Heavy-Duty Diagnostics with J1939 Data Logger

JCB

About: JCB is a leading manufacturer of equiment for construction, agriculture, waste handling and more. It produces 300+ types of machines incl. diggers, excavators and tractors.

What problem did you solve?

We had a specific use case where we needed to trace the CAN data for fault finding purposes on a big wheel loading shovel (engine RPM was cutting out occasionally). Since then, we've used it on various construction machinery e.g. excavators, wheel loading shovels and telescopic handlers.

How did you solve it?

For the original use case, our colleagues from engineering were able to pin-point the issue based on the CANedge1 log files and the J1939 DBC file (the foot throttle signal was lost under specific circumstances). This was not possible to identify via the fault codes the machine returned regarding this event.

What benefit has this led to?

The CANedge1 allows for plug & play CAN logging on most of our machines to assist fault finding - or to provide evidence for/against concerns raised by machine operators.

"The CANedge1 really helps us pin-point issues which can't be identified with built-in machine diagnostics - and there's very good and quick support if help is needed!"

Why did you choose the CANedge?

We found it while browsing the web for such devices and it looked like a good tool at fair pricing.

— Peter Kremers , Product Specialist at JCB Deutschland GmbH

Comments by CSS Electronics

The CANedge1 J1939 data logger is often installed "case-by-case" when an issue is observed - letting e.g. an OEM capture data on an error within a short period.

Alternatively, some OEMs deploy the J1939 logger in vehicles during production. Here, the CANedge serves as a 'vehicle blackbox' and records a 'rolling window' of data (typically months). If an issue occurs, the OEM simply collects the data from the SD card for analysis. This approach helps speed up troubleshooting and efficiently resolve warranty disputes.

For more details, see our intro to blackbox CAN logging.