The modular clutch actuator shows just how closely intwined series production and motorsport are at Schaeffler. The system that has been tried and tested on the road had its DTM debut in 2022, with Marco Wittmann as a driver in his Schaeffler green BMW M4 GT3 #Greenmachine.
The primary advantage in motorsport is the extremely rapid responsiveness of the modular clutch actuator, which is connected directly to the starter clutch assistance. This enables a much more dynamic launch, which gains important split seconds.
The hydrostatic modular clutch actuator developed by Schaeffler achieves clutch opening and closing times of under 150 ms, making it as fast as the blink of an eye. This actuator enables functions such as hill start assist, overload assist, slip protection, and vibration damping via slip control on the one hand and switching between all-electric and traditional driving on the other. The system also contributes to greater efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions.
Interestingly, the path of Schaeffler’s hydrostatic modular clutch drive has led from series production to motorsport. Although for many technological innovations, this tends to be just the opposite.
So the route from series production to motorsport, which is often the other way round for many technologies, was mapped out for the hydrostatic modular clutch actuator by Schaeffler.