Windscreen Wiper System : Design, Working, Specifications, Types, Maintenance & Its Applications

Car glass frequently encounters rainwater and dirt, so wipers are installed on the front and back sides of the car windows. These wipers ensure that drivers maintain a clear view, allowing them to see clearly from both directions. By effectively cleaning the windshield during rain, wipers play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of all passengers. When a driver’s view is obstructed, the risk of an accident rises significantly, making wipers indispensable for every type of vehicle. This article delves into the windscreen wiper system, its operation, and its various applications.

What is a Windscreen Wiper System?

A windscreen wiper system, commonly known as a windshield wiper, is a crucial vehicle mechanism that clears snow, rain, debris, and ice from the windshield, enhancing visibility and improving safety. Most four-wheeled vehicles come equipped with at least one wiper, and many have multiple wipers.

Typically, a wiper consists of a metal arm that pivots at one end and features a long rubber blade at the other. An electric motor powers the arm, although some vehicles may use pneumatic power. The rubber blade swings back and forth across the windshield, effectively pushing water away from the glass.

In certain vehicles, a windscreen washer system complements the wipers, especially in icy or dry conditions. This system sprays water onto the windshield through strategically positioned nozzles, helping to remove dust and dirt in conjunction with the wiper blades.

How does the Windscreen Wiper System Work?

A windscreen wiper system works with an electric motor to supply power to a linkage that moves wiper arms backward and forward to clear away water, ice, or snow. A set of gears and a linkage system can transform the motor’s rotational motion into reciprocating motion. The wiper blades connected to the arms can contact the windshield to remove debris.

• The driver uses a switch or lever to enable the wiper motor.
• The motor turns, transmitting its rotating motion through gears and a linkage to shift the wiper arms..
• The linkage guarantees that the wiper arms shift together within a parallel motion by sweeping across the windshield.
• When the arms turn, then the rubber blades connected to them will make contact with the windshield to clean water & debris.
• When the wipers turn off, the motor and linkage return the wiper arms to their inactive position at the base of the windshield.

Specifications:

The specifications of the windscreen wiper system include the following.

• Windscreen wiper system uses a minimum of two sweep frequency settings with at least 40 cycles per minute for a minimum of one setting.
• The wiper field should cover a minimum of 98% of the ‘A’ vision area & 80% of the ‘B’ vision area.
• Wiper blades are available in a variety of lengths.
• These are powered by an electric motor to drive the wiper arms.
• Its effective operating temperature range is from -30°C to 93°C.
• Wiper blades must be changed frequently like at least once time in a year, to maintain their wiping performance.
• These systems include a washer system to give extra cleaning power whenever required.
• Some systems provide dynamic parking, which allows the wiper arms to end in a preferred position.
• Wiper blade size ranges from 225mm to 700mm long, but its length changes based on the vehicle & its windshield design.
• These wipers frequently have several speed settings, like continuous and intermittent.
• The motor torque in this system can be measured in Nm or Newton-meters to determine the required force to shift the wiper arms.
• It operates voltage range of 12 or 24 VDC power supply.

Windscreen Wiper System Design

The windscreen wiper system consists of various components, including the wiper motor, wiper link, wiper arm, and wiper blade, each of which is explained below.

Wiper Motor

The wiper motor plays a crucial role in the wiper system by automatically moving the wipers back and forth. It operates using a magnet and a reduction gear. Two types of wiper motors create magnetic fields: the ferrite magnet type and the wound rotor type. The ferrite magnet type utilizes a permanent magnet, while the wound rotor type generates an electromagnet using a coil. However, manufacturers often prefer the ferrite magnet type for wiper motors due to its lightweight design, compact size, and compatibility with all types of cars.

Wiper Link

The wiper link, also known as the wiper lever, converts the rotary motion of the wiper motor into a back-and-forth movement that shifts from left to right. Typically, cars feature a wiper system with two blades that operate using a parallel tandem system.

When the wiper is activated, the wiper motor turns the crank arm, causing the connecting rods to push and pull each other. This action allows the wiper link to move the wiper arms in a semicircular motion around the system’s pivot shaft. The connecting rod connects the two wiper arms, enabling both blades to function simultaneously and in parallel.

Wiper Arm

The wiper arm in this system is a long plastic arm, including a head that connects the wiper arm to the wiper shaft. The arm is made of metal and a plastic material, and some arms include joints that allow the arm to bend. The springs of this arm are used to hold the blade, whereas the arm piece is helpful for the blade installation & the retainer to completely hold it. So they work as the bridge between the oscillating motion supplied by the wiper linkage & your wiper blades’ backward and forward action. In most cases, wiper arms are exclusive to the passenger and driver, which exhibit separate geometries between the two locations.

Wiper Blade

The wiper in the windshield wiper system includes a rubber that cleans the outside of the car glass from water, debris, and dirt. It is normally made with silicone or rubber, which is connected to a metal arm and is powered by a motor. The rubber edge of the blade makes contact with the windshield & the arm moves it backward and forward to clear the glass.

There is a blend of leaf spring packing with clips and levers to connect the blade with the wiper arm. Here, the rubber side is protected with a coating to reduce the friction and ensure a fast angle change in a wiper.

Types of Windscreen Wiper Systems

Windshield wipers are available in different types like conventional, flat & hybrid. So here is detailed information on each type of wiper system.

Conventional Wiper Blades

Conventional wiper blades, also known as frame wiper blades, are the most common type used in new cars. They feature a traditional coat-hanger design with a metal frame that rotates to apply force to the windshield. Made with a rubber squeegee or, in some cases, a composite structure that includes metal, these blades have a central bridge and articulated links that create 4 to 8 pressure points depending on the blade’s length. They can also come equipped with a spoiler, spray bar pods, and blades designed for extremely rounded windscreens.

These wiper blades are the most affordable option, offering good performance and easy availability. Their strong metal design ensures efficient cleaning and consistent pressure across the windshield.

However, they can be noisy in breezy conditions and do not apply pressure to the windshield as effectively as hybrid or flat wipers. Conventional wiper blades are suitable for vehicles that do not require a specific type of blade.

Flat Wiper Blades

Flat wiper blades or beam wipers are windshield wiper systems which has become common in present vehicles. These wiper blades use a tensioned metal strip fixed in the rubber blade. So this design allows for a more aerodynamic and flatter profile, offering numerous advantages over usual wipers. These wipers are designed with a rubber blade connected to a tensioned metal strip.

These wiper blades provide better cleaning, lower noise, and enhanced aerodynamic performance. These are more expensive as compared to conventional wipers. The applications of flat wiper blades are used in modern vehicles, curved windshields, or those who need a more efficient and quieter wiper system.

Hybrid Wiper Blades

Hybrid windscreen wipers are a combination of conventional and flat-screen wipers. So they use both aerodynamic properties & flat windscreen wipers’ appearance with the conventional windscreen wipers’ performance. This wiper has a spoiler that runs along the complete blade length, which reduces wind lift to maintain constant down force. This maintains the rubber blade above the windscreen for very smooth and quiet movement, particularly at high speeds of flat and conventional windscreen wipers.

The advantages of these wipers include: they provide a good affordability balance & performance, which are normally quieter as compared to conventional wipers.

These wiper blades are significantly more expensive than conventional ones and do not perform as well in severe weather conditions compared to beam blades. However, hybrid wiper blades serve vehicles that need a balance between performance and affordability, a more efficient and quieter wiper system.

Maintenance

The windscreen wiper system maintenance involves the following steps, which help to ensure a clear view and avoid harm to the windshield & blades.

• Clean the windshield regularly to remove debris that damages the wiper blades and decreases their effectiveness.
• Wiper blades must be cleaned with a clean and wet cloth, or else use a dedicated preservative or wiper cleaner.
• Wiper usage must be avoided on a dry windshield because this can harm the blades & windshield.
• Replace wiper blades if required.
• Consider lifting the wiper blades away from the windshield in freezing temperatures when parked to prevent them from freezing.
• Thus, there are many benefits of regular maintenance of windscreen wiper systems, like improved safety, best visibility, windshield damage avoidance, extending the lifespan of the wiper blade, and simple DIY maintenance etc.

Advantages

The advantages of the windscreen wiper system include the following.

• The windscreen wiper system removes obstructions like rain, ice, and snow by allowing drivers to observe clearly and respond fast to road accidents.
• It reduces the risk of road accidents.
• The wiper system makes driving more comfortable in snowy or wet conditions because it removes the requirement to clear the windshield manually.
• Wipers avoid debris from damaging or scratching the glass by keeping the windshield clean to extend its lifespan.
• The windscreen wiper system helps to stop costly repairs associated with windshield injuries or malfunctions of the wiper system.
• Modern wiper systems adapt by adjusting their wiping patterns to optimize visibility and avoid areas where the driver’s view is unobstructed.
• Additionally, developers are creating energy-efficient wiper systems specifically for hybrid and electric vehicles, aiming to reduce energy consumption and extend their driving range.

Disadvantages

The disadvantages of the windscreen wiper system include the following.

• A damaged wiper blade fails to remove water, ice, or snow effectively, which leads to decreased visibility and increases accident risk, particularly in bad weather.
• Improperly fitted wipers can leave smears or streaks on the windshield, obstructing vision.
• Additionally, damaged wiper holders or blades can scratch the windshield, leading to costly replacements.
• Wiper chatter can cause noise and poor visibility to distract the driver.
• Worn wipers on the windshield can cause micro-abrasions by weakening it & increasing the possibility of cracks.
• A faulty wiper motor leads to jerky, erratic, or slow wiper operation, which reduces visibility and poses security risks.
• A faulty wiper arm causes the blades to stutter or streak across the windshield.
• Wipers in cold weather can freeze, which can damage them when trying to use them.
• Heated wipers and windshields can enhance the primary cost of the car.
• Discovering replacement blades can be difficult for some systems.
• Sometimes, Silicone wiper blades leave a haze above the windshield.

Applications

The applications of the windscreen wiper system include the following.

• Windshield wiper systems maintain clear visibility for vehicle drivers in adverse weather conditions.
• These systems remove debris and dirt from the windshield.
• Automobiles utilize wiper systems to effectively remove rain, dirt, snow, and ice from windshields, enhancing safety and visibility for drivers.
• In aviation, wiper systems clear debris and moisture from the pilot’s view, ensuring optimal visibility during flight.
• Industrial applications also employ these systems to eliminate debris or moisture from various surfaces.
• Additionally, researchers use wiper technology in development projects to explore efficient methods for cleaning and removing liquids and debris from surfaces..

Thus, this is an overview of the windscreen wiper system, its working, and applications. These systems clean rain, ice, snow, and debris from the window. It improves safety and visibility in vehicles in adverse weather conditions. These systems most commonly remove debris or moisture from surfaces in automotive, aviation, and industrial applications. Here is a question for you: What is another name for the windscreen wiper system?