Premature wear and thermal degradation of friction linings can be significant limitations of conventional single-plate dry clutch systems under repeated engagement and high torque conditions. This study proposes a mechanically modified clutch incorporating an auxiliary spring-steel annular ring lining intended to promote staged engagement and potential load sharing between two friction interfaces. Analytical torque capacity was estimated using uniform wear theory, and experimental validation was conducted on a laboratory clutch test rig under both continuous and cyclic engagement conditions. Mass loss, thickness reduction, surface temperature, and wear morphology were measured. Under the tested laboratory conditions, the modified clutch exhibited a 28–30% reduction in friction lining mass loss, approximately 6% reduction in thickness loss, and an estimated increase in service life of about 4.4 × 107 revolutions (~7%) compared with a conventional clutch. Lower measured surface temperatures were also observed for the modified configuration, which may be associated with redistribution of frictional work. The results suggest that staged mechanical engagement through an auxiliary spring-steel ring lining can improve wear performance while retaining the basic architecture of a single-plate clutch without substantial change to overall dimensions.
Dhoot et al. (Tue,) studied this question.