Abstract
As a shift control of automatic transmission was managed with the electronic control unit (ECU), shift quality which is a measure of shift shock during gear change has markedly improved. However, the initial clutch pressure control of the clutch filling phase should continue to rely on the predetermined control input since the input and output speeds are unchanged until the shifting process attains the inertia phase. It is critical to minimize the clutch response time and control the clutch pressure accurately at the end of clutch fill to achieve quick shift response and smoothness. Advanced transmission companies have adopted an auto calibration method which establishes the databases for the clutch piston fill-up attributes and the frictional characteristics of the disks. In this study, a distinctive auto calibration algorithm for forklift transmission under development is proposed and verified with the real-vehicle test. The experimental calibration results showed consistent turbine dynamics at the initial stage of shifts with the properly calibrated clutch-fill control parameters. By using this technique, it is necessary to finalize the shift control for the various operation conditions.