Bendix said that today’s complex interconnected systems on commercial vehicles face multiple challenges in quickly and accurately diagnosing safety and uptime issues based on correct results.
With the recent upgrade of its Bendix ACom PRO diagnostic software, Bendix Commercial Vehicle System equips fleets and technicians with leading tools-including the new integrated “Bendix Demo Truck”-to ensure the safe driving of trucks and buses in North America.
“Technology and trucks are evolving faster than ever before,” said TJ Thomas, Bendix Marketing and Customer Solutions-Control Director. “Two years ago, when we redesigned and redesigned our diagnostic software and launched ACom PRO, some electronic control units (ECUs) did not yet exist. Now, these ECUs are fully supported and included in ACom PRO’s comprehensive diagnostics The troubleshooting code is in the report.”
Bendix launched the original Bendix ACom diagnostic software in 2004. The tool has been downloaded more than 100,000 times and was later replaced by the more powerful and user-friendly ACom PRO, which was developed in cooperation with Noregon in 2019.
Among them, Bendix ACom PRO supports Bendix tractor products, including Bendix anti-lock braking system (ABS), automatic traction control (ATC), stability control, Bendix Wingman advanced driver assistance system series, AutoVue lane departure warning system, BlindSpotter side Object detection system, SmarTire tire pressure monitoring system, air disc brake (ADB) brake pad wear sensing and Bendix CVS SafetyDirect.
The new Bendix Demo Truck mode in Bendix ACom PRO adds new training capabilities to help technicians master the full set of functions of the tool as soon as possible.
“Now, the new Bendix Demo Truck feature means that trainers can view the functionality, testing and support provided by the ACom PRO tool on selected ECUs without connecting to a real truck,” Thomas said. “Technician training is crucial, which means that it is also important for us to upgrade the means to support this work.”
Another training resource to support technicians can be found at the betdix online brake school, which contains more than 20 ACom PRO training videos and more than 80 product and system training videos. When users register on the website, they can access these courses for free.
When connected to a vehicle, ACom PRO software automatically detects and collects active and inactive diagnostic troubleshooting codes (DTC) from all Bendix electronic control units on the vehicle and key vehicle ECUs (such as engine and gearbox). The company said that this roll call will show the contents of the vehicle, without the need for technicians to guess from a pre-populated component list.
ACom PRO diagnostic software (a subscription-based tool) is regularly updated to keep up with diagnostic needs. This year alone, Bendix has added nearly two dozen enhancements, including new ECU support and diagnostic functions for a series of products, such as the fifth-generation SafetyDirect processor (SDP5). The ACom PRO tool now also supports SmarTire on articulated buses, where each bus segment has its own ECU.
“Even if we have developed the tool, ACom PRO’s detailed vehicle-wide DTC report can be generated within about two minutes after connection,” Thomas said. “We have extended two-way testing and calibration in some places, so the system maintains its time-saving features without sacrificing robustness.”
Through the further cooperation between Bendix and Noregon, the ACom PRO diagnostic software uses an Internet connection to display the schematic diagram and related information of specific system failures through Noregon’s failure guidance function. When it is not possible to connect to the Internet, the Bendix service data sheet can be used offline to support technicians.
“The professional technicians in North American repair shops should and need the best tools we can provide, just as Bendix’s goal is to allow men and women to drive the safest vehicles,” Thomas said. “Without the right support from a qualified maintenance team, advanced technology will have nowhere to go-in turn, we are proud to be able to support them.”
Consider these three requirements of modern full-function air dryer technology: providing more dry air to the systems that today’s trucks rely on; improving energy efficiency; and air system diagnosis. The new Bendix AD-HFi air dryer implements all three functions by adding electronic pressure control.
The AD-HFi model adopts the same cutting-edge design as the Bendix AD-HF dryer launched by Bendix in 2019, but uses a solenoid valve to replace the traditional mechanical governor.
“The electronically controlled governor means that we can use Bendix’s Electronic Air Control (EAC) software to precisely adjust the dryer’s charging and regeneration cycles,” said Rich Nagel, Bendix’s director of air supply and drivetrain marketing and customer solutions. “This function enables the dryer to operate under different conditions under different parameters, thereby improving its dry air handling capacity and saving energy. The same software also provides diagnostic functions to help fleets and owner operators make full use of their dryers and ink cartridges. .”
AD-HFi can be ordered through several major North American commercial vehicle manufacturers.
When using a traditional mechanical governor, the commercial vehicle air dryer has two fixed set points to determine when the compressor is charged and unloaded. When the system pressure is fully charged-usually 130 psi-the mechanical governor sends a pressure signal to tell the compressor to unload. When the vehicle brakes—or any other pneumatic system using compressed air supply—the pressure drops, and at 110 psi, the governor sends a signal to the compressor again to build up pressure and charge the system.
When the state of the mechanical governor is operating within two fixed pressure settings, the solenoid valve of the Bendix AD-HFi air dryer is controlled by electronic air control (EAC) software, which monitors a series of data broadcast through the truck’s J1939 network. Including speed, engine torque, and RPM, the company said.
“With the help of EAC software, the AD-HFi device can modify its charging cycle according to the air system and engine requirements,” Nagel said. “If the software determines that the air system requires additional drying capacity-for example, if you are hauling multiple trailers or have additional axles-then it can order additional short purge cycles. This patent-pending technology is called Interrupt charge regeneration (ICR). This enhanced purge capability provides more dry air for vehicles that need it.”
EAC software also realizes efficiency and energy saving in the form of Overrun and Overtake functions. When the compressor builds up pressure, it consumes approximately 8 to 10 horsepower from the engine. The EAC software uses vehicle operating information to determine the optimal compressor operating time.
“Exceeding limits is when you are in what we call a’favorable energy state’,” Nagel said. “If you go downhill or idling, then the engine has’free energy’, otherwise it will be wasted and can now be used for charging. In these cases, EAC will temporarily increase the cut-in and cut-off pressures because the compressor can operate at high pressures. Inflate at standard and programmed pressure without losing the driver’s engine power.
“Overtaking is the opposite: if I want to overtake or climb a mountain, then I don’t want the compressor to charge because I need that horsepower. In this case, EAC will lower the cut-in and cut-out thresholds, so the compressor will not try to build pressure. Ultimately, this is an energy saving because you can run the engine more efficiently,” Nagel said.
According to FMVSS-121, the software is programmed to not reduce the cut-in pressure below the safe setting.
The EAC software provides status messages related to the air dryer through the J1939 network and can monitor excessive air demand, which can indicate system leaks or other problems. It also monitors the amount of air processed during the regeneration cycle and the life of the dryer. Using this information and other data from the compressor, EAC can signal when the filter element needs to be replaced.
“Our electronic air control software is loaded with parameters related to the compressor and engine on the truck,” Nagel said. “The software is programmed to know what the compressor’s nominal duty cycle is and how much air it should produce, so if something is not working properly, it can send a diagnostic code. As far as the cartridge life is concerned, only the actual processing It’s more meaningful to measure the amount of air in the air than to use mileage as a guideline.”
After replacement, the Bendix ACom Pro diagnostic software can be used to reset the message of the remaining life of the broadcast dryer.
Like the original Bendix AD-HF air dryer, AD-HFi includes a field-serviceable cartridge pressure protection valve (PPV) designed to be used alone with Bendix PuraGuard oil coalescing spin-on cartridges. PuraGuard filter element provides the industry’s most effective solution for removing oil mist in compressed air systems.
“The difference from PuraGuard oil coalescence is that the oil coalescing filter media is placed before the air dryer desiccant and uses gravity to remove oil droplets, which makes the filter element have a longer effective life,” Nagel said. “There is also an internal check valve to prevent the oil removed by the filter from returning to the filter medium, thereby maintaining the efficiency of the filter element throughout the working cycle.”
As commercial vehicles are increasingly equipped with higher levels of automation including multiple solenoid valves, the quality of the compressed air supply for trucks is more important than ever. These valves provide precise control for safety systems and require cleaner air than traditional manual brake valves. In addition, some automatic manual transmissions (AMT) and emission equipment rely on pneumatic control.
“No one knows commercial vehicle air treatment like Bendix, and we have been pioneering new technologies for decades,” Nagel said. “Truck changes, road changes, technology changes-now faster than ever-but we will continue to lead the trend in air systems that ensure vehicle safety and good operating conditions.”
Post time: Sep-14-2021
