Anti-lock braking system

PAPER PRESENTATION BY

ROHIT.R.KATTI

IV SEMESTER BE(CS&E)

CELL-9844837159

e-mail:rohitkatti@sify.com

CHINMAY HUNASGI

IV SEMESTER BE(IS&E)

CELL-9844838309

e-mail:chinmay12@gamil.com

AFFILIATION

GOGTE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

UDYAMBAG

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BELGAUM.

CONTENTS PAGE NO.

1. Introduction 1

2. Design 3

3. Working principle 8

4. Types of ABS 12

5. Advantages and disadvantages 14

6. Frequently asked questions 16

7. Conclusion 19

8. References 20

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ABSTRACT

In a world where people are craving for high speed bikes and cars so that they get the

thrill out of them, vehicle manufacturers on the other side are in a dilemma as to how to

manage the braking part of the vehicles manufactured .While the basic hydraulic braking

system which is in use now, is not so suitable for high speeds there is a strong need for

an efficient braking system which suffices to the needs of the high speed world.The ABS

revolution brings an end to such a dilemma. ABS which is an acronym for anti-lock

braking system is a very efficient and safe braking system in which the braking is upto a

very high degree,just short of the wheels locking up.It makes use of a central electronic

circuit,four speed sensors (one for each wheel) and two or more hydraulic valves on the

brake circuit.Whenever the speed sensors sense a slip(ie a speed difference) between the

wheels,they move the valves to decrease the pressure on the braking circuit,effectively

reducing the braking force on that wheel,thus allowing the wheel to regain traction.This

paper manifests the various aspects of ABS ,including its advantages and disadvantages.

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1. INTRODUCTION

An antilock braking system (commonly known as ABS, from the German name

”Antiblockiersystem” given to it by its inventors at Bosch) is a system on motor vehicle

which prevents the wheels from locking while braking. The purpose of this twofold: to

allow the driver to maintain steering control and to shorten the braking distances.(by

allowing the driver to fully hit the brake with out fear for skidding or loss of control).

ABS is essentially an enhanced or improved version of ordinary brakes. Simply put, the

ABS is designed to prevent brakes from locking up and skidding when braking hard or

braking on wet or slick surfaces. This adds a significant margin of safety for regular

driving by preventing dangerous skid and allowing the driver to maintain steering control

while trying to stop.

ABS does not necessarily reduce the stopping distance, and in fact it can actually increase

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it slightly on dry pavement. But on wet or slick pavement, it may reduce the stopping

distance up 25% or more-which could be difference between safe stop and an accident.

There are quite a few ABS systems in use today. But one thing they all share in common

is the ability to control wheel lockup during hard braking. A tyre that is just on the verge

of slipping (10 to 20% slippage) produces more friction with respect to the road than on

which is locked and skidding (100%slippage). Once the traction is lost, friction is

reduced, the tyre skids and the vehicle takes longer to stop.

Another point about ABS is that it is essentially an “add-on” to the existing brake

system. It only comes into play when the traction conditions are marginal or during

sudden “panic” stops. The rest of the time, it has no effect on normal driving or braking.

The maximum braking effect is achieved with the wheels on the limit of friction where as

ABS works by releasing the brakes as the wheels break traction, so a skilled driver should

be able exceed the braking performance on an ABS. When activated, the ABS causes the

brake pedal to pulse noticeably. Nevertheless, ABS significantly improves safety and

steering control for drivers during panic braking.

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2. DESIGN

An antilock brake system is designed for a specific vehicle application. A truck which

does not pull a trailer, like a cement mixer, would have a slightly different ABS than a

truck tractor which pulls one or more trailers. Likewise, an antilock brake system for a

trailer would have a different design. ABS for automobiles may be even more specific

and may be designed for a particular brand name and model of car. Since ABS

components must fit and function along with existing vehicle components on each model,

the design and manufacturing process of a new antilock brake system is carried out in

partnership between the automobile manufacturer and the ABS supplier.

Regardless of manufacturer or the type of vehicle, all antilock brake systems operate in a

similar manner. Wheel speed sensors are placed on each wheel that is to be controlled.

Each speed sensor usually has a toothed wheel that rotates at the same speed as the

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vehicle wheel or axle. If the brakes are applied and one or more of the monitored wheels

suddenly begins to reduce speed at a higher rate than the others, the controller activates

the antilock system.

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Fig a. Design of ABS

2.1 Raw Materials

The toothed wheel or gear in the speed sensor is made of soft iron, usually cast. Iron is

chosen because of its high magnetic permeability and low magnetic reluctance. Magnetic

reluctance is roughly equivalent to electrical resistance, and sometimes the toothed wheel

is called the reluctor. The function of the toothed wheel is to allow the permanent

magnet's field to easily pass through each tooth to cause a momentary concentration of

field strength which induces a current in the pick-up coil. The pick-up coil has a

permanent magnet in the core, wrapped with a coil of copper wire.

The controller usually employs transistors known as hot-side drivers which control the

power side of the circuit rather than the ground side. These transistors produce more heat

than usual in an electronic circuit. Rather than being placed in a plastic or stamped steel

housing, they are attached to a cast aluminum housing with a finned heat sink to dissipate

the heat.

The hydraulic brake pressure solenoids used in automobiles have a standard construction

of copper coil elements with steel valves and bodies. They are housed in the same casing

as the brake system master cylinder which is usually cast from aluminum.

The electrical wiring is copper, often with cross-linked polyethylene insulation. To

prevent radio frequency interference (RFI), in which high-power radio signals might be

received through the wiring and cause the system to activate, all wiring is either shielded

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or the wires are run as twisted pairs to cancel out the effects of radio waves. Connectors

are plastic with internal copper contacts.

2.2 The Manufacturing Process

The manufacturing process for antilock brake systems consists of manufacturing the

component parts and then installing those parts on the vehicle. The parts are built in one

plant, then packaged and shipped to a vehicle assembly plant for installation. This is a

typical process for an automobile antilock brake system.

2.2.1 Making the master brake cylinder

1) The master cylinder, including the base for the solenoid body, is cast as a single

unit. The seating and sealing surfaces are machined smooth and the connection ports

are threaded.

2) The individual primary and secondary pistons, solenoid coils, reservoir caps and

seals, pressure accumulator, and any metering and proportioning valves are installed.

The solenoid body has a cover which attaches to the master cylinder with four or

more screws and is sealed with a gasket.

2.2.2 Making the wheel speed sensors

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1) The toothed wheel is cast from iron. Minor machining may be required at the

mounting points.

2) The pick-up coils are wound around the permanent magnet core in a machine

called a coil winder. The entire assembly is encased, or potted, in plastic resin with an

electrical connector attached.

2.2.3 Making the controller

1) The electronic controller components are soldered to a printed circuit board.

2) The board is connected inside a protective housing and mounted to the cast

aluminum heat sink base. External electrical connections are provided for the input

wiring from each speed sensor and the out-put wiring to the solenoids in the master

brake cylinder.

2.3 Installing the ABS

1) In the automobile assembly plant, the steel tubing brake lines are installed in the

framework of the body. They run from the partition between the engine compartment

and the occupant compartment, called the firewall, to the vicinity of each wheel. The

electrical wires for the ABS are also run from the vicinity of each wheel to the

controller location and from the controller to the firewall.

2) The brake master cylinder is bolted to the firewall in the engine compartment near

the brake pedal. The brake lines are attached to the appropriate ports on the solenoid

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body, and the electrical wires are connected.

3) The toothed sensor wheels are pressed onto the outer constant velocity joints or the

ends of the axle spindles so that they ride just inside the wheels. Once the axles are

attached to the frame, the brake lines are attached and the pick-up coils are installed

so that the end of the coils are close to the toothed wheels. The pick-up coils are then

electrically connected to the wires to the controller.

4) The controller is installed either under the instrument panel or in the vehicle's

trunk. The electrical connections are made, including the power connection from the

vehicle battery through the fuse-box.

3.WORKING PRINCIPLE

There are four main components to an ABS system:

1. Speed sensors

2. Pump

3. Valves

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4. Controller

Fig b.Anti-lock brake pump and valves

1) Speed Sensors

The anti-lock braking system needs some way of knowing when a wheel is about to lock

up. The speed sensors, which are located at each wheel, or in some cases in the

differential, provide this information.

2) Valves

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There is a valve in the brake line of each brake controlled by the ABS. On some systems,

the valve has three positions:

· In position one, the valve is open, pressure from the master cylinder is passed

right through to the brake.

· In position two, the valve blocks the line, isolating that brake from the master

cylinder. This prevents the pressure from rising further should the driver push the

brake pedal harder.

· In position three, the valve releases some of the pressure from the brake.

3 ) P u m p

Since the valve is able to release pressure from the brakes, there has to be some way to

put that pressure back. That is what the pump does; when a valve reduces the pressure in

a line, the pump is there to get the pressure back up.

4 ) C o n t r o l l e r

The controller is a computer in the car. It watches the speed sensors and controls the

valves.

3.1 ABS at work

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There are many different variations and control algorithms for ABS systems. We will

discuss how one of the simpler systems works.

The controller monitors the speed sensors at all times. It is looking for decelerations in

the wheel that are out of the ordinary. Right before a wheel locks up, it will experience a

rapid deceleration. If left unchecked, the wheel would stop much more quickly than any

car could. It might take a car five seconds to stop from 60 mph (96.6 kph) under ideal

conditions, but a wheel that locks up could stop spinning in less than a second.

The ABS controller knows that such a rapid deceleration is impossible, so it reduces the

pressure to that brake until it sees an acceleration, then it increases the pressure until it

sees the deceleration again. It can do this very quickly, before the tyre can actually

significantly change speed. The result is that the tire slows down at the same rate as the

car, with the brakes keeping the tires very near the point at which they will start to lock

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up. This gives the system maximum braking power.

When the ABS system is in operation you will feel a pulsing in the brake pedal; this

comes from the rapid opening and closing of the valves. Some ABS systems can cycle up

to 15 times per second.

4.Types of Anti-Lock Brakes

Anti-lock braking systems use different schemes depending on the type of brakes in use.

We will refer to them by the number of channels -- that is, how many valves that are

individually controlled -- and the number of speed sensors.

· Four-channel, four-sensor ABS - This is the best scheme. There is a speed

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sensor on all four wheels and a separate valve for all four wheels. With this setup,

the controller monitors each wheel individually to make sure it is achieving

maximum braking force.

· Three-channel, three-sensor ABS - This scheme, commonly found on pickup

trucks with four-wheel ABS, has a speed sensor and a valve for each of the front

wheels, with one valve and one sensor for both rear wheels. The speed sensor for

the rear wheels is located in the rear axle.

This system provides individual control of the front wheels, so they can both

achieve maximum braking force. The rear wheels, however, are monitored

together; they both have to start to lock up before the ABS will activate on the

rear. With this system, it is possible that one of the rear wheels will lock during a

stop, reducing brake effectiveness.

· One-channel, one-sensor ABS - This system is commonly found on pickup

trucks with rear-wheel ABS. It has one valve, which controls both rear wheels,

and one speed sensor, located in the rear axle.

This system operates the same as the rear end of a three-channel system. The rear

wheels are monitored together and they both have to start to lock up before the

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ABS kicks in. In this system it is also possible that one of the rear wheels will

lock, reducing brake effectiveness.

This system is easy to identify. Usually there will be one brake line going through

a T-fitting to both rear wheels. You can locate the speed sensor by looking for an

electrical connection near the differential on the rear-axle housing.

5.ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

5.1Advantages

1.The advantages of ABS brakes (anti-lock braking system), are just as the meaning of

their acronym implies, they eliminate or greatly reduce the possibility of brake lock up .

2.Conventional hydraulic brakes work by using a cylinder (actuator), which squeezes

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brake calipers together around the wheel's rotor when the brake pedal is depressed.

Difficulties arise with these conventional brakes if the road is slick and the driver

executes a panic stop. Under these conditions the wheels may lock up and the tyres run

the risk of losing their grip.

ABS brakes were designed to combat the problem of tire lock up and uncontrolled spins.

Since brakes are most effective at slowing the car at a point just before wheel lock up, a

system that provides for wheel braking while preventing wheel lock up is very desirable.

Anti-lock brakes do just this by using a computer processor to monitor and control the

application of the brakes. At braking, the processor monitors rpm and braking pressure on

each of the vehicle's wheels. With this information, measured amounts of pressure are

sent to each wheel in the form of hydraulic pulses of pressure to the calipers. These pulses

achieve the desired braking pressure without allowing the wheels to lock up.

3.Use of ABS is simple you mash the brake pedal and the computer takes over. No matter

what the surface, ABS adapts to it. Even professional race car drivers can not adapt as

quickly as a computer to changing surfaces. Most of those who live in the snowier regions

know what patchy snow can be like.

4.Steerability of the vehicle is very well maintained.

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5.2 Disadvantages
1) Stopping distance on uniform gravel or snow is somewhat longer. The increase in

stopping distance can be anywhere from 20% to 60%, depending on the particular ABS

and the road conditions. The trade-off, as described above, is that you get to steer. In such

cases ordinary conventional brakes are better since the tyres gather a wedge of snow and

stop early.

2) High cost of the whole system .

6.FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1) What is ABS?

An antilock braking system works with the regular or foundation brakes on your vehicle.

ABS simply keeps your base brakes from locking up. In vehicles not equipped with ABS,

the driver can manually pump the brakes to prevent wheel lockup. In vehicles equipped

with ABS, the driver's foot remains firmly on the brake pedal, allowing the system to

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automatically pump the brakes.

2) What is ABS supposed to do?

ABS mandates changes to heavy duty air brake systems that affect:

· Changes to stopping distances

· Wheel lock up when the truck is braking

· The minimum release time for each brake chamber.

What this means is there must always be full-time electrical for ABS. Therefore, the

electrical assemblies used on trucks must be right sized and must never accidentally

disengage.

3) Does ABS change the way I should use the brakes?

You should not pump your brakes if you have ABS. Just hold your foot firmly on the

brakes pedal and remember that you can still steer.

4)Why is that important?

When your brakes lock up on wet and slippery roads or during a panic stop, you lose

steering control and your vehicle can spin. Rear wheel ABS prevents wheel lockup so that

your car stays in a straight line. If your car has ABS control on all four wheels, you also

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keep steering control. If you have steering control, it is possible to avoid a crash by

steering around hazards if a complete stop cannot be accomplished in time.

5) Does ABS reduce stopping distances?

Not always. In many instances, the stopping distance will still be the same. What ABS

does is offer drivers and extra degree of safety for those unexpected situations out on the

road. Since ABS prevents lock-up, the odds of jack-knifing are greatly reduced.

6) Will I notice anything when the ABS is working?

In many vehicles, drivers may experience a rapid pulsation of the brake pedal--almost as

if the brakes are pushing back at you. Sometimes the pedal could suddenly drop. Also, the

valves in the ABS controller may make a noise that sounds like grinding or buzzing. In

some cars you may feel a slight vibration--this means the ABS is working. It is important

NOT to take your foot off the brake pedal when you hear noise or feel pulsations, but

instead continue to apply firm pressure.

7) Are all antilock systems the same?

They are all very similar in the way they control brake pressure, but some systems are

designed to prevent only the rear wheels from locking up. These rear-wheel-only systems

are found on pickups and sport-utility vehicles. Rear-wheel ABS keeps your vehicle from

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spinning out of control, but you will not have steering control if the front wheels lock up.

All other ABS systems including those for cars and minivans--are designed to keep all

four wheels from locking up. If you own a pickup or sport-utility vehicle, you can check

your owner's manual to see what type of ABS you have.

7.CONCLUSION

The ABS technology has emerged as a new generation braking technology and is set to

revolutionise the automobile industry. The ABS equipped vehicles give greater safety and

steering control during panic braking, and hence give greater confidence to the driver

during braking.

The use of ABS in four wheelers and two wheelers increases the braking power of the

vehicle and considerably reduces the risk of accidents. This technology provides greater

flexibility to the hydraulic braking system. The risk of accidents gets reduced by about

40% as compared to vehicles without ABS.

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Almost all the high speed vehicles that are being manufactured today ,are fitted with

ABS because of the high level of safety and steering control that it provides. Companies

like Diamler Chrysler and Ford have switched to ABS owing to its innumerable

advantages. Companies like Bendix Bosch, Delphi, Nippondenso, Sumitomo and

Toyota are manufacturing high performance ABS and supplying to the vehicle

manufacturers across the world. Though the Antilock braking system is costly and is not

suitable in snowy areas, it is gaining popularity as the people who have used it have

realized its worth..

With more and more development going on in the field of ABS, especially

ESP(electronic stability programme) which incorporates the function of

ABS,TCS(traction control system) and DSP(dynamic stability programme) ,we will

witness vehicles quipped with ESP in the near future.

8.REFERENCES

8.1 Html pages referred.

1.http:\\www.howstuffworks.com

2.http:\\www.technicalpapers.com

3.http\\www.collegetermpapers.com

4.http:\\www.directessays.com

5.http:\\www.edccorp.com

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8.2 Books referred.

1. Popular publishers, "How It Works: Antilock Brakes." Chaikin Don (July 1993, p.88)

2. Home publishers, "Antilock Brake Systems.", Kirk, John (March 1993, pp. 16-18).

3. Road and Track publishers. "Anti-Lock Braking Systems.”, Kott D (February 1994,

p. 110).

4. Popular publishers "Making a Comeback in the Big Rigs (ABS).",Alton john( July

1993, p. 38).

TOTAL WORD COUNT= 3228

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