Research of Tribological and Thermodynamic Parameters of the WC-Cu Braking System of the Experimental Modular Electric Vehicle

Abstract The authors of this manuscript present the development of a braking system with friction material base WC-Cu coating for the electric vehicle. This manuscript follows on from the original development of an AGV multi-disc braking system and an experimental investigation of the friction factor of WC-Cu coatings. In addition to developing the mechanical elements and construction of the electric vehicle, the tribological parameters of three samples of the steel substrate, the C45 with WC-Cu coating, were investigated in the tribological laboratory. A metallic coating of the WC-Cu base was applied on the C45 steel substrate using electro-spark deposition coating technology. The experiment used three samples with different percentage ratios of chemical elements in the coating structure. The tribometer working on a “Ball on Plate” principle was an investigation of the friction factor of all samples during the experiment. Subsequently, the surface of the samples was modified structure WC-Cu with laser technology. The microhardness of modified and unmodified coatings according to the Vickers methodology was investigated in the next stage. At the end of the experimental investigation, a braking simulation was created in the programming environment of the Matlab® software, considering all driving resistances. The researchers also focused on the simulation of heat conduction during braking for some considered driving modes with braking on a level and with a 20% slope roadway. The simulation of heat flow was carried out in the Matlab® programming environment using the Fourier partial differential equation for non-stationary heat conduction.