Scientific and technological progress does not stand still. Newest technologies increasingly blur the lines between fantasy and reality.

Robots have long ceased to be science fiction. Today they are our irreplaceable assistants in many fields of activity. In this article we will see what the most advanced robots today look like and can do.

Curiosity rover

The most advanced third generation rover to date. NASA spent 10 years and $ 2.5 billion on its development. In essence, it is an autonomous chemical laboratory on wheels, the size of a small car. It was created specifically for the study of Gale Crater. Curiosity is literally crammed with all sorts of instruments and sensors that can do almost everything from shooting high resolution photos to spectral analysis of solid rocks.

Geminoid DK

This is one of the most realistic humanoid robots. It was built by Hiroshi Ishiguro together with his colleagues from Japan's Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International. The appearance of this robot is an exact copy of Professor Henrik Scharfe of Aalborg University. Geminoid DK can be remote controlled using advanced motion capture technology. It allows the machine to mimic facial expressions and accurately follow movements.

Baxter

Baxter is an unusual industrial robot, although he looks quite ordinary. Such models can be found in almost all more or less modern machine-building enterprises. Its main feature is increased security... Ordinary industrial robots do not differ in this feature. If a person is unlucky enough to fall under their mechanical hands-pincers, then everything can end quite sadly. But not in the case of Baxter. In his "head" there is a camera that monitors that there are no foreign objects in the field of activity. If there are any, then the ultrasonic motors that control the grips of the mechanical "hands" automatically release the "pliers".

Paul

Paul is perhaps the least like a robot in our usual sense. But what he does is amazing. This is a real robot artist, which consists of only one mechanical hand that holds a pencil or fountain pen. The drawing process is extremely simple: a person sits down in front of the camera, which scans his face, and then Paul's "hand" begins to draw a portrait. Moreover, the robot does not draw according to a template, each portrait, even of the same person, turns out to be unique. There really is some style in his drawings.

WildCat

Developed by the famous company Boston Dynamics. This is a reconnaissance robot that can move over rough terrain, and can accelerate to 25.7 km / h in gallop mode. Yes, yes, this robot can gallop. And also to abruptly stop and turn around. Besides, WildCat is incredibly stable to drop it - a real problem.

S-One

Rescue robot from japanese company Schaft, which was eventually bought by Google (as well as Boston Dynamics, by the way). S-One is a small, stocky, extremely stable and very strong robot. It can lift weights, use a drill, and handle valves and door handles with ease. Thanks to special the latest developments the creators of the robot managed to achieve incredible speed and smoothness of the tasks.

Sub1

This robot was created by two developers software from the USA Jay Flatland and Paul Rose. The robot consists of 6 stepper motors, 4 webcams and a small number of publicly available parts. And his main task is to collect the Rubik's cube. And he does it, you just think, in less than one second. Among people, the record for the fastest assembly of the Rubik's cube is now held by an American teenager, Lucas Etter. In the fall of 2015, he completed the cube in 4.9 seconds. The Sub1 robot took only 0.887 seconds.

Row-bot

The latest development of scientists from the University of Bristol. Row-bot is a prototype of a robot that is designed to move around the surface of polluted water bodies and eat microbes that actually make the water dirty. It is noteworthy that the Row-bot uses the "eaten" microbes as biofuel to generate energy and continue working.

M-2000iA / 1700L

The Japanese company FANUC has developed the most powerful robot in the world. His name, of course, is not very euphonic, but the possibilities are truly impressive. Robot-strong man with a "arm span" of 4.7 meters, can lift objects weighing up to 1700 kg. The previous strongest robot on the planet Titan, could manipulate objects weighing up to 1 ton, but his "arm" was slightly longer - 6.5 meters.

Atlas

The Boston Dynamisc company recently presented to the general public a new generation of its robot called Atlas. His abilities are simply amazing. A bipedal humanoid robot easily walks through a winter forest with very difficult terrain. At the same time, he maintains balance even when his legs fall into the snow. But if it does fall, the robot is able to independently rise from almost any position.

Choosing a box: "automatic", "robot" or "variator"? Robot or variator, which is better

Choice of gearbox. Which is better, a mechanic, an automatic machine, a variator or a robot?

Should I choose a manual transmission or an automatic one? And if automatic, then an ordinary machine, "robot", or a variator? Such questions are very popular among motorists when choosing a new or used car. The Internet is filled with gearboxes, both useful information and information "junk". Only a professional in the subject can distinguish useful from rubbish. Such is his, the Internet, a defect. Therefore, I decided to write a few lines about all these mechanics, automatic machines, robots and variators, and without plunging into the nuts, so that any reader, regardless of the level of technical literacy, could understand what is at stake, and that he, PERSONALLY , will be better.

Manual Transmission

Let's start with the "mechanics". In the case of a manual transmission, under the hood we have an engine, a "black box" of a transmission, with all its shafts, gears, synchronizers and engaging couplings. And between the engine and the box is the clutch assembly. The clutch pedal was pressed - the engine and gearbox were completely separated. As long as you keep the clutch pedal depressed, the power unit and gearbox are unconnected and you can shift to any gear based on driving conditions. This is the main advantage of the "mechanics", especially for the "advanced" driver, who knows and is able to apply the techniques of active driving. For example, in the case of a front-wheel drive car, put the engine against the wheels of the front axle before the maneuver. And in case rear-wheel drive, "Screw" the car into a bend, go to a steeper trajectory. But as often happens, disadvantages are an extension of advantages. Actively "drive", of course, is pleasant, but wielding the clutch pedal and the shift lever in the endless traffic jams of megacities is not the most pleasant experience. This is the minus.

Hydromechanical automatic transmission, or "conventional automatic"

In order not to control the gearbox "hand-to-hand", and not to strain too much with the handles-legs in the dense city traffic, an automatic transmission was invented. First, a hydromechanical automatic transmission (automatic transmission) appeared. In order to understand how it works, you need ... a fan (ordinary, household) and some kind of children's spinner-toy with a propeller-propeller similar to a fan. Turn on the fan and bring this toy to it. What will happen? The propeller on the toy will spin too! Now imagine that the propeller does not drive the fan motor, but the car engine. And the second screw is located on the shaft, which goes into the "black box" with gears, couplings, and everything else. Both of these screws are enclosed in a sealed housing filled with a special transmission fluid called a torque converter.

What are these passions for? And in order to move away smoothly, shift gears as smoothly as possible without any clutch "from the driver's foot", as in the "mechanics" between the engine and the "black box" with gears. After all, in order to get under way, you need to smoothly connect the motor and the "black box" of the box. Here is the torque converter, without losing any effort from the engine, it does it. And the liquid is needed in order to transmit rotational movement through it. Otherwise the air will not cope. The density of the air is low to transfer power at these speeds. As for the gear changes, they are performed at the command of the control unit, automatically, depending on the driving conditions. Previously, these units were hydraulic, now they are electronic.

In general, everything in the hydromechanical automatic transmission seems to be good. It goes by itself, it switches itself. The driver can only press the accelerator and brake pedals, and click the automatic selector between "Parking", "Drive" and "Back". Moreover, this thing works quite reliably. If you do not pretend to be Schumacher on the automatic transmission, and follow the Maintenance Regulations, then it does not break.

But there are drawbacks. Chief among them are tangible moments automatic switching ranges of automatic transmission in a "black box" with gears, and more high consumption fuel, in comparison with the "mechanics" with the same power units. The need for more comfort, rising fuel prices and environmental concerns have encouraged engineers to think about automation again.

"Variable speed drive". CVT automatic transmission

To understand what the engineers have thought of, imagine ... a bicycle. Pedals, two sprockets, with a chain between them. On rear wheel slightly more advanced models have several sprockets so that you can change gears. I switched it to a large sprocket - pedaling is easier and you can go up a steep hill, only you have to pedal more often. At the same time, the speed of the bike drops, but this is a price for high traction. And if you ride on flat terrain, or from a mountain, you turned on a smaller sprocket at the back - you pedal less often, and the speed of the bike increases. Now imagine that the bike has a belt instead of a chain drive. That is, instead of a chain - a belt, instead of sprockets - pulleys, only instead of a bunch of sprockets on the rear wheel - ONE pulley, but its diameter can ... smoothly change. Have you presented? Here, in front of you, a CVT automatic transmission! One pulley is of constant size, the second is variable and its diameter changes at the command of the control unit, adjusting to the driving conditions. And between them - the strongest "belt", which is either a multi-link chain, or a composite, of metal plates. A smooth change in the diameter of one of these pulleys leads to the fact that the switching points of the automatic transmission are not felt at all. After all, they simply do not exist, these switching moments. J Amazingly comfortable piece of work, this variator! But it was not without flaws, significant and smaller.

"Variators" are not cheap. They also strongly dislike slipping. Due to the fact that between the "black box" with pulleys and the belt you have to put the same torque converter (you need to get under way!), And also because of mechanical friction in the "black box", energy losses are quite large, fuel consumption, in comparison with the "conventional" automatic transmission, a little less. And maybe more. And also it is necessary to "conjure" the engine programs so that it does not hum like a trolleybus at constant speed during acceleration. After all, there is no stepped gear change. Therefore, the space for research again opened up for engineers.

"Robots". Robotic transmissions

To overcome the shortcomings of hydromechanical and variable speed automatic transmissions, several design schools turned their attention to ... a conventional mechanical gearbox. But what if we replace the foot clutch actuator with an electric actuator, the gear lever and traction lever to the "black box" with gears with electric actuators, and control the clutch and shifting using an electronic unit, based on driving conditions? Of course, only a fairy tale tells itself easily and quickly. Engineers had to tinker hard over the control programs for this unit and the reliability of the electric drive, but automated manual transmissions, which journalists dubbed "robotic" or "robots", went into mass production for small cars. They represent precisely the classic "mechanics" in which the clutch and gear changes are controlled electronic unit.

The main advantage of the majority of "robots" is their high fuel efficiency, for which they, first of all, were created. After all, a computer with a perfect control program never makes mistakes, never gets angry, does not get depressed and never gets tired, unlike drivers with different experience, skill and resistance to physical and mental stress. Therefore, a car with a "robot" consumes less fuel than the same car with any other gearbox, including "mechanics". And such a "robot" is cheaper than any other automatic transmission in the purchase, when ordering a new car. Like this.

But even here it is not without flaws. No matter how hard the engineers tried to optimize the moments of switching, the "pecking" of the car with its nose during violent acceleration is very noticeable. Such "robots" are for economical and quiet driving, not for "Schumacher". They also hate clutch slippage. The engineers had to tighten up again.

Imagine a car with a six-speed mechanical box gear. Have you presented? Only this box is not quite ordinary. More precisely, it is not at all usual. It seems to consist of TWO units, with the 1st, 3rd and 5th gears connected to the engine through one clutch module, and the 2nd, 4th and 6th through the other. It turns out something like "two in one". Now imagine that all controls are fully automatic, electronic and electrical. Moreover, when you accelerate, for example, in 2nd gear, the control unit has ALREADY turned on the 3rd, and is only waiting for the best moment to make an instant "click-click" by independent clutches in order to "release" the second gear and "cut in" a previously prepared 3rd. Switching to such an automatic gearbox takes not just a split second, but milliseconds! The driver and passengers simply do not notice these changes, and acceleration is smooth and very fast. For example, in DSG, which was the first in the world to put on the conveyor vOLKSWAGEN concern, the switching times take 7 milliseconds. It's much faster than blinking your eyes. Therefore, there are no jerks and jerks, like those of the "robots" described above. The DSG 7 SPEED WARRANTY has been increased to 5 years or 150,000 km: The VOLKSWAGEN AG concern, meeting the wishes of its customers, in order to maintain customer confidence in the concern's cars, carried out at the expense of the manufacturer free repair or replacement of DSG 7 DQ 200 gearbox assemblies within 5 years or until 150,000 km are reached from the moment the vehicle was handed over to the first customer. When the owner of the car contacts the authorized dealers with a claim for work of DSG 7 DQ 200 diagnostics and, if necessary, free repairs will be carried out free of charge in accordance with the current technical recommendations of the concern.

In the same way, such "robotic" boxes switch not only "up" but also down. The gearbox control unit carefully "observes" the driver's actions using sensors on the pedals and steering gear, and prepares in advance best gear for driver purposes.

If I say that such "robots" of the VW DSG class work brilliantly, then this would not be an exaggeration, and not only in terms of gear changes. Their control units also do not "get tired" and do not "make mistakes", so the fuel consumption of a car with DSG, especially in the urban cycle, is less than with any other gearbox, including "mechanics".

As for the shortcomings, there are few of them, but, alas, they are: The high cost and unacceptability of slippage in clutch units (however, what kind of clutch does it like?).

Summary: As you can see, it is impossible to say unequivocally which is better and which is worse. To each his own!

mechanics "or" robot "class DSG from VW

If you are an active driver, you understand a lot about high-speed and maneuverable car control

traditional hydromechanical automatic gearbox

If you choose an SUV, you want comfort in the city, but you also get out of the city, and not only on the highway

simple "robot"

If you are a calm driver, drive around the city, choose a small car and economy is very important for you, then a simpler "robot" will suit you perfectly. "Variator" This type of box will be good for fans of the ultimate ride

tvoy-bor.ru

Which is better: robot, variator, mechanics? Compare gearboxes

The problem of choice: variator, robot, hydromechanics? We are looking for the optimal transmission for certain situations. I will tell you why each box is good and bad in a given situation. And what kind of transmission to give preference to when choosing a new car.

Manual Transmission

Not so long ago, a manual transmission was on the vast majority of cars. Moreover, until recently, it was possible to study law only on mechanics. But a lot has changed since then. Now manual transmissions are no longer the most economical and not the fastest - robots with two clutches and modern hydromechanical automatic machines with a large number of gears outperform the good old mechanics both in acceleration to a hundred and in efficiency. Moreover, if with a manual transmission a lot depends on who is driving, automatic transmissions with any driver will do the same thing and give approximately the same results always.

However, it is too early to write off manual transmissions. First, mechanics are still the most affordable option. Secondly, the mechanics are the easiest to repair. Thirdly, they require attention less than other transmissions. Fourth, in the vast majority of cases, mechanics outperform other types of transmissions in terms of reliability and durability. Fifth, for some, mechanics are still very masculine.

When choosing a heavily used car with a mileage of 150,000 km, it is better to buy cars with mechanics, since the probability of problems with the transmission will be several times lower. It is also worth recommending buying a car with a manual transmission for those who want to save money and for those who drive on country roads most of the time - the mechanics allow you to better manage the engine power when overtaking, and the number of changes will not be a burden.

Single clutch robot

Despite the fact that robotic single-clutch transmissions have proven to be ineffective in the fight for the customer with other transmissions, such transmissions are still found on modern cars. The most famous example is AvtoVAZ. But there are also foreign cars. For example, Smart, Peugeot, Fiat, Opel. The reason for their failure to go into oblivion is their cheapness. After mechanical transmissions, single-clutch robots are the most affordable option. By design, they are very close to mechanics, only the clutch is controlled by the electronics. Ideally, such a robot should serve no less than ordinary mechanics; everything should be in order with its reliability and maintainability. In practice, very often problems arise with the control electronics.

Moreover, such a transmission is inconvenient either on the highway or in the city. Shifts are too slow and late, throttle response is minimal, and the car jerks when shifting. If you try to be quick, the box will be blunt. On long climbs, the clutch often overheats and the gearbox goes into emergency mode.

In short, I would not recommend such a transmission to anyone. However, fate may simply not leave a choice for those who do not know how to drive with mechanics, and the budget does not allow them to roam around and buy a car with a more advanced transmission. Moreover, sometimes there is simply no alternative. One way or another, buying a car with a single-plate clutch is only for small cars intended for owners with a very measured driving style - they may like the transmission.

Robot with two clutches

When someone says "a robot with two clutches", most people immediately think of the DSG. And those who are a little interested in cars remember the scandals and problems associated with it. However, at the moment, robotic transmissions with two clutches are the most modern, advanced, dynamic and economical transmissions. Reliability problems that were at the start of sales have been resolved. Moreover, many other manufacturers have similar boxes: VW, Porsche, Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Ford.

Since this is a robotic box, its essence is almost the same as that of a mechanic, only instead of one clutch in such a transmission there are two of them. In other words, while you are driving in first gear, second is ready to be engaged. All that remains for the electronics is to quickly switch from the first clutch to the second. After turning on the second gear, the third is being prepared, and so on. Therefore, the gearshifts are just lightning fast, manual gearboxes never dreamed of such a gearshift speed.

Most often, these gearboxes have six or seven gears. They are available with "dry" clutch and with "wet" clutch. From a mechanic's point of view, this is important, but the end user will not feel the difference, so we will not dwell on this. I'd better tell you about the pros and cons.

Pros: excellent dynamics and efficiency. Good ride quality. Robots with two clutches behave equally well in the city, outside the city and even on the race track.

Cons: very poor maintainability, while the service life directly depends on driving style and quality of service. Plus, like conventional robots, robots with two clutches have glitches in the control electronics. Not all workshops undertake the repair of such transmissions.

A robot with two clutches will suit almost everyone. The exception is those who like harsh and frequent off-road conditions. Long slip is contraindicated for these transmissions.

Variable speed drive

The variator was invented as a replacement for all other transmissions, but in real life, due to some features of the transmission, not everyone likes the variator, and not all manufacturers offer it at all. Most variators among Japanese models. And despite the fact that I called the variator a gearbox, it has no fixed gears as such. And this is his whole charm. It transmits torque and power to the wheels not in steps, but smoothly, so it has maximum smoothness, there are no jolts at all, like in a trolleybus. CVTs are quite economical, since the electronics are always trying to find the most economical gear ratio at the moment.

Variators are different: wedge-chain, V-belt and so on. The consumer will not notice any difference between them. A feature of all variators is the monotonous sound of the engine. Even when accelerating, engine rpm freezes and does not change, as we are used to in cars with all other transmissions. Sometimes it strains the ear or is just unpleasant. Therefore, some manufacturers imitate the stepwise operation of the variator.

CVTs are great for small cars with a small engine, for city and highway driving at a leisurely pace. But the variator is categorically not suitable for cars with high torque and SUVs that spend half the time in mud with wheel slip (although there are exceptions). The variator is a very delicate transmission, it is afraid of heavy loads and requires timely attention and maintenancewhich boils down to replacing transmission fluid and a belt or chain.

In general, CVTs are great for compact city cars and small crossovers nissan type Qashqai, Toyota Rav4. However, on other machines, variators are almost never found.

Traditional hydromechanical automatic

A hydromechanical automatic transmission is the oldest type of transmission after a mechanical one. Such boxes became widespread in the middle of the last century. For such a long time of existence, automatic transmissions have become almost perfect. Switching became smooth, the electronics learned to guess the right moment for switching. The number of gears increased in some cases to ten, which greatly improved the economy.

However, everything is not so simple. The increase in the number of gears resulted in a high complexity of the transmission and very frequent gear changes. The first affects maintainability, the second affects the resource. It is very difficult to speak unequivocally about the resource of modern machines. Some boxes require attention already at 80 thousand km, some go without repairs for 300 thousand. The only thing that can be said unequivocally is that there are successful and unsuccessful transmissions, and the general trend is that older transmissions, for example, four- and five-speed, are more reliable than modern eight-, nine- and ten-speed transmissions.

However, conventional automatic transmissions with a torque converter are very versatile. They are suitable for both small cars and huge SUVs and trucks. They perfectly cope with colossal loads and high torque, they are quite unpretentious if the oil is changed in time, and they have good smoothness.

We can say that the most versatile transmissions are manual and traditional automatic. They are suitable for any car, for any driving style, they are not afraid of slippage, high load and off-road conditions. CVTs are great for quiet driving on asphalt and for not very large cars with not very powerful gasoline engines... Single-clutch robotic transmissions are not a choice out of love, but out of necessity. If possible, it is better to buy a car with some other transmission. Robots with two clutches are excellent in everything, but it is better not to meddle with them on serious off-road, and their repair will cost a pretty penny, and even if someone will undertake to repair them.

Alexander Dolgikh

avtomir.zahav.ru

Most motorists who buy a car know in advance what to choose - "mechanics" or "automatic". But the choice between "automatic", "robot" and "variator" causes difficulties - it is impossible for an unprepared buyer to choose a suitable option! What is the difference between the above transmissions?

Let's make a reservation right away: if the opportunity allows - choose the classic "machine". Newfangled "robots" and "variators" have appeared relatively recently, so the operational drawbacks are practically unknown. But robotic and continuously variable transmissions have other advantages. Which ones? Robotic transmission or "robot"

Advantages:

Reduced fuel consumption;

Low cost of transmission;

Low cost of service.

Disadvantages:

Low smoothness of switching;

Low switching speed.

How does it work?

The most successful robotic transmission is the SMG (which stands for Sequental M Gearbox) mounted on BMW M-series... This transmission is based on a mechanical 6-speed gearbox, the clutch release and gear shifting in which the hydraulics are in charge of electronic control... Moreover, the process of changing gears occurs almost instantly, taking only 0.08 seconds.

However, there are more available ways turn a manual transmission into a robotic one. The simplest one is implemented in Mercedes-Benz A-classwhere the manual transmission was equipped with an electro-hydraulic clutch. At the same time, the driver shifts gears, as in a car with a conventional "mechanics", but there are two pedals in the cabin - the electronics monitors the position of the gas pedal and the gearbox lever and disengages the clutch at the right time.

So that jerks when shifting are instant, and the engine does not stall during sudden braking, the system takes into account the readings of the engine and ABS sensors. Another option is to replace the hydraulic pumps with stepper motors. This is exactly what the creators of "robots" did on opel cars and Ford. True, in this case, the economy turned into a number of unpleasant features: strong jerks and annoying delays. However, there are exceptions here. The Japanese, using the same electric motors on Toyota Corolla, were able to achieve quite an acceptable level of comfort and speed of switching.

Continuously variable transmission or "variator"

Advantages:

Reduced fuel consumption.

Disadvantages:

High cost of transmission;

The high cost of service.

How does it work?

The first continuously variable transmission was developed by the engineers of the Dutch company DAF. The principle of operation of the latter is elementary - the torque is transmitted by a rubber belt (today on cars either a stacked steel belt or a multi-link steel chain is used), worn on moving tapered discs that form belt pulleys. When the driving discs move apart and the driven discs move, the output torque is increased. When the driving discs move and the driven discs move apart, the output torque is reduced. The main disadvantage of CVTs is the lack of reverse and neutral gears. Different manufacturers solve the above problems in different ways.

Automatic transmission or "automatic"

Advantages:

High smoothness of switching;

High switching speed.

Disadvantages:

Increased fuel consumption;

High cost of transmission;

The high cost of service.

How does it work?

The classic automatic transmission (automatic transmission) consists of two main components. The first is the torque converter, which replaces the flywheel. The second is planetary box gear. It is worth noting that the mechanical filling of the "automatic machines" has changed very little during their existence. Except that the number of gears has grown from two (on the Vauxhall Victor) to eight (on the Lexus LS460). But the control systems have evolved significantly. If on the first cars with "automatic machines" it was necessary to select the desired gear by moving the small switch up or down, then by the middle of the last century transmissions "learned" to do everything on their own.

Later, this "independence" became possible to adjust, taking into account the driving style of a particular driver, choosing one of several operating modes. For example, an active driver could choose the "sport" mode, and a quiet one - the "comfort" mode. The most modern "automatic machines", called adaptive, are able to independently "adjust" to the driver.

Alexey KOVANOV http://autoban.km.ru/

Found a mistake on our website? Please let us know about it. Select the wrong word or phrase with the mouse and press Ctrl + Enter

Technological progress does not stand still, not so long ago it was believed that learning to drive is better on mechanics, and it is cheaper to maintain it, but now everything has changed. An automatic transmission or a robotic gearbox untie his hands when traveling, the driver no longer has to think about changing gears. Even racing cars equipped with such gearboxes, let alone ordinary motorists. To decide which is best, you first need to understand the device of each variety, the pros and cons.

According to statistics, about half of the cars currently sold are with an automatic transmission. Its purpose is to change the frequency and torque transmitted to the drive wheels in a wider range than the engine can provide. But different box designs do it a little differently.

Automatic transmission

An automatic is a type of transmission where the choice gear ratio occurs automatically, depending on several factors. Only those transmissions are called automatic, where there are necessarily two structural elements: a planetary gear and a torque converter. The transformer is responsible for the transmission of torque from the engine, rotation is transmitted by liquid - oil.

Automatic transmission device

Planetary gear appeared as structural element back at the beginning of the 20th century. The first mass-produced car, the Ford T, had this design element. It has been produced all over the world since 1908 for almost twenty years in millionth series. But back in 1906, it began to be produced car cadillac, with fully automatic transmission.

First planetary gear car - Ford T

The planetary transmission resembles in appearance the movement of the planets around the Sun. The components of this mechanism are listed below:

• In the center of the gearbox is the so-called "sun" or small cogwheel.
• The carrier is a linkage mechanism.
• Large cogwheel with internal gears.
• Satellites - an analogue of the planets of the solar system, gear wheels, revolve around the "sun".

The device of the planetary automatic transmission system

Planetary system - multiple planetary gears. The torque converter transmits torque, but there is no rigid connection between the engine and the box, unlike mechanics. This is an analogue of a clutch in a manual transmission. There is a slight loss of power in the transmission of motion due to the lack of a rigid connection with the engine, but due to the hydraulics the travel is softer. Certain gears in the planetary system are blocked, and a reduction, overdrive or direct transmission is obtained.

When you have to get to work through traffic jams, it is more convenient to use the automatic transmission. Then the driver does not have to press many levers, and the control does not require the same concentration as when operating a mechanic. After all, after several hours in the stream of cars, the legs get tired, and the loss of concentration can lead to an emergency. People for whom the manual transmission is incomprehensible choose automation, and many of the students include themselves among them. At the same time, the service life of the above models is the same. The impact on the human factor is also reduced, you do not need to constantly monitor the machine.

Gears shift smoothly, the car moves without sudden jerks. The gearbox adjusts to the driver, so the ride is comfortable regardless of the chosen driving style. Clutch discs and release bearing serve longer, and this feature is noted even by experienced drivers who have used manual transmissions all their lives. The machines began to be produced earlier, so there are fewer pitfalls in their behavior. Measures are constantly being taken to improve the design, as a result, fuel consumption is reduced.

For ride comfort, soft acceleration, you have to pay with a higher cost of the gearbox and a decrease in efficiency. During hydraulic transmission, there is a mismatch between the rotational speeds of the turbine and impeller wheels. This process is called hydraulic transmission slip and is present in any transmission mode. But, if the speed is constant, there is no braking and acceleration, the torque converter blocking is applied. The hydraulic transformer is eliminated from the torque transmission circuit. The engine is directly connected to the gearbox shaft.

Automatic transmission in the context

You will have to leave a considerable amount in the car service if something breaks. The reason for this is the complexity of the mechanism. If the battery runs out, you will not be able to start the car folk methods... With a manual transmission, you can simply push the car, and the automatic transmission will break when using this method. Automata in budget cars may respond with delay to commands. The decision is made by the system, not the person, so it is more difficult to control the machine.

The car owner will have to be careful when driving. In the cold season, it is often necessary to skid in the snow in order to pass a difficult section. When iron Horse equipped with automatic transmission, such manipulations lead to its overheating. If you continue like this, the car will quickly break down.

Handling with automatic transmission in winter is slightly worse than on mechanics

The conclusion is the following - handling in winter is worse than in summer, especially when traveling out of town. Automatic transmission is more suitable for calm city conditions, rather than racing on rough terrain. In the event of a breakdown, you cannot tow the car, you will have to pay for a tow truck. You cannot start abruptly from a place, switch to parking mode or park inaccurately, otherwise you will have to repair the device ahead of schedule.

It works on the same principle as a mechanical one, has a similar design with gears. But the disconnection of the engine crankshaft from the power transmission of the vehicle and gear shifting in the box is carried out automatically. The device is controlled by electronics, and the car enthusiast only supplies information to the input.

The control is carried out by an electronic unit with servo drives or actuators, which are of two types - hydraulic and electric motors. When the command to shift is given to the actuators, one actuator will depress the clutch. Another - turns on the required speed by moving the synchronizers.

The hydraulic drive is more expensive and is only installed on cars executive class or sports cars. Operation involves the use of brake fluid... It is pressurized and speeds up the switching process by up to 0.05 seconds. Therefore, hydraulics are the choice of racers and street racers. The electric drive is used more often, as it costs less. But the switching delay is tenths of a second, which is felt at the moment of acceleration.

Left - hydraulic drive, right - electric drive

There are two operating modes of the box - automatic and manual. In the first case, the computer sends an order to change gears based on the collected data. different systems... This includes driving speed, engine speed and other indicators. If the manual mode is activated, the person gives commands using the control levers - the paddles under the steering wheel and the gearbox selector. The car enthusiast himself adjusts the selector and sets a restriction on the robot's gear change.

Paddle paddle for gear shifting

To fully understand how a robotic box works, it is worth considering its design. The device is identical to the manual transmission. It consists of a body called a crankcase. Inside there are shafts parallel to each other. Gears are attached to them, which are in engagement in pairs. The box is two-shaft or three-shaft.

Device robotic box gear

Torque is transmitted from the motor to the primary shaft, also called the drive shaft. The converted torque is directed to the drive wheels from the secondary - driven. The difference between the shafts is that on the secondary the gears can rotate freely, and on the leading one they are rigidly attached. Often the slave is divided by two in order to reduce its length and, accordingly, the size of the box. To prevent torque from being applied to the wheels, select the "neutral" position. In this mode, the gears rotate freely on the driven shaft.

When using a manual transmission, depress the clutch pedal before changing gear. Otherwise, the input shaft will not be disconnected from the vehicle engine. The electronics built into the robotic modifications relieve the unnecessary burden from the driver. Therefore, while driving, a person does not need to step on the clutch pedal.

After the clutch is activated, the driver moves the synchronizers using the gear lever. They are special mechanisms that equalize the speed of the driven shaft and the activated gear. When the clutch engages, the torque is transferred to the driven shaft at the desired ratio. Further, it is fed to the main gear and wheels.

The first robots were presented as an invention that combined the positive qualities of mechanics and an automaton. New items with an electronic control unit inherited a robust design from the manual transmission. In the event of a breakdown, it is not difficult to find a master who will repair it.

Improved mechanisms also feature low consumption fuel and oil in comparison with automatic transmission. Compared to many torque converters, robotic modifications consume 30% less fuel.

CVT and torque converter models have a more complex design and break more often. A distinctive feature of robots is that it is easier to operate than when operating mechanics.

The advantages of robotic devices include comfort during the trip. To get rid of jerks in modern models two independent clutches are installed. Such gearboxes are called preselective, their gear change takes 0.02 seconds. They allow, when the gear is engaged, to activate the next stage without taking a break in work and maintaining traction. Ride comfort and improved dynamics are achieved by reducing the power interruption moment.

Double-plate clutch in a robotic gearbox

The robot can have up to 10 speeds, as in the recently introduced by Volkswagen auto. If you choose a manual transmission, maximum amount gears - only 8. Devices with an electronic control unit were invented about 20 years ago and launched in mass production... Now you can find both a budget sedan and a tuned sports car with a robotic gearbox.

Unlike a real driver, the robot cannot feel the moment when the discs close and smoothly change the speed. Therefore, the movement can be jerky. To make it smoother, the creators of robotic controllers took action. In improved modifications, at the time of gear change, the electronics for a while interrupts the power flow transmitted to the wheels from the motor. Therefore, unpleasant dips disappear during acceleration.

The principle of operation of a robotic gearbox

Such designs are smaller, with smoother running, but they will cost more. A single electromagnetic servo drive is installed in them. Gear selector is faster and shorter power interruption times.

Robots require compliance with operating rules. The driver should not put too much pressure on the gas, and when braking it is recommended to press the pedal harder. With a sharp set or slipping, the gearbox may fail. It is necessary to ensure that the clutch does not overheat when driving.

Automation adjusts to the driving style of the car owner. The firmware of the robot control unit is set to a mode that supports only one style. Another disadvantage - for racing on the track, you will have to buy a modification with a hydraulic drive, and it will cost much more. Manual transmission repair will cost less, and when traveling on worn out road surface such a mechanism will last longer. The electronic mechanism may fail after an incorrectly performed flashing or chip tuning. In the worst case, the clutch will have to be changed too.

An automatic machine or a robot - the choice is not easy, and there is also a variator. But the variator does not change the speeds, since there they change smoothly. That is, it is not a gearshift device. A robot with automation can be compared in terms of material parameters, acceleration dynamics, behavior in adverse conditions - when slipping, maneuvering on a difficult road surface.

If we consider the comfort of the trip, the automatic transmission is in the first place. When it is more important to strive for profit, the robotic gearbox is in the lead, which has less fuel and oil consumption. But automatic transmissions are considered more predictable when driving. It can be difficult to see when buying a robot or a machine in front of a prospective owner. In both versions, there is no clutch pedal, so you need to ask in advance which gearbox the selected model is equipped with.

Below you can see the comparison table of automatic transmission and robotic transmission.

	Automatic transmission	Robotic checkpoint
pros	Smooth acceleration and movement	The design is simpler than that of an automatic transmission
	Easy to operate the machine	Fuel economy and higher efficiency compared to automatic transmission
	No need to constantly replace the clutch	Repair and maintenance is cheaper than automatic transmission
Minuses	Efficiency is lower than that of a robot	Jerky movement when starting and shifting gears
	Higher fuel consumption	Slower gear changes
	High cost, including repair	Unpredictability of behavior in difficult road conditions

Let's summarize

It is impossible to say which system is better - automatic or robotic. If such a conclusion could be made for all machines, manufacturers have already produced the same type of gearbox for a long time. When purchasing a car, you need to consider the following factors:

• What roads are supposed to drive - urban or suburban. For busy streets better automatic transmission, and when traveling on highways, a robot is also suitable, since you do not have to accelerate and brake all the time.
• Does the fuel consumption matter - in the automatic transmission it is somewhat higher.
• Recommendations of those who have already tried this box.
• The price of an automatic transmission, as well as its repair, is more expensive than a robotic one.
• Driving with automatic transmission is more comfortable for both the driver and passengers, because there are no sharp jerks during acceleration.

Gearbox robot or automatic: which is better

5 (100%) 1 voted

New question from a reader of our autoblog

« Hello, the author of this wonderful site. My name is Marina. I read your blog almost every day, really standing information, a lot of interesting things. Now I choose a car and always have an automatic transmission, but I have options - an automatic, a robot and a variator. I read your comparison machine and variator, informative. Could you write more about the automaton and the robot? Thank you in advance!»

Yes, the question is interesting, let's think ...

We have already described the automatic transmission in the article. However, let me remind you briefly. Automatic - automatic transmission (abbreviated as automatic transmission). In its structure, it has nothing to do with a conventional manual transmission (read the article), here shifting occurs thanks to two main parts, this is a torque converter and a gearbox. The torque converter replaces the clutch by changing the speed of the "automatic". The gearbox is in constant mesh with all pairs of gears. Thanks to this design, it switches speeds itself, depending on the engine speed. It should also be noted that the gears are shifted mechanically, namely from the injection of oil pressure. That is, there is practically zero electronics. "Automatic" has been produced for a long time, therefore it has been very well studied. You can make it at almost any service station, not even a dealer. I will not describe the pros and cons of the machine a second time, read the CVT or machine in the article.

Most the new kind automatic transmission (read in detail in this).

A robot is the same manual transmission that has a control unit located directly on the transmission itself. This control unit replaces both the clutch and the gear shifting function, but the shifts here occur as in simple mechanics, just a person does not interfere in the process. This block essentially represents a robotic assembly. Hence the name box robot. Before the widespread use of electronics in robots, hydraulic drives were used, now hydraulic drives have been replaced by servo drives (electronic components).

Now in our article, let's talk about the pros and cons of a "robot".

pros

1) This is the same mechanics, and therefore the design is simpler than that of the "machine"

2) Oil consumption is less than that of the machine. "Robot" 2 - 3 liters, "automatic" 7 - 10 liters.

3) Repair is easier and cheaper than repairing an automatic machine.

4) The level of fuel consumption, for a car with a robot, at the level of a manual transmission. And sometimes even less.

5) The robot always supports manual switching gear as on mechanical transmission... This is not always present in a machine.

6) The robot transmits full torque from the engine to the wheels, unlike an automatic machine.

Minuses

1) Change gears very slowly, sometimes the interval reaches 2 seconds.

2) The robot is not very stable transmission, even on two identical machines will work differently.

3) During the operation of the robot, jerks and jerks are often encountered, even when the car starts to move.

Honestly, when choosing an automatic machine or a robot - I would give preference to an automatic machine, it is more stable in operation, and now automatic machines for 6 or more gears appear, which in terms of fuel consumption are already approaching mechanics and a robot. The robot, in spite of all its advantages, remains a dark horse, you just do not know what to expect, whether it will work normally, or it will be tough to blunt.

Modern cars are diverse. This also applies to their checkpoint. When buying a car, everyone always wants to get an option with a reliable control mechanism. Therefore, you have to choose: buy an automatic machine or a variator, or maybe even buy a "smart" robot box. Which gearbox is the best and why? What are their differences?

What is automatic transmission

One of the most common options is an automatic transmission. In front-wheel drive vehicles, there is main gear and differential.

The automatic transmission has 5 modes:

• parking;
• reverse;
• neutral mode;
• sports mode;
• automatic switching mode.

Automated transmission

Automation advantages:

• smoothness of movement;
• no need for manual switching;
• reliability.

Disadvantages of an automatic box:

• relatively complex and expensive to maintain;
• difficult to operate in bad weather conditions;
• has significant fuel consumption.

Robotic checkpoint

A robotic gearbox is a device that receives and transmits torque to the drive wheels, having previously converted it. The whole process in such a device is controlled by automation.

However, this does not make it an automatic transmission option. The only similarity is the clutch box present in the case. The robot's gearbox is similar to a manual gearbox, which is controlled by an automated system.

What is the difference between a robot and an automaton

And the robot box and the automatic box are actively used, then what is the difference between them?

The differences between a robotic box and an automatic box are mainly in the fact that the first is not able to switch gears as smoothly. As a result - the car makes jerks during switching.

When changing to a different speed, the robotic gearbox must first be put in neutral. Therefore, there are certain delays in time. And in terms of reliability, they are significantly inferior to automatic ones. This is the main difference between the machine box and the robot box. And if you have to choose: which is better - a robot or an automaton, then an automaton is definitely better in this parameter.

A robot differs from a machine gun in its appearance. If there is a P icon on the selector, this will mean that there is an automatic transmission in front of the buyer, N and R will indicate a robotic one.

Robotic transmission or automatic transmission

Which is better - a robot or an automatic transmission? Among other things, the robot differs from the automatic machine in that the first option will be cheaper. It will also be distinguished from a robotic automatic transmission by the fact that the automatic transmission is characterized by a certain difficulty in servicing.

A gearbox robot from an automatic transmission can be distinguished externally: the robot is smaller in weight, it can have a control system on the steering wheel of the car.

The robotic system undoubtedly has its advantages. And, nevertheless, if you choose an automatic machine or a robot, then, probably, it is worth choosing a box with an automatic machine.

CVT gearbox

The variator is used in mechanisms where smooth speed switching is required. He is a variety automatic boxes gear.

CVT transmission

The main difference between a variator and a robotic box is that the change in gear ratios when shifting occurs here automatically, without the use of physical effort.

Robot or variator

Both the variator and the robot are actively used in driving. But the boxes of the robot and the variator are significantly different from each other. Each has its own pros and cons.

The main differences between the variator and the robot are that:

• the variator is characterized by smooth movement, which the robot lacks;
• the variator is characterized by fast gear shifting;
• economical use of fuel, how the robot differs from the variator;
• if we compare a robot with variators, the variators are more reliable, situations with "jamming" when shifting gears are practically excluded;
• the cost of the CVT gearbox will be much higher, and it is not cheap to maintain.

What is the difference between a variator and automation

The differences between the variator and the automatics are that:

• the variator accelerates better, has small expense fuel;
• smoothly shifts gears, there are no jerks typical for automation;
• more expensive to maintain and repair.

Thus, lovers driving fast it is worth thinking about what to choose: a variator or an automatic machine. A variator is better suited for this.

All checkpoints are good, to one degree or another. The main task here is to take into account what kind of ride and in what conditions to use them. So, in the city it is quite rational to use a robotic box. It is more similar to the mechanical one by the principle of gear shifting, which is rational in urban roads (numerous traffic jams, frequent gear changes). Fans of fast driving will appreciate the CVT box. Those who value comfort will be delighted with the automation.