Preparing for the future with ZF training
Truck parts specialist HGV Direct has been benefiting from technical training from ZF Aftermarket on high-voltage electrical systems, to help the company pass on an understanding of the technology to customers as mobility advances.
Through its technical training initiative, ZF Aftermarket’s objective is to help market participants understand Next Generation technologies, as well as the challenges they bring.
One such course is its ZF High Voltage Expert training course, which Dale Terry, sales director at HGV Direct, recently passed. His previous auto-electrical experience, first as an apprentice and then as a car and commercial vehicle mechanic, gave him the required level of knowledge to tackle the course.
“As the sales director for our business I have a duty and responsibility for strategic planning, and with the market for our customers and suppliers shifting away from IC engines to alternative fuels it will play a pivotal role in future sales and support,” said Dale.
“A full understanding of the technology and how it operates has given me an insight into potential issues that our customers may encounter, allowing HGV Direct to be in a better position to support with replacement parts and guidance on the service and repair for fleet operators.”
The course takes place over two weeks – three days a week, plus exams at the end. The first week acts as a refresher course, taking the attendees back to basics.
The ZF experts believe it’s vital for operator safety to have a good understanding of the basic principles and fundamentals, such as Ohm’s law, power consumption and calculations, and how to apply these theoretical principles to practical circuits and testing before putting it into practice. Week Two applies the theory learned to real life situations on vehicle applications.
“The course was tough – extremely detailed and thorough, which is necessary when you’re working with high voltage power on such large, heavy vehicles,” continued Dale.
“Going back to basics in the first week was essential in my opinion before gaining real life experience of the systems. It’s been a long time since I thought about a lot of topics which were covered.
“There’s so much to learn and remember when dealing with this technology, and with the complexity of the modules within this course it is crucial that everyone attending is ready for the exams in the second week.”
He added: “I’d highly recommend the ZF course – a valuable learning experience. The knowledge of components within a HV vehicle, along with understanding the function and potential problems as systems age will prove invaluable to our business in the future.
“I feel confident now offering advice to our customer base on this technology, and I’m glad to be involved at this early stage for our industry.”
ZF also recently unveiled its new Wabco Modular ABS Sensors for the aftermarket at Automechanika Digital 2021.
The product is said to solve a common problem: when commercial vehicles come to the workshop with a defective ABS sensor, a specific version of this part has to be ordered, which may not be in stock at the dealer. A modular ABS sensor concept which counteracts this problem has been developed for independent workshops.
It consists of a short ABS sensor with the standard KEA connector that is attached to the wheel, an extension cable in various lengths, and a range of adapters that cover the main electronic control units (ECUs) available on the market.
Once the modular concept is installed on the vehicle, only the defective component needs to be replaced, which significantly speeds up the repair process, reduces downtime and lowers costs.
Thanks to the special flexibility in application, workshops no longer need to keep a large inventory of different sensors, says ZF. Depending on just three parameters (sensor type, length, and connector), they can replace hundreds of variants with just a few products. A combination of two existing ABS sensors, ten extension cables and eight adapters can replace over 400 OE references.
Future plans include the introduction of additional adapter variants to cover even more references. A wheel speed sensor selection-tool will be available by the end of the year to help workshops find the right combination even without having a cross-reference material to hand.
