ANTI-LOCKING
BRAKING SYSTEM
Overview
Introduction
What is ABS
Simple hydraulic braking system
Principles of ABS
Components
Working
Types
Advantages & Disadvantages
summary
Introduction
Conventional braking system - Wheel lockup
Reduces steering ability - vehicle slides out of control
Anti-lock Braking system (ABS) Driver can break hard-
No locking of wheels
What is ABS ?
Anti-lock braking system (ABS) - automobile safety
system
Prevent wheel locking
Skidding wheel - less traction than a Non-skidding wheel
Anti-lock brakes benefit
Can stop faster
Steer while you stop
Preventing skidding
Maintain traction
Motivation for ABS development
Under hard braking Ideal system should
Provide the shortest stopping distances
on all surfaces
Maintain vehicle stability and steer ability.
Comparison
Simple Hydraulic Braking system
Consists of
Master cylinder
Four wheel cylinders
Simple Hydraulic Braking system
Pistons
Fluid
pushes Brake
pushes Wheels
Brakes fluid shoes Vehicle
pistons get
Applied from pushed stops
of wheel locked
Master out
cylinders
cylinder
Principles of ABS
When brakes applied- vehicle speed comes down
Decrease in vehicle speed not always proportional to decrease in wheel speed
Non-correspondence - Slip
Magnitude measured as Slip ratio
Slip ratio = [(Vehicle speed Wheel speed)/Vehicle speed ] 100%
When
Slip ratio = 0% : Vehicle speed corresponds exactly to wheel speed
Slip ratio = 100% : Wheels locked - vehicle moves
Best braking action between
10-20%.
If vehicle speed and wheel
speed is the same wheel
slippage is 0%
A lock-up wheel will have a
wheel slippage of 100%
(A)Slip ratio (1) Icy road
(B)Coefficient of friction (2) Asphalt-paved road
between tire and road surface (3) Control range by ABS
Pressure Modulation in ABS
Release and reapply of the brake pedal avoid locking of wheels - avoid the
skidding
Antilock braking system does the same
Brakes applied - pressure is quickly applied & released at the wheels - pressure
modulation
Pressure modulation prevent the wheel locking
ABS modulate the pressure 15 times per seconds
ABS precisely controls the slip rate of wheels - ensure maximum grip force from
the tyre - ensures maneuverability and stability
ABS Components Overview
1.Hydraulic Unit
2.Electronic Brake Control Module [EBCM]
3.Four wheel speed sensors
4.Interconnecting wiring
5.ABS indicator
ABS components
ABS has four Primary Components
ABS Controller
ABS Speed Sensors
ABS Modulator/Valves
ABS Pumps
ABS systems consist of 4 primary components:
ABS Controller; the brains of the system. ABS Controllers are a
computer that reads the inputs and then controls the system to keep the
wheels from locking up and skidding.
ABS Speed Sensors; there are generally one on each wheel (sometimes
they are located on the differential).
It detects a change in acceleration in the longitudinal direction of the
vehicle and outputs it to the ABSCM as a voltage signal.
ABS Modulator/Valves; some system have separate valves for each
wheel with a modulator to control them. Other systems they are combined.
In either case they work with the controller and the pump to add or release
pressure from the individual wheels brakes to control the braking.
ABS Pumps; since the ABS modulator/valves can release pressure from
the individual wheels brakes there needs to be a way to restore the pressure
when required. That is what the ABS pumps job is. When the pump is
cycling, the driver may experience a slight pedal vibration. This cycling is
happening many times per second and this slight vibration is natural.
Working of ABS
Under normal braking
Brakes applied
No current flow from ECU to hydraulic unit
Solenoid valves not energized brake master cylinder pressure
reaches wheels Vehicles stops
ABS not involved - Still ECU monitors each wheel for lock- up
Working of ABS
When wheel lock-up sensed
Wheel sensors senses a wheel lock-up
ECU sends a current to hydraulic unit
The solenoid valve gets energised
Valve isolates the brake circuit from master cylinder
Stops the braking pressure at wheel rising kept it constant
Working of ABS
Still wheel deceleration is rapid
ECU sends larger current to hydraulic unit
Armature of Hydraulic unit moves faster
Opens a passage : Brake circuit Master cylinder
Pressure in brake caliper reduced
Working of ABS
When wheel is accelerated again
ECU stops current to Hydraulic unit
De-energises the solenoid valve
Pressure is build up
The cycle repeats several times in a second
Vehicle stops safely
Increase pressure
Solenoid 1 During pressure increase mode
of operation fluid is allowed to
Pressure increase flow through both solenoids to
the brake caliper
.
Solenoid 2
Pressure decrease/Vent solenoid
Brake line under pressure
Brake fluid line not under pressure
Pressure hold
During Pressure Hold mode of
Solenoid 1 operation both solenoids are
closed and no additional fluid is
Pressure increase
allowed to flow to brake calipers
Solenoid 2
Pressure decrease/Vent
Pressure decrease
During Pressure Vent mode
Solenoid 1
the pressure increase solenoid
Pressure increase is closed. The Vent solenoid
opens allowing fluid to vent
into an accumulator chamber
Solenoid 2
Pressure decrease/Vent
Types of ABS
Three types
Four channel Four sensor ABS
Three channel Three sensor
ABS
One channel One sensor ABS
Advantages of ABS
Maintain directional stability and control over steering during braking.
Safe and effective.
Automatically changes the brake fluid pressure at each wheel to
maintain optimum brake performance.
ABS absorbs the unwanted turbulence shock waves.
Disadvantages of ABS
Increased braking distances under some limited circumstances
Cost
Maintenance cost of a car equipped with ABS is more
Summary
The antilock braking system controls braking force by controlling the
hydraulic pressure of the braking system, so that the wheels do not lock
during braking.
The antilock braking system prevents wheels locking or skidding, no matter
how hard brakes are applied, or how slippery the road surface. Steering stays
under control and stopping distances are generally reduced.
References
1 Effectiveness of ABS and vehicle stability control systems(PDF). Royal
Automobile Club of Victoria. April 2004.
2 Non-skid braking Flight International. 30 October 1953. pp. 587588.
3 Chrysler Imperial Sure Brake system description. ImperialClub.org
4 "Electronic Stability Control (ESC)" . nhtsa.gov
5 Heibing, Bernd (2011), Chassis Handbook Springer, ISBN9783834897893
[5] "Speed With Style", Cycle World, June 1992, ISSN0011-4286
