installed software.
3. If you roll back downhill, the clutch may disengage.
4. There are often noticeable jerks when shifting gears.
5. When driving in city traffic jams, clutch wear increases and, as a result, the service life of the robotic gearbox decreases. Exit - switch to manual control.

As you have already noticed, the positive and negative aspects of a robotic gearbox are comparable. If you prefer comfortable ride, then don’t hesitate to choose a robotic box. And if you are a fan of drive and dynamics, then you definitely need a mechanical one. According to the current trend, cars with automatic transmission are more preferred by the female part of car enthusiasts. However, experts in this field say that the automatic transmission is not as simple as it might seem at first glance.

Video “Riding a robot box”

This video talks about the robotic gearbox, its advantages and disadvantages.

We hope that the material we offer will help you decide whether to buy a car with a robotic gearbox or not.