Automotive Tier 1 Supplier Uses MTI's Laser System to Improve Torque Converter Design

Improper operation of a torque converter can lead to poor performance, premature system failure or worse, compromise the operation of the entire vehicle drive line. Knowing the axial displacement and dynamic expansion characteristics of a torque converter provides engineers valuable information about the torque converters' performance. A key automotive integrator was faced with the requirement of devising a foolproof method to accurately measure the axial displacement and dynamic expansion of production torque converters for a major Tier 1 automotive supplier. The measurement solution needed to be able to provide information under varying torque and pressure loads to accurately determine the performance under dynamic conditions. Since minute defects in the torque converter casing wall thickness can result in unacceptable and dangerous torque converter expansion, a precision measurement system was needed to measure the impeller hub displacement and thus the torque converter axial displacement.