Design, Development, and Performance Evaluation of a Lightweight Short Shifter for Enhanced Gear-Shifting Quality in Automobile

The quality of gear shifting is a crucial factor that determines customer acceptance and vehicle quality evaluation, whether it is for manual or automatic transmissions. This study focuses on the design and development of a short shifter for the Honda Civic Type R EK9 chassis. This study uses a blend of structural analysis and 3D printing technology. A short shifter is a modified version of the standard shifter lever, requiring less movement input to change gears. The design parameters for the short shifter were chosen, and an OEM shifter was obtained as a reference. A throw measuring stand was created using Catia V5 and 3D printed with an Ender 3 Pro 3D FDM printer to measure the throw of both the OEM shifter and the short shifter prototype. The resulting values were compared, and the percentile increase in throw was determined. Additionally, FEA simulations were conducted to evaluate the structural integrity of the redesigned part. The final prototype of the short shifter is significantly lighter than that of the OEM shifter, weighing only 253 g or 3.875 times lighter.