Comparative Finite Element Structural Analysis of Clutch Lining with Advanced Materials

This study carries out a comparative finite element analysis of the clutch lining material of a Hyundai Verna single-plate clutch. A 3D clutch plate model was created in Siemens NX, and the analysis was carried out using ANSYS Workbench. The finite element analysis was performed to determine the deformation, von Mises stress, strain, and factor of safety of the advanced clutch lining materials: carbon fiber, ceramics, Kevlar 69, and copper alloy. The analysis was carried out under the application of axial pressure and axial force with the simultaneous action of 260 Nm torque. The results show that the structural characteristics of the chosen clutch lining materials are significantly different. The deformation of the carbon fiber clutch lining is the lowest: 3.19 × 10⁻⁶ m under the action of axial pressure and 0.000211 m under the action of axial force. The ceramic lining material also shows the minimum deformation value, i.e., 1.6 × 10⁻⁶ m, and the minimum strain value, i.e., 0.00052 m/m, indicating high rigidity for the lining material. The Kevlar 69 lining material also shows moderate deformation, i.e., 6.22 × 10⁻⁶ m, and maximum stress, i.e., 1.31 GPa, for the axial force, indicating that the Kevlar 69 lining material has moderate strength and flexibility. The copper alloy lining material, however, shows the maximum deformation value, i.e., 0.000682 m and maximum stress, i.e., 3.72 × 10⁸ Pa, indicating that the lining material has the least stiffness compared with the other lining materials. The results show that the carbon fiber and ceramic lining materials have better structural properties compared to other lining materials. Moreover, the results show that the advanced composite and ceramic lining materials are better suited for the clutch system compared to the other lining materials.