Since the exhaust emissions legislation for Motor vehicles with combustion engines is complicating the manufacturing of environmental yet powerful engines more than ever, automobile manufacturers have approached this challenge by means of downsizing, hybridization of combustion and electric engines and variable valve opening times. In these cases conventional, mechanical valve trains are still used. The subject of this research is the development of a mechatronic control unit as replacement for the camshaft
driven valve train of common combustion engines. The system’s aim is a contribution to the progression of the development of modern combustion engines satisfying current demands in terms of economy and efficiency. The developed system is based on the “Full Variable Valve Train”project, founded at the “Institute of Vehicle Construction Wolfsburg”at the “Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences”. An indirectly controlled high speed servo valve that is actuated
by a piezo-electric actuator and pressurized hydraulic fluid is being developed. The overall aim is to obtain Advantages from a control engineering perspective, being able to reduce the size of the used piezo actuator and hence solve the packaging and regulation issues of the overall system. After manufacturing
and improvement activities, a system could be developed that allows a variable control of the engine valve movement. The best results are achieved using a rectangular function for the engine valve actuator. The system allows engine valve operation independent from the crankshaft position and shows the potential to generate higher engine torque and power output while decreasing fuel consumption and emissions at the same time.