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Stemming from predictions made for transmission adoption and sub-system volumes up to 2020 for the EU market, a concept study and recommendations are presented for a 6-speed 200Nm powershift transmission covering the following: Specific new features for low cost and high efficiency applied to a DCT, Novel, direct acting electromagnetic linear actuators for modulation of clutches and shift rails, Mechanical multiplexing to allow control of both clutches and shift rails using two linear actuators only.

It is well known that up-front FEA (finite element analysis) in product development will significantly reduce cycle time and improve product quality. The merit of using FEA in product design is evidenced by the mandate of its practice in the auto industry's QS9000 quality standard. Today, the usefulness of FEA in engineering product design is no longer an issue. Rather, the availability and cost for its extensive usage for product development is of concern. This is because until recently most FEA needed to be conducted by highly trained specialist. Recently, an alternative FEA implementation became feasible owing to the emergence of commercial software which takes advantage of several technological improvements such as P-element formulation and automatic mesh generation. As a result, some FEA jobs can now be conducted by less specialized engineers, offering the potential for fresh opportunities and challenges.