Development of vehicle clutch system by using particle swarm optimization method

Companies have been trying to produce low cost, high quality and reliable pructs in shorter time in last decades because of high competition level between other companies. For his reason many studies have been done on this subject and new optimization methods have developed. Especialy researchers have been devoloping new optimization methods by inspiring living beings's feeding and repproduction activities to get more correct optimum solution (global optimum) from early 1980's. Particle swarm optimization method is one of these natüre inspired methods that has been using commonly in last years. On the other hand powertrain system is one of the most important parts of a vehicle which effects driving quality and vehicle performance. Especialy clutch system which provides to gear shifting are very important for comfort when you are in traffic jam and also gaining ground. If the diaphgram spring is an essential part of a clutch system which makes the system to work and it also effects clutch system's performance. Fort this reason many studies have done to achieve better designs. In this thesis, low mass diaphragm spring was designed which has critical role in clutch system by using particle swarm optimization algoritm in between stress limits. Thus we will have a low mass diaphragm spring desing without decreasing working performance. For begining a referance model design is designed by using SOLIDWORKS 3D design software. Than design variables was determined which are not effective on diaphragm spring function by using a referance model. 100 different designs was produced in accordance with these variables in between locigal minimum and maximum limits by using a algorithm. These different designs was modeled in SOLIDWORKS 3D modeling software. Than structural analysises was performed in a ANSYS Workbench finite element program to get equivalent (Von-Mises) stress. Every value of equivalent (Von-Mises) stress and mass was saved as a table. After all these steps, values was optimized by using particle swarm optimization algorithm. Thus a new low mass diaphragm spring was obtained. This study shows that how optimzation is important for design process to get low cost, high performance and reliable products by the thesis is completed.