Utilizing CAN Bus Data to Improve Performance
In the world of heavy equipment, operators work long and hard hours, and it’s important that businesses know the status of their equipment to ensure that when the next shift is up, their units are ready to go and operators are staying safe.
One approach to this is employing a Controller Area Network (CAN bus), which provides a low cost, durable network that enables communication between Electronic Control Units (ECUs). ECUs are devices or parts of a vehicle’s body that control a specific function.
CAN bus can log hours, collect any errors or troubleshooting, and provide ample feedback to the operator. Users can access information on when it’s time for a repair or just simply look at how the system is operating in general.
Every major chassis manufacturer comes equipped with CAN bus. For sewer equipment specifically, the cab and chassis can have numerous ECUs that work together, including the transmission and engine, and CAN bus provides one point-of-entry to communicate with the network of ECUs that enables central diagnostics, data logging and configuration.
According to Casey Meehan, a sales manager for Environmental Products Group, the top advantages of employing a CAN bus network are the amount of information available, enhanced operator safety, reliability and the way they are all interconnected and play off each other.
As an added benefit for Vactor owners, Vactor equipment that comes equipped with the Vactor IntuiTouch control system is fully integrated with CAN bus, since it is a CAN bus-controlled system. This brings owners detailed information that is logged, collected and funneled to the Vactor IntuiTouch screen, making it easily digestible for the operator.
These diagnostics can improve operator safety by alerting the operator when there are any safety hazards or issues with the sewer cleaner module.
“From a safety standpoint, the benefit of having CAN bus is that the network’s built-in detection capabilities will recognize when something is out of place like the engine failing or the operator has pressed the wrong button,” Meehan said. “Then it will log the error and notify the operator immediately, thus further preventing any harm to the operator or equipment.”
To learn more about CAN bus and its performance cost-saving benefits, visit Vactor.com.