Electrification and Networked Systems in Commercial and Agricultural Vehicles

Electric and hybrid is the future for commercial vehicles as well. Electric commercial vehicles are evolving all the time. And just like in other sectors, the following applies: it is only possible to keep pace with the transition to electricity, if you also keep up to speed with developments in the training of skilled workers. German federal association LandBauTechnik, for example, has also understood this and therefore implemented a digital and electronic transformation of training content for agricultural and construction machinery technicians.

This development shows, on the one hand, that the subject of high-voltage systems is also becoming increasingly important in intrinsically safe commercial vehicles and in agricultural and construction machinery technology. On the other hand, information and communication technologies are also playing an increasingly important role. Digital process engineering techniques such as "Smart Farming" or "Digital Farming" encompass the use of driverless vehicles, robots and drones, and future commercial vehicle technicians need to be trained for this as well.

Lucas-Nülle's multimedia training systems deliver the answer to these new instruction plans and provide the link between industry and training. In the area of hybrid and electric vehicles, almost all the leading motor vehicle manufacturers now use Lucas-Nülle's training systems in their vocational and advanced training (CPD). The new TruckTrain systems mean that blended learning - combining hands-on, practical relevance, safety, diagnostic tasks and e-learning - is now also available to commercial vehicle technicians.

With safety: the blended learning systems put high voltage at your finger tips

The TruckTrain systems allow trainees to work directly on a real HV system without the need for prior training thanks to a special protection feature. The integrated diagnostics system of the TruckTrain "Hybrid and Electric Vehicles" in particular, as well as the specially chosen fault scenarios, help trainees gain an understanding of a high-voltage system. The training system enables trainees to carry out  various diagnostics strategies and measurements on a real HV system with real HV voltages under the strictest safety conditions.

The TruckTrain "Diagnosis and Maintenance of a High Voltage Battery" system focuses specifically on the digitally interconnected CAN bus battery management system in the traction battery and the associated components. In electric vehicles, the HV battery has the greatest hazard potential - especially when carrying out repairs. This demands a special understanding of the system, without which it is not possible to work in the proper way. The TruckTrain system makes it possible to practise measuring and functional testing of live high-voltage components. The trainees carry out measurements and diagnostics on live battery cells. The didactically designed HV battery can even be taken apart to replace individual cells and sensors. This facilitates practically orientated and hands-on diagnostics and maintenance of the HV battery.

Digital interconnectedness: the TruckTrain "Farming 4.0 incl. Precision Farming with Section Control (ISO bus)"

Communication between the control devices in a tractor is complex. The J1939 bus is used here, in addition to the familiar systems that are also used for the motor vehicle, such as CAN or LIN bus. Trainee agricultural and construction machinery mechatronics technicians use the TruckTrain "Farming 4.0 incl. Precision Farming with Section Control (ISO bus)" to learn how the different protocols are combined using this special bus system and how the ISO bus can, in turn, communicate with implements from any manufacturer.

The TruckTrain system is based on original components used in real life such as an Incab or Isobus socket or a universal terminal. This allows the trainees to perform real measurements on the different bus systems, diagnose typical fault patterns or learn how the relays for the implement's power supply work. Another aspect is that the GPS system is covered by this TruckTrain system as well, which means that Precision Farming also forms part of the learning content. The system clearly shows how this process of site-differentiated and targeted cultivation of agriculturally productive land works.

In the e-learning module, the trainee first learns about job preparation on the farm PC and, for example, deals with the preparation of map data or the programming of field cultivation with GPS. After that, the course deals in detail with data transfer between the farm system and the tractor. Besides the TruckTrain systems, many other Lucas-Nülle systems are available to commercial vehicle technicians, which ideally cover the learning content found in their training. The topics range from basic courses to networked systems such as the CAN bus through to practically relevant experiments in vehicle hydraulics and electrohydraulics.