Drivetrain Duty Cycle Recording for Damage Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a lack of comprehensive and accurate off-highway vehicle drivetrain duty cycle information, leading to overdesign and over-testing, as well as challenges in estimating the remaining life of drivetrain components due to high costs and limitations in data collection from experimental machines and customer-owned vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A duty cycle recording system with onboard sensors and an electronic control unit that collects and processes drivetrain data, including three-dimensional histogram data of torques and speeds, to compute damage and remaining life estimates for drivetrain components, which are then wirelessly transmitted for real-time monitoring and maintenance planning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If experimental machines are used to collect duty cycle data, then data can be obtained, but the cost of production, operation, and instrumentation is high
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the vehicle's own onboard sensors and electronic control units to collect and process duty cycle data, eliminating the need for separate experimental test machines and external instrumentation. The vehicle serves itself by utilizing its existing diagnostic capabilities to gather the required operational data.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using physical experimental test machines, the system creates a digital copy of duty cycle data through onboard sensors and processors. This virtual replication of test data collection eliminates the need for expensive physical test setups while providing equivalent information.
2Quantity of substance
If the number of experimental machines is low and test periods are brief, then costs are reduced, but the quantity and breadth of data are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously collects duty cycle data during normal vehicle operation over extended periods, rather than relying on brief test periods. The onboard sensors continuously monitor drivetrain parameters, accumulating comprehensive data throughout the vehicle's service life, which greatly increases both the quantity and breadth of available information.
3Loss of information
If data is collected from customer-owned machines with past instrumentation, then more data can be obtained, but the process is difficult and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses universal onboard sensors and electronic control units that are already present in modern vehicles for multiple purposes, including duty cycle data collection. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate specialized instrumentation, simplifying the data collection system while enabling comprehensive data gathering from customer-owned machines.
4Reliability
If drivetrains are overdesigned and over-tested, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing costs and testing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses actual duty cycle data collected from operational vehicles to provide feedback on real-world drivetrain performance and stress conditions. This feedback enables targeted design improvements and validation testing based on actual usage patterns, replacing extensive trial-and-error testing with data-driven design optimization that reduces both time and cost while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A duty cycle recording system and method is disclosed for a vehicle with a drivetrain having a plurality of components and sensors. The duty cycle recording system may include a control unit and communication link. The control unit may receive sensor readings, compute damage estimates for drivetrain components based on the readings, and compute estimated remaining life (ERL) estimates based on the damage estimates. The communication link may transmit the computed damage and ERL estimates. The control unit may sample transmission torque and speed sensor readings, and for each sample may populate a three-dimensional histogram of transmission torque and speed the vehicle has experienced.