Course Name: Automatic Transmission

Unit code
Level 5
Credit hours 3

Aim
This course introduces the student to autotronics of which he acquires knowledge and
understanding of the basic and main systems, including the functions, components, and method
of operation of automatic transmission systems in vehicles. Emphasis is placed on the different
systems for automatic transmission and the different control systems for the transmission.
Focusing on the new technologies applied in these systems and increasing the practical skills
required to deal with these systems.

Introduction
The transmission is a device that is connected to the back of the engine and sends
the power from the engine to the drive wheels. An automobile engine runs at its best
at a certain RPM (Revolutions per Minute) range, and it is the transmission's job to
make sure that the power is delivered to the wheels while keeping the engine within
that range. In the design of a vehicle, one consideration is the need of torque and
speed. These two states work opposite each other, what you gain in torque, T, you
lose in speed, summarized in P To efficiently use the internal combustion engine,
different gears must be used to obtain the required speed and torque.
Most of current vehicles are equipped with the manual or automatic transmission
systems. The key difference between manual and automatic transmission is that the
manual transmission lock and unlocks different sets of gear pairs to the output shaft
by dog clutches to achieve the various gear ratios. While in the automatic one, the
planetary gears produce all the gear ratios. In addition, in a manual transmission, a
friction clutch is used to allow the engine to rotate independently of the transmission,
while in the automatic one, a torque converter is used for this purpose.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course students will be able to:
LO1 understand the current engineering technologies as related to
automotive hydraulic coupling and torque converter including
functions, components, and method of operation.
LO2 understand the current engineering technologies as related to
automotive automatic transmission planetary gear sets including
functions, components, and method of operation.
LO3 Select a transmission system that matches the car's engine,
vehicle layout and the operating conditions.
LO4 understand the current engineering technologies as related to
automotive continuous variable transmission system including
functions, components and method of operation.

Essential Content
LO1 understand the current engineering technologies as related to
automotive hydraulic coupling and torque converter including
functions, components, and method of operation.
Wet Clutches:
Description of various types of friction clutches.
Calculating clutch torque
One way clutch

Torque converter
Pump
Turbine
Stator
Lockup clutch
Dry friction
Wet friction
Description the various types of the torque converter and hydraulic coupling.
The performance of the torque converter and hydraulic coupling.

LO2 understand the current engineering technologies as related to

automotive automatic transmission planetary gear sets including
functions, components, and method of operation.
Gear sets:
Types of planetary gear sets.
Explain the method of work.
 Calculate the transmission ratio (reduction) in the gearboxes.

LO3 Select a transmission system that matches the car's engine,

vehicle layout and the operating conditions.
Calculate the clutch capacity torque
Brake torque
Planetary gear sets

LO4 understand the current engineering technologies as related to

automotive continuous variable transmission system including
functions, components and method of operation.
Continuous variable transmission system types
Theory of work
Main component of CVT
performance

Pass Merit Distinction

LO1 understand the current engineering D1 Evaluate the
technologies as related to automotive performance of the torque
hydraulic coupling and torque converter converter.
including functions, components, and
method of operation.
P1 Explain the operation M1 Compare between the
of hydraulic coupling and different types of the
torque converter. lockup clutches.
P2 Compare between the M2 Analyze of the
hydraulic coupling and problems arising from the
torque converter. automatic transmission
P3 Explain the operation system during the
of various lockup engagement process.
clutches.
P4 Carry out assembly
and disassembly for a
given torque converter.
P5 Calculate the lockup
clutch torque and the
diameter of clutch friction
disc.
LO2 understand the current engineering
technologies as related to automotive
automatic transmission planetary gear sets
including functions, components, and
method of operation.
P6 Explain the operation M3 Compare between the D2 Assess the
of various planetary gear different types of the performance of the
set. planetary gear sets. automatic transmission.
P7 Carry out assembly M4 Compare between the
and disassembly for a different types of clutches
given planetary gear set. and brakes.
P8 Interpret of automatic
transmission manual,
drawings, and technical
specifications.
P9 Calculate the
reduction ratios.
LO3 Select a transmission system that
matches the car's engine, vehicle layout
and the operating conditions.
P10 Explain the operation M4 Select a suitable D3 Analyze the results
theory of driveshaft, clutch and brake for a and justify the reason for
universal joints, and given function. choosing the type of
coupling. transmission system.
P11 Select suitable
driveshaft or coupling
system for a given
function.
P12 Calculate the
clutches and brakes
capacity torque.
 LO4 understand the current engineering
technologies as related to automotive
continuous variable transmission system
including functions, components, and
method of operation.
P13 Explain the operation M5 Compare between the D4 Assess the
of various types of automatic transmission performance of the
continuous variable and continuous variable continuous variable
transmission system. transmission system. transmission system.
P14 Interpret of
continuous variable
transmission system
manual, drawings, and
technical specifications.

References
Textbooks:

1) Jack Erjavec, 2009, AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY, 5th Edition, Printed in the United States of
America 1 2 3 4 5 XX 12 11 10 09.
2) Hillier’s, Fundamentals of Motor Vehicle Technology 6th Edition Book
3) Hillier’s, advanced vehicle technology, 2nd Edition, 2002