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Recently, emerging technological developments in powertrain were mostly accompanied with electronics for efficient and precise control of various powertrain systems like engine, transmission, hydraulics, etc. Agricultural tractors are of no exception to this context. Most of the higher horsepower tractors above 50 HP are equipped with modern transmission systems such as Power-shuttle, Power-shift etc. having their wet clutch transmission and diesel engine controlled by an Electronic Control Unit. This is possible only with an engine that receives and provides electronic signals. Whereas a tractor with mechanical (non-electronic) engine is of predominant use in the Indian farm lands due to their low cost and immediate availability compared to that of an engine equipped with high-end electronics. Hence, there is a demand for low cost drivetrain with improved controls and without engine electronics.

Current developments in tractor transmission design has galloped to new heights with the introduction of CVT, Power shift, Power shuttle, hydrostatic etc besides the vastly available synchromesh and constant-mesh gearboxes. In contrary to the above existing facts of new powertrain development, there is a definite market need to revamp the heritage tractor models to be equipped with the modern transmission systems. This will help customers to have the advanced drivetrain features in the legacy tractors that have won many hearts. One such modernization was the development of new power shuttle transmission in legacy tractor models for TAFE tractors. Power shuttle primarily enables a tractor - in this case, to go forward and reverse by operating a wet clutch. A flick of lever, usually on the steering column changes the direction of the tractor at the same speed of the gear selected.

Agricultural tractors are often subjected to various applications like front end loading work, cultivation work, where frequent forward and reverse gears are needed. Most of Indian agricultural tractors are equipped with mechanical transmission system which demands repeated clutching and de-clutching operation for such applications resulting in increased operator fatigue and lesser productivity. Also need of electronics in Indian agricultural industry for better farm mechanization is growing high. This research work depicts development of electronic bi-directional shifting (power shuttle) control design and calibration for farm vehicle fitted with wet clutch transmission. This research also reduces operator fatigue via frequent directional shift through electronic transmission. The control system is designed without any electronic interfacing with engine and also provides clutch-less gear shifting and auto-launch which offers ease to drive even for novice driver.

In any drive system, tooth mesh misalignment originates primarily from its torque transmitting components such as spline connections, gears, shafts, bearings and housing. The major influencing factors for tooth mesh misalignments are clearance between components, deflection, stiffness, thermal expansion, manufacturing limitations and assembly limitations. Tooth mesh misalignments in heavy duty off-highway applications like tractor, propagates drastically while handling severe loads and tends to shift the load distribution in a gear pair to an un-biased manner along the facewidth, resulting in high contact stresses and poor transmission performance. Misalignments definitely add few more decibels to the driveline system which will be an annoyance to the user. Moreover, mesh misalignments in any drive system cannot be eliminated and hence different approaches and methods were followed to compensate the misalignment.