Bereich Composite
The trends for clutch friction elements in the drivetrain or for friction linings today are primarily ever smaller and more compact designs, and especially then always with at least the same, but rather even better and higher performance values at a lower weight.
In addition to the integration of other units such as an electric motor in hybrid applications, there are always new challenges, that raise the demands on the design and the actual manufacturing process of these friction discs to a new level.
Reduced disc pack size or higher torque density, improved transmission efficiency, improved shift quality and improved durability are the global trends here.
Optimised oil flow through the friction lining, a basic friction material with good oil absorption and increased heat resistance, enables a low-lube concept with reduced cooling oil flow, so that more efficient pump systems can be used and transmission efficiency is optimised at the same time.
Wickert supplies fully automatic press systems for calibrating and hot bonding these friction linings and enables maximum accuracy in terms of temperature control in the tool as well as maximum geometric accuracy in the tool, which in turn has a positive effect on the thickness variance of the friction lining itself and not just on the reliable bonding of the friction layers on the steel carrier.
The grooves for oil guidance, which are essential for oil cooling in wet multi-plate clutches, can also be moulded with sufficient force reserves instead of reworking or even segmented application of the friction pads.
The traceability of production and process data, which is transferred to the higher-level customer MES systems using OPC UA modules in the Wickert control system, plays a key role here.
Wickert also deals with the sine wave or thermal straightening of the actual friction disc carriers in the upstream production process of the steel discs and offers complete solutions including heat treatment with furnace technology, as well as an ergonomically designed assembly and disassembly concept with a fully automatic locking and opening station for the carrier disc stacks.
Sinusoidal corrugated friction discs reduce the drag torque of the clutch and sometimes even reduce the pack size.
Typical industries for high-quality friction discs are:
Wickert offers presses with the appropriate pressing surface and pressing force from a modular system for all conceivable friction lining sizes.
The presses themselves can be customised to the desired output quantity with the appropriate automation concept in multi-cavity nested bonding or manually operated.
An independent single-ram system in the multi-cavity design of the presses guarantees an individual stroke per mould and thus achieves the greatest possible precision in the mould, which results in only a very small thickness variance per lamella paired with a high component output of the system.
The drive concept of the presses is a benchmark in the application, because in addition to outstanding performance during opening and closing as well as pressure build-up and reduction in terms of speed, the energy requirement during the gluing time is reduced to a minimum, which means energy-optimised production. The same applies to the design of the servo-driven automation.
In addition, our systems can be integrated directly or decoupled into the upstream and downstream production processes, such as a connection to the automatic test cell (EOL END-OF-LINE) after hot bonding or before gluing in an inline interlinking system.
Wickert provides the right automation solutions with transfer and transfer handling or cycle time-decoupled component magazines, preheating stations for the friction discs to be bonded, press loading and unloading systems and the appropriate conveyor systems in our product portfolio.
In terms of availability, care is always taken to ensure that the gripper systems are set-up-free or that automatic tool clamping guarantees the shortest possible set-up time.
Preheating stations also enable preheated tools to be replaced. This reduces the heat-up time in the press and therefore makes a significant contribution to increasing system availability.
For directly interlinked systems with common safety areas to system partners, Wickert offers an overall package which, in addition to interface coordination mechanically and electrically or maintenance of an overall system layout, also combines system safety across all control systems in the Wickert PLC.
In addition, Wickert issues the overall system conformity for the complete production cell after thorough testing of the compliant design of the neighbouring system parts in accordance with the Machinery Directive.
