Steering Angle Calibration Using Pinion Offset and Alignment Funnel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current calibration processes for vehicle steering angles are time-consuming and inefficient, particularly in automated manufacturing environments with large steering-gear ratios and cascaded errors due to part variability and installation variances, hindering the implementation of automated manufacturing systems.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a funnel-type wheel alignment system and infrastructure system that autonomously controls vehicle movement, adjusts parameters based on calibration metrics, determines steering pinion angle offset, and transmits information to an ADAS for coarse calibration, enabling immediate steering-angle offset calibration at the end-of-line, enhancing wheel alignment accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If current calibration processes (dynamometer, extended calibration, wheel-alignment station) are used, then steering angle calibration can be performed, but the process is time-consuming and inhibits automated manufacturing implementation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary steering angle calibration by determining a pinion angle offset during vehicle assembly before final calibration is needed. This preliminary measurement of the offset between pinion angle and steering wheel angle allows the system to pre-calculate calibration values, eliminating the need for time-consuming post-assembly calibration procedures and enabling immediate automated steering operation.
2Ease of operation
If large steering-gear ratios are used in vehicles, then steering control is improved, but cascaded errors from part variability and installation variances result in offsets among different vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The system measures the actual pinion angle offset for each individual vehicle during assembly and uses this feedback to calculate vehicle-specific calibration values. This feedback loop compensates for part variability and installation variances, ensuring that each vehicle is calibrated to its actual mechanical characteristics rather than relying on theoretical or average values, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision across all vehicles.
Solution Approach 2:
The system determines and applies a pinion angle offset parameter that is specific to each vehicle's actual assembly conditions. By changing the calibration parameter from a fixed theoretical value to a dynamically determined actual value, the system compensates for variations in steering gear ratio and installation tolerances, ensuring consistent steering performance across all vehicles despite manufacturing variations.
3Productivity
If automated vehicle marshaling routines are implemented, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but calibration processes must be completed prior to navigation which adds time constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines the pinion angle offset measurement and steering angle calibration functions into a single integrated process that occurs during vehicle assembly. By merging these previously separate operations into one unified calibration determination step, the system eliminates the need for separate calibration equipment and procedures, reducing device complexity while maintaining the ability to support automated marshaling routines.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for calibrating a vehicle includes a funnel-type wheel alignment system and an infrastructure system. The infrastructure system is configured to autonomously control a movement of the vehicle within the funnel-type wheel alignment system based on an autonomous marshaling routine and selectively adjust one or more parameters of the autonomous marshaling routine based on one or more calibration metrics generated by the funnel-type wheel alignment system. The funnel-type wheel alignment system is configured to: obtain steering wheel angle data from one or more vehicle sensors, determine a vehicle steering pinion angle offset based on the steering wheel angle data, perform a physical alignment of one or more wheels of the vehicle as the vehicle moves through the funnel-type wheel alignment system, generate the one or more calibration metrics based on the vehicle steering pinion angle offset and the physical alignment, and broadcast the one or more calibration metrics.