Testing motorsport vehicle cableforms and looms
Overview
This standard identifies the competences you need to test motorsport vehicle cableforms and looms, in accordance with approved procedures. The cableforms and looms to be tested may be on a bench or test rig or fitted to the motorsport vehicle. You will be required to use appropriate drawings, specifications, and test documentation to test the various cables and items of equipment. You will be expected to use the specified/appropriate techniques to carry out the testing procedures in the correct sequence. The cableforms and looms to be tested will include cable assemblies for power supply (such as charging, starting and ignition), lighting (such as internal, external and instrumentation/display), data acquisition, control and communication systems.
Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the testing activities undertaken, and to report any problems with the activities, components or equipment that you cannot personally resolve, or that are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You will be expected to work with a minimum of supervision, taking personal responsibility for your own actions and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you carry out.
Your underpinning knowledge will provide a good understanding of your work, and will provide an informed approach to applying appropriate testing techniques and procedures to motorsport vehicle cableforms and looms. You will understand the cableforms and looms being tested, and their application, and will know about the testing techniques, test equipment and methods, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the activities, correcting faults and ensuring that the system functions to the required specification.
You will understand the safety precautions required when carrying out the testing operations. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout, and will understand the responsibility you owe to yourself and others in the workplace.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
- carry out the required tests using appropriate tools and equipment
- set up and carry out the tests using the correct procedures and within agreed timescales
- review the results and carry out further tests if necessary
- deal promptly and effectively with problems within your control and report those that cannot be solved
- ensure that work records are completed, stored securely and available to others, as per organisational requirements
- leave the work area in a safe condition on completion of the activities, as per organisational and legal requirements
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the specific safety precautions to be taken whilst carrying out the activities (including any specific legislation, regulations or codes of practice relating to the activities, equipment or materials)
- the health and safety requirements of the work area and the activities, and the responsibility these requirements place on you
- the hazards associated with the activities, and how to minimise them and reduce risks
the personal protective equipment and clothing (PPE) to be worn during the activities
how to obtain and interpret drawings, standards, quality control procedures and test specifications used in the testing process (including, current industry standard and code of practice schematics, symbols and terminology used for motorsport vehicle cableforms and looms)
- how to carry out currency/issue checks on the specifications you are working with
- the correct operating procedures of the cableforms and looms being tested
- the importance of applying electrostatic discharge (ESD) procedures when working on sensitive equipment or devices
- the cableform and loom components to be tested, and their function within the particular system
- the quality control procedures to be followed during the testing operations
- electrical bonding specifications and their importance
- the types of test equipment to be used, and their selection for particular types of test
- how to calibrate the test equipment to be used; or the organisational procedures for ensuring that the test equipment is maintained and correctly calibrated
- how to connect the appropriate test equipment into the circuits/equipment (for the measurement of such items as continuity, voltage checks, power output)
- the various testing methods and procedures, as recommended in approved electrical codes of practice, and how to apply them to different operating conditions
- how to recognise defects (such as under or over performance)
- the various fault finding techniques that can be used if the system fails the test
- how to display/record test results how to interpret the test readings obtained and the significance of the readings
- how to analyse the test results
- the authorisation procedures for changes to test procedures
- the importance of ensuring that test equipment is used only for its intended purpose and within its specified range and limits
- the potential problems or errors that could occur, and which may affect the test results, and how they can be avoided
- the environmental control and company operating procedures relating to the testing activities
- the procedures to be followed on completion of the tests
- the extent of your own responsibility and to whom you should report if you have problems that you cannot resolve
- how to access, use and maintain information to comply with organisational requirements and legislation
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Carry out all of the following during the testing activities:
- obtain clearance to test the cableform/loom, and observe all relevant isolation and safety procedures
- use the correct issue of the agreed testing procedures and quality documentation
- adhere to risk assessment, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety procedures
- check that all tools and test equipment are within calibration dates
- provide safe access and working arrangements for the testing area
- carry out the testing activities using safe and approved techniques and procedures
- where appropriate, apply electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection procedures
- ensure that the testing equipment is operated within its specification range
- ensure that the vehicle and surrounding structures are maintained free from damage and foreign objects (where appropriate)
- return all tools and equipment to the correct location on completion of the activities
- leave the vehicle in a clean and safe condition (where appropriate)
Test cableforms and looms in one of the following types of motorsport vehicle:
- single seater
- kart
- rallying
- historic
- sports car
- other specific approved competition vehicle
Test five of the following types of motorsport vehicle cableforms and looms:
- control system
- data acquisition system
- safety system
- lighting system
- power supply system
- ignition system
- communication system
- charging/starting system
- visual display system
Test nine of the following cableform/loom components:
- circuit breaker/fuse panels
- earth bonding points
- co-axial cable connections
- relay panels
- tray-mount sockets
- fibre-optic terminations
- control panels
- soldered connections
- free plugs and sockets
- cable protection
- power supply (batteries)
- terminal blocks
- multi-pin plugs and sockets
- module blocks
- crimped connections
- other specific types of cables
Carry out tests and adjustments using a range of tools and equipment, to include the following:
- insulation resistance tester
plus two of the following: - dedicated test equipment
- multimeter
- continuity tester
- oscilloscope
- computer/test software
- other specific test equipment
- insulation resistance tester
Use appropriate equipment to carry out six of the following types of test:
- onboard diagnostic check
- voltage check
- resistance
- performance of circuit
- open/short circuit
- current check
- continuity checks
- other specific tests
Deal with two of the following levels of complexity during the testing activities:
- systems with no faults
- systems with faults
- systems with intermittent faults
Use four of the following fault-finding techniques during the testing activities:
- six point
- function testing
- injection and sampling
- half-split
- equipment self-diagnostics
- unit substitution
- input-to-output
- emergent problem sequence
Check tested motorsport vehicle cableforms and looms comply with one of the following:
- race associations current industry legislation, standards, codes of practice and procedures
- vehicle manufacture's specification
- customer standards and requirements
- team/company standards and procedures
- specific vehicle requirements