Electronic Actuation of a Motorcycle Clutch

Abstract

ME450 Capstone Design and Manufacturing Experience: Fall 2015The problem that the Michigan Formula SAE Racing Team would like to solve is how to reduce tire slip in straight-line acceleration situations. Solving this will result in faster acceleration times and more points in the competition. As per the sponsor’s request, the solution will be approached through the implementation of clutch-control, a form of launch control using a closed-loop system. The main user requirements of the project include generating at least 10 ft-lbs of torque, avoiding bending moment damage with a safety factor of 1.2, disassembling the system from the vehicle within 20 minutes, and creating a high speed system that can adjust the clutch within .02 seconds. These specifications were used to choose the AmpFlow A28-150 High Performance motor along with the MAE3 Absolute Magnetic Encoder Kit for the final design. A proof-of-concept electrical circuit that is connected to a small DC motor has been built that allows the system to drive current from the power source and protect the motor from backwards flowing current by implementing an opto-isolator. The controls model in Simulink has also been created where mock signals were run through the code to determine the program’s validity. When the motor was connected to the power source, the clutch lever could be actuated through its full range of motion proving that it could generate enough torque. Welding the truss onto the mounting frame resulted in minimal deflection which validated stiffness. In addition, the disassembling/assembling the system took two minutes, well under the limit. The next steps for this project would be to create a more robust circuit involving thicker wiring for the AmpFlow motor, determining coefficient for the PID controller, and testing vehicle lap times with the system integrated into the car to validate that the system results in faster acceleration times.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/117348/1/ME450-F15-Project30-FinalReport.pd