science

Saxomat

Saxomat is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Saxomat rather than just read about it. In short: Saxomat was a type of automatic clutch available as an option on the Fiat 1800, Lancia Flaminia, Saab 93, Borgward Isabella, Goliath/Hansa 1100, Auto Union 1000, Ford Taunus, Trabant, as well as certain models from BMW, Opel, Steyr-Puch, NSU, Glas, Wartburg and Volkswagen. Opel sold it as Olymat; Trabant and Wartburg named the system Hycomat.

Key takeaways

Saxomat belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Saxomat to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Saxomat from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Saxomat was a type of automatic clutch available as an option on the Fiat 1800, Lancia Flaminia, Saab 93, Borgward Isabella, Goliath/Hansa 1100, Auto Union 1000, Ford Taunus, Trabant, as well as certain models from BMW, Opel, Steyr-Puch, NSU, Glas, Wartburg and Volkswagen. Opel sold it as Olymat; Trabant and Wartburg named the system Hycomat. The Hydrak, used in some Mercedes-Benz vehicles between 1957 and 1961, was a similar system with a hydrodynamic torque converter in place of the Saxomat's centrifugal clutch, this H.T.C. system was standard on the NSU Ro 80 and was optional on the Porsche 911 (Sportomatic). The system also reappeared in the 1990s as Saab Sensonic, but Saab shelved that technology in 1998. Hyundai also introduced a similar concept as the Intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) in 2020 with the latest generation Hyundai i20. Cars with a Saxomat clutch did not have a clutch pedal. The Saxomat consisted of two independent systems: the centrifugal clutch, and the servo clutch. The centrifugal clutch was engaged above a certain engine speed by centrifugal force acting on spinning weights inside the clutch, similar to a centrifugal governor. The servo clutch used an electric switch that supplied manifold vacuum via an actuator valve to a reservoir that disengaged the clutch. The clutch is disengaged automatically whenever the gear-shift lever was touched.

See also Semi-automatic transmission Automated manual transmission

External links (in German) Saxomat FLR catalogs and fitting instructions Olymat (Saxomat) Automatic Clutch (in Swedish) Technical and troubleshooting

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Saxomat

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Saxomat claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Saxomat before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Saxomat ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Saxomat

In research: Saxomat appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Saxomat in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Saxomat is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Automatic transmission tradenames, Automotive transmission technologies, Clutches, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Saxomat outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Saxomat in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Saxomat means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Saxomat out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Saxomat in simple terms?

Why does Saxomat matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Saxomat?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Saxomat.