PID control of an electro-mechanical friction clutch system

Abstract

The main contribution of control technology in automotive powertrain system is that, it enables the whole powertrain system to be precisely controlled; thereby, improving the overall vehicle powertrain performance and sustainability. This paper describes a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller development for an electro-mechanical friction clutch (EMFC) system for automotive applications especially, those using continuously variable transmission (CVT). Initially, a simulation study was carried out to determine the PID preliminary parameters values derived using the Astrom and Hagglund tuning method with Ziegler-Nichols formula; then, they are manually being fine- tuned experimentally to improve the clutch engagement and disengagement control performance until satisfying engagement and disengagement process are achieved. The results of this work show that the application of Astrom-Hagglund method and Ziegler-Nichols formula is capable of providing a practical solution for obtaining initial parameters of the PD controllers of engagement and disengagement control of the EMFC system. Through optimizing of P and D parameters, the system indicated excellent performances with improvement in terms of percentage overshoot, settling time and a very small steady state error for clutch engagement and disengagement processes.