International Journal of Science, Engineering and TechnologyAuthors: Pranay Subhedar, Omkar Patil, Nitin Tawhare
Abstract: Clutch-disc alignment plays a critical role in the NVH performance, durability, and shift quality of automotive drivetrains. Even minor angular or lateral misalignments between the clutch disc, flywheel, and transmission input shaft can generate harmful dynamic loads, accelerated spline wear, and undesirable vibration signatures. Traditional alignment evaluation relies heavily on physical prototyping and end-of-line inspection, which are often reactive, cost-intensive, and limited in their ability to isolate root causes during early design stages. This paper presents a virtual methodology for defining, predicting, and validating clutch-disc misalignment criteria using Dimensional variation analysis (DVA) as a design-for-quality tool. The approach establishes quantifiable misalignment thresholds based on dynamic system behavior, correlates them with component tolerances, and evaluates their influence on clutch engagement quality and torsional response. A comprehensive DVA-based workflow is proposed for early-phase design optimization, enabling engineers to identify misalignment-induced excitation modes, assess factor sensitivities, and ensure robust manufacturability across platform variants. The results demonstrate how virtual misalignment analysis significantly mitigates prototype iterations, improves alignment robustness, and enhances system quality for diverse automotive applications.
