1. Automotive CAN Bus Diagnostics
Assabet Automotive Technology Dept.
Assabet Valley RTHS
Marlboro, MA
3/30/2017

2. The Team Steve Ebers Jeffrey Dean Fabio DaSilva Jeremy Delude
TEAM PHOTO
Steve Ebers
Jeffrey Dean
Fabio DaSilva
Jeremy Delude
Brett Beland
Mr. Paul Airoldi, Advisor
Special Thanks to: Georgia Faddoul, Dakota Braga & Jared Rego from the Design & Visual Department at Assabet for their great work producing our video.

3. Hypothesis
Will the Fluke Connect System improve our CAN Bus Curriculum?
Will using the Fluke Connect System result in more efficient methods to diagnose CAN Bus faults?

4. To Develop a New and Enhanced CAN Bus Curriculum for our Program
Objective
To Develop a New and Enhanced CAN Bus Curriculum for our Program
We are in the process of developing new Transportation Specific CAN Bus lesson plans, worksheets, tests, diagnostic flow charts & ‘Go To’ folders for our students.
Included will be illustrations such as meter/scope set up, Data Link Connector pin locations, CAN Bus specifications, Module locations & CAN pinouts.
We intend to improve and expand our CAN Bus curriculum and, in doing so, attempt to illustrate how the use of Fluke Connect technology can lower diagnostic and repair times and improve efficiency, proficiency and profits involving these repairs.
steps and measurements your team would take. How will you document what you do?

5. Why This is Important Objective
Although we are an Automotive Technology training facility we stress to our students, and their parents, that our graduates have gone into every area of transportation that exists.
Why is this significant to this proposal?
Although CAN Bus technology was developed for the automotive industry it is currently being used in all areas of transportation and has expanded into manufacturing facilities world-wide.

6. Objective
To illustrate that use of the Fluke Connect devices can reduce diagnostic and repair times (thus saving money) in all areas of transportation would be, if not a game changer, a vital step forward.
We believe we have done just that.
Through our experimentation and methodology we believe that we proved that, when used properly, these devices provide us with a means to accomplish CAN Bus diagnostics and repair more efficiently.

7. CAN Bus Diagnostics
Students measured CAN high and CAN low Voltage Current & Resistance in both static and dynamic environments.

8. Baseline Readings Using the Fluke 1587FC
DLC Voltage
CAN High to Grnd: v
CAN Low to Grnd: v
DLC Resistance CAN High to CAN Low: ohms
Note: Voltage readings are taken with the vehicle in the ACC position. Voltage is 0 when the key is in the OFF position and/or when the key is not in the ignition.

9. CAN Bus Diagnostics
We measured the potential interference by electro-magnetic fields on a twisted pair and analyzed the effects of a magnetic field induced on CAN Bus wiring in a harness (how the CAN Bus voltage readings are affected and how effective the twisted pair model is in counteracting this induced voltage).

10. Documentation Work Sheets
Documentation of all diagnostics, tests and readings will be recorded on in-house created task sheets pertaining to each individual diagnostic phase.
Note: Task sheets will be vehicle specific.

11. Advantages of the Fluke Connect System
In an attempt to be as accurate as possible when gauging efficiency or inefficiency we compared the average flat rate diagnostic time using:
Conventional currently used technology
Technicians are using a scan tool and/or one multimeter when diagnosing CAN Bus circuitry.
Both methods require a technician to check the CAN Bus at one location at a time and to record that data manually.
The Fluke Connect System
The ability to tap in to the CAN Bus at various locations at the same time and to record and observe all data concurrently. Data stored on the Cloud for review or comparison.

12. Measurements For Our Project
The following few slides are a very small representation of the readings we recorded during our testing.
The primary point to solidify is that, by using the Fluke Connect system a technician can dramatically reduce flat rate time.

13. Power Train Control Module Readings
Using the 1587FC for Cross Voltage Readings & Resistance
Using the V3001FC to Monitor PCM Voltage
PCM Voltage
CAN High to Data Link Connector (DLC) Grnd: v
CAN Low to Data Link Connector (DLC) Grnd: v
PCM Resistance
CAN High to CAN Low:
PCM to DLC Resistance
CAN High: 9.07m
CAN Low: m

14. Using the 1587FC CAN Bus Sensor Testing Steering Angle Sensor
CAN High to CAN Low resistance:
CAN High to Grnd: v ignition in ACC position
CAN Low to Grnd: v
CAN High to Grnd: v ignition off and/or key out
CAN Low to Grnd: v
Steering Angle Sensor to PCM resistance
CAN High:
CAN Low

15. Testing Coolant Temp Sensor Voltage
Vehicle Cold
Vehicle Warm Up Cycle
Vehicle is off & key is out: 0v at 110F
Vehicle is off & key is in: v at 110F
Note: After starting engine and allowing it to idle for roughly 10 minutes the voltage readings steadily went down as the thermistor in the Coolant Temp Sensor increased the resistance.
Vehicle at idle: (15 min) 1.546v at 120F
Vehicle at 4,000 rpm: v at 200F
Vehicle at rest: v at 220F
Note: As the temp rises the voltage reading decreases indicating that the resistance increases as the engine temp increases.

16. Outcomes
Up until now technicians had two alternatives when diagnosing CAN Bus issues.
Use of a multimeter.
Use of a diagnostic scan tool (in some cases industry and/or brand specific).

17. Outcomes
A multimeter is an essential tool when performing these measurements, however, employing the standard method of using one meter the technician has to move the leads from point A to point B to point C to point D (well, you get the idea) to measure the CAN Bus at a variety of points in the circuit.
The technician then needs to write down all of these measurements, at each point in the circuit, to compare them.

18. Outcomes
A Scan tool is a great diagnostic tool, however, it will not tell us what the CAN Bus is doing at a variety of points in many different circuits at the same time.
Sure, we can pull up the CAN Bus, but the information is limited at best. Add to that the fact that not all scan tools are CAN compatible.

19. Outcomes
Imagine if a tech could read CAN Bus measurements at a variety of locations at the same time and have those readings download automatically to the cloud.
Eureka! A time saver (translate to money saver!).
Imagine that same technician able to do this while, get this, driving the vehicle in a real world real time setting!
Does this kind of thing REALLY happen?!

20. Outcomes
Yes!
We did it!
And it works!

21. Results https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyKlwDH_4ec&feature=youtu.be
A marked decrease in diagnostic time.
Average Diagnostic Time using conventional tools = 2.5 – 3 hours.
Estimated Diagnostic Time using Fluke Connect = 1.5 – 2 hours
Metric
Goal
Before
After
Total change
Flat Rate Time
Open
Up to 3 hours
1.5 to 2 hours
33-50%
How do you anticipate that using the Fluke Connect app and tools will impact business? For example, what is the change before/after using Fluke Connect as demonstrated by what kind of Metric? Sample metrics include hours to complete job, cost of parts, estimated years life extension of equipment, reduction in load draw extrapolated into energy use reduction. You can reference work orders, energy usage reports and other collateral that showcase time or costs savings.

22. Impact & Recommendations
This project has proven that the Fluke Connect system can provide an alternate and very effective means of checking an Automotive CAN Bus system.
For advanced automotive and transportation based technicians who work on complex CAN Bus faults on a regular basis the Fluke Connect system can, and we believe does, provide a very important time saving component.
Technicians should tap into the CAN Bus system at various points so that they can monitor readings from those points at the same time. Having the readings download to the cloud allows a technician to test drive a vehicle and access and assess those readings after returning to the shop. From a manufacturer’s point of view this may also allow factory tech specialists to view the data on line to propose solutions.
Why do you think the wireless Fluke Connect tools and smart phone app will make a difference, compared to existing technology / methodology? AKA, why can’t your project/improvement be accomplished without Fluke Connect? Why should it be used by technicians in plant, industrial, and commercial settings.

23. Outlook for Our Curriculum
At Assabet we take pride in making our students work smarter.
To think out problems on the fly and determine the best course of action when executing repairs.
Incorporating the Fluke Connect system into our CAN Bus curriculum will help our students achieve that goal.
We intend to use the Fluke Connect system throughout our electrical curriculum.
The result: to maintain a state of the art curriculum using Fluke Instruments.
We have used them here for over 25 years.

24. Lessons learned
Utilizing the Fluke Connect devices when diagnosing CAN Bus related faults can increase efficiency, productivity and profits.
We found it very difficult to create current induced faults artificially into the CAN Bus although we could accurately measure the potential.
An Automotive CAN Bus system is very advanced and the Fluke Connect system will improve our curriculum.