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The lubricant wear and degradation is a major cause of failure in industrial machines such as engines, pumps and gearboxes. This is primarily due to contaminants such as metal debris particles and depletion of the chemical and physical properties. This paper presents a low cost, multi-functional sensor for real-time monitoring of both oil level and the debris particles in oil lubricants for a gearbox application. The sensor system achieves a micrometer-order resolution (37.5 μm), high linearity (< 0.5 mm non-linearity) and insensitivity to viscosity changes due to wide temperature fluctuations from −40 °C to 135 °C, and is designed for ease of manufacturing and application in harsh transmission environment. The synergy from simultaneous data analysis from a multi-functional sensor has been demonstrated both qualitatively and quantitatively using mathematical analysis, computer simulation and physical experiments.

Among the many advantages of the hybrid variants of Automated Mechanical Transmissions (AMTs) such as the Dual Clutch Transmission are faster gearshifts and excellent acceleration that comes from reduced drive-train losses without torque interrupts which translates into improved drive quality through smoother shifts. However, actuator system dynamics and controls remain critical challenges to attaining the full benefits of such AMT variants, which demands precise timing and coordination of the actuators. This paper presents a method for modeling a solenoid, including its non-linear electromagnetic characteristics. The model has been validated against experimental measurements. The significance of the work is that an efficient and robust method that allows precise predictions of a hydraulic valve pressure, flow through the system and the position of the hydraulic elements has been devised.