Development and experimental validation of an ultrasonic-based real-time clutch disc friction lining wear monitoring and safety control system

Wear of the clutch disc friction lining significantly influences the reliability and performance of torque transmission systems in automotive and industrial applications. Progressive degradation of the friction lining reduces torque transmission efficiency, resulting in clutch slippage, poor vehicle drivability, and an increased likelihood of unexpected mechanical failure. The absence of effective real-time monitoring mechanisms further limits the ability to detect critical wear conditions before system failure occurs. This study presents the development and experimental validation of an intelligent clutch disc wear monitoring and safety control framework designed to detect friction lining degradation and initiate protective vehicle responses. The proposed system employs an ultrasonic sensing technique to continuously measure friction lining thickness and estimate wear progression in real-time applications. A microcontroller-based multi-tier control architecture processes the measured data and correlates wear depth with predefined safety thresholds. When the lining thickness reaches a critical level of 3 mm, the system automatically activates a limp-home operational mode that limits vehicle speed to 40 km/h, enabling safe mobility to the nearest maintenance facility while preventing further damage to clutch components. When the wear approaches the critical shutdown threshold of 0.3 mm, an automated fuel interruption mechanism triggered to cut off fuel supply to the engine. The system additionally provides visual and audible warnings through the vehicle instrument cluster to alert the driver. Experimental validation on a prototype test rig and Proteus Visual System Modeling detects wear stages with 97% accuracy and successfully activated safety responses within maximum response time of 2.0 seconds (s). The proposed approach provides a practical real-time fail-safe solution that enhances vehicle safety, improves drivetrain reliability, and reduces the risk of sudden clutch-related failures.