TECHNOLOGY FEATURE Brown: Fleets gain many benefits from telematics, including visibility and control. With the recent launch of Mack Connect, our customers have much better visibility of performance, including where trucks are and detailed information about fuel use and safety. The portal also shows any GuardDog Connect diagnostics cases with detailed information about the issue detected and repair instructions.
FO: What role do remote diagnostics play in the ongoing development of predictive and prescriptive maintenance practices?
Blair: Depending on the Lynx Fleet service arrangements, fleets
and dealers can monitor TRU performance collaboratively. Before a driver is even aware of a potential issue, a dispatcher can receive an alert and, with the dealer’s help, determine whether the problem is critical. With the data the TRUs supply and by leveraging our expertise as the OEM, Carrier is developing analytical models to help customers better manage their assets by identifying potential issues before they occur. Brown: The information gathered from GuardDog Connect services enables better failure recognition. We can also intervene before issues worsen and increasingly predict problems based on AI. Gustafson: By collecting data continuously from trucks, we
Improving uptime: How diagnostics and telematics create comprehensive maintenance plans
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elematics systems and data are crucial for executing effective maintenance plans, noted Alex Clementi, pre-sales engineer at Decisiv. “Meter data, especially, is essential for keeping track and making sure you’re current on PM schedules,” he emphasized. “Any maintenance schedule that’s based on mileage or engine hours needs constantly updated meter data to ensure you’re within the interval you’ve set for your maintenance parameters.” “Diagnostic data in the form of trouble codes is valuable as well,” he said. “Codes that come up on a regular basis point to areas you may need to adjust maintenance plans.” Diagnostic data can provide historical data points that identify trends over time with specific model years and makes of equipment, Clementi noted. With that information, he added, you can make better decisions and adjustments to maintenance plans. Onboard telematics devices have enabled fleets to pair their diagnostic tools with remote diagnostic applications for around-the-clock monitoring of their entire fleet, according to Jason Hedman, product manager at Noregon. “Remote diagnostics offer the obvious benefits of monitoring vehicles while on the road, but additional uses exist, such as easing the pre-trip inspection process.” “Rather than walk around the yard and connect a diagnostic tool to each tractor to ensure it is road ready, fleets can use applications like TripVision to create geofences around their facilities and view the health, safety, and performance status of each asset,” Hedman said. It also uses historical data in diagnosing recurring issues, he added. “Our JPRO diagnostic tool includes a Fault History feature that allows technicians to view the faults from previous JPRO connections on that asset.” According to Dave Shock, product manager at Nexiq
Technologies, fleet owners and technicians can use diagnostics, telematics, and historical data to monitor performance and identify problems during routine maintenance. “Using a diagnostic tool, Photo: Nexiq a technician identifies the issues, which are recorded in the repair order, along with information such as engine hours, fuel consumption, and miles driven,” Shock explained further. “A fleet manager can then analyze this information against historical and telematics data to identify a trend or pattern.” “Through this process, a repair facility can predict future vehicle breakdowns and address potential problems during regular maintenance before they occur,” he continued. “That improves uptime and also reduces costs.” Diagnostic and telematics devices play crucial roles, Shock noted. For diagnostics, a wide range of solutions are available, including eTechnician commercial vehicle PC-based diagnostics from Nexiq, which can diagnose engines, transmissions, brakes, bodies, and chassis. “Fortunately, thanks to the proliferation of telematics, many fleets already have the technology on their vehicles to begin monitoring them in real-time,” Hedman said. For fleets and service providers, automating the process of receiving diagnostic data is a game changer, noted Alex Clementi. “Across different telematics providers and systems, and fleet and asset management solutions, including the Decisiv SRM platform, you now have information sent to you instead of having to access that data or keep track of it on your own,” he said. FO
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