Setting up and testing motorsport vehicle data acquisition systems
Overview
This standard identifies the competences you need to setup, test and adjust motorsport vehicle data acquisition equipment, in accordance with approved procedures. The equipment and systems to be setup and 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 set up, test and adjust the various items of equipment. You will be expected to use the specified/appropriate techniques to carry out the setting-up and testing procedures in the correct sequence. The equipment to be set up and tested will include data logging systems, radio/data transmission/recording; monitoring of chassis/aerodynamics systems (such as stress, vibration, performance signals), lap/position monitoring, audio visual systems, engine data systems, test and development data transfer systems and specialist systems such as Global Positioning System (GPS).
Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the setting-up, testing and adjusting 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 setting-up and testing techniques and procedures to motorsport vehicle data acquisition systems. You will understand the data acquisition systems being setup and tested, and their application, and will know about the testing and adjustment 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 setting-up and 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
- follow all relevant setting up and operating specifications for the products or assets being configured
- set up the equipment following defined procedures, ensuring that all operating parameters are achieved
- deal promptly and effectively with problems within your control and report those that cannot be solved
- check that the configuration is complete and that the equipment operates to specification
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 setting up and testing process (including current industry standard and code of practice schematics, symbols and terminology used for data acquisition systems)
- how to carry out currency/issue checks on the specifications you are working with
- the correct operating procedures of the system being set up and tested
- the components to be set up and tested, and their function within the particular data acquisition system
- how software can potentially affect hardware operations
- the adjustments/corrections/tuning required to bring the equipment/system to operational standard through full range parameters
- the quality control procedures to be followed during the setting-up and testing operations
- electrical bonding specifications, and their importance
- the types of test equipment to be used, and their selection for particular types of tests
- how to calibrate the test equipment to be used; or the organisational procedures for ensuring that the test equipment is maintained and correctly calibrated
- the importance of applying electrostatic discharge (ESD) procedures when working on sensitive equipment or devices
- how to connect the appropriate test equipment into the circuits/equipment (for the measurement of such items as continuity, voltage checks, signal noise/interference levels, signal strength, power output, exhaust gas and pressure calibration, temperature and accelerometer calibration, camera alignment and control position calibration)
- 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 interpret the test readings obtained, and the significance of the readings gained
- 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 setting-up and testing activities:
- obtain clearance to work on the system, and observe all relevant isolation and safety procedures
- use the correct issue of the agreed setting-up and testing procedures and quality documentation
- adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, hazardous substances, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations and procedures to realise a safe system of work
- provide safe access and working arrangements for the work area, and ensure that any appropriate environmental conditions can be met
- check that all tools and test equipment to be used is in a safe, tested and usable condition and within current calibration dates
- carry out the setting-up and 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 the vehicle and surrounding structures are maintained free from damage and foreign objects
- 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 data acquisition equipment in one of the following types of motorsport vehicle:
- single seater
- kart
- rallying
- historic
- sports car
- other specific approved competition vehicle
Test three of the following types of motorsport vehicle data acquisition systems:
- data logging system
- audio/visual data transfer systems
- transmission data transfer systems
- engine data transfer systems
- chassis/aerodynamics data transfer system
- test/development data transfer systems
- speed/position data transfer system
- digital data link
Setup and test six of the following motorsport data acquisition system components:
- accelerometer and associated pre-amplifiers
- video cameras
- control position potentiometers and indicators
- GPS systems
- linear voltage displacement transducers (LVDT)
- temperature sensors (such as surface, air or immersed probes)
lambda sensors
strain gauge components
- controllers
- potentiometers
- rotational speed sensors
- event position indicators
- instrumentation (IRUs)
Carry out tests and adjustments using a range of tools and equipment, to include seven of the following:
- dedicated test equipment
- pressure tester
- computer/test software
- hydro carbon analyser
- strain gauge test set
- multimeter
- vibration table
- exhaust gas simulator
- mass air flow meter (such as hot wire)
- voltage simulators
- pitot-static test set
- oscilloscope
- thermocouple
- simulators
Use appropriate equipment to carry out six of the following types of test:
- temperature calibration
- signal noise/interference levels
- continuity
- accelerometer calibration
- exhaust gas calibration
- resistance
- control position calibration
- condition of components
- open/short circuit
- camera alignment
- operational/parameter checks
- pressure calibration
- signal strength
- voltage checks
- strain gauge checks
- other specific tests
Deal with two of the following levels of complexity during the setting-up and testing activities:
- systems with no faults
- systems with faults
- systems with intermittent faults
Use four of the following fault-finding techniques during the setting-up and testing activities:
- six point
- function testing
- injection and sampling
- half-split
- equipment self-diagnostics
- unit substitution
- input-to-output
- emergent problem sequence
Use manufactures software to setup and calibrate the drivers digital display for three of the following (if applicable to the type of vehicle):
- channel allocation
- page layout
- alarm thresholds
- sensor calibrations
- zeroing sensors
Check tested motorsport vehicle data acquisition equipment complies with one of the following:
race associations
current industry standards, codes of practice and procedures
- vehicle manufacturers specification
- customer standards and requirements
- team/company standards and procedures
- specific vehicle requirements