Clamping Force Control of Electromechanical Brake Actuator Considering Contact Point between Friction Lining and Brake Disc

Currently, most electromechanical brake (EMB) schemes are only suitable for passenger cars, and their maximum clamping force is insufficient to satisfy the braking demands of commercial vehicles. Additionally, previous studies on clamping force control are largely based on an EMB equipped with sensors. Due to constraints in installation space and cost, sensorless EMBs are gradually gaining attention. Furthermore, accurately identifying the contact point between the friction lining and the brake disc is the promise of clamping force control for sensorless EMBs. Hence, a sensorless EMB scheme suitable for commercial vehicles is proposed in this study. Secondly, a dynamics model of the EMB actuator is established. After a comprehensive analysis of the proposed EMB actuator, a clamping force control strategy considering the contact points between the friction lining and the brake disc is proposed. Finally, simulation analyses of the strategy are carried out. The results show that the axial length of the proposed EMB actuator is shortened by 17.6% compared with a mainstream pneumatic disc brake. Furthermore, the proposed method can accurately identify the contact points between the friction lining and the brake disc, and the proposed control strategy enables the EMB actuator to achieve the fast response, accurate tracking, and stable maintenance of the target clamping force.