PREFACE
During my decades of OEM vehicle engineering many robust electrical systems were designed and tested. Quality, reliability, and therefore customer satisfaction were always my priorities. Residence and visitation at numerous proving grounds (Germany, Michigan, Arizona, Nevada, Minnesota, Florida, and Colorado) has endowed me with a perspective perhaps unique in the “vehicle” industry. Responsibilities ranged from (not all inclusive) being the Trip Leader on hot and cold weather test trips, to determining alternator and battery sizes, to inspecting wiring harnesses on innumerable durability test vehicles, to specialized failure analysis. Among my greatest efforts were the study of mileage/heat/cold/salt/sand/rub&touch abrasion/and water ingress effects on wiring harnesses. I have empirical knowledge as well as engineering instinct based on real world experiences to determine what will work or not. Discovered were numerous wiring harness design weaknesses, often previously unknown/unrealized. Additionally, in my role as a RAM Truck Commercial Vehicle Team member, many upfitters were visited and assisted in system interface designs. These visits allowed an overview of the state of upfitting electrical design - often seen were designs and installations that were less than optimal.
The Charging & Cranking (battery, starter, alternator, voltage regulator) system is often not well understood, even misconstrued. Understanding the fundamental concept of this system will aid in the design of optimal (cost, performance) systems without over/under engineering the systems individual components. These fundamentals apply to traditional 12V as well as hybrid systems.
Since "retiring" and forming my consulting/training company, two classroom training sessions have been created -
1) the TRUCK, VEHICLE, RV, WIRING GUIDELINES WORKSHOP
2) the CHARGING & CRANKING 101+ WORKSHOP .
These are the culmination of all my engineering experiences. Via utilization of PowerPoint, hands-on-samples, and voice overs from real world research, attendees of either Workshop will benefit from the experience and knowledge disseminated; it’s certain that an attendee (regardless of background) will obtain a whole new set of skills. Implementing the Workshop recommendations will increase your vehicles quality and thus reliability and customer satisfaction.
Not to be overlooked are my services offered for vehicle exhaust emission systems,trouble shooting, failure investigations, and design aid. See "My Services" below for additional details.
About RCW ENGINEERING CONSULTING, LLC
MY SERVICES
Expert Witness/Truck/Automotive/Commercial Vehicle/Upfitter/Upfitted Vehicles/Recreational Vehicles Electrical Engineering consulting and training provided via contract.
1) ---TRAINING---
TRUCK, VEHICLE, RV WIRING GUIDELINES WORKSHOP
A proprietary workshop to train all levels of personnel, including senior management, engineers, technicians, mechanics, and others as desired by the customer. The goal is to train for high quality/reliability wiring design, repair, and upfitting. This is an intense, full day of specialized education/training. The primary format is PowerPoint, with videos, charts, hands-on items, and voice-overs. I have no doubt that anyone participating, regardless of experience, will gain a great deal of new knowledge.
Topics discussed within the Workshop include:
• Wire stranding
• Wire insulation characteristics and type applications
• Connectors – single and multi-cavity
• Terminals – ring, splice, hi-amperage
• Protective wire/harness coverings for:
1) Abrasion
2) Heat
3) Corrosion
4) Specific recommended manufactures and part numbers for 1), 2), and 3) may be discussed
• Fasteners - metal
• Harness location assurance via clipping and plastic fasteners
• Hi-current cable routing
• Lo-current cable routing
• Data bus wire routing
• Failure and thermal event diagnosis
• Failure and thermal event mitigation
• Circuit protection via fusing
- EMI/EMC Wiring Technical Considerations
2) ---TRAINING----
CHARGING & CRANKING 101+ WORKSHOP
A highly technical proprietary presentation on the system of the battery/starter/alternator/voltage regulator. Excellent for hybrid vehicle designers.
3) ---ADDITIONALLY---
a) Expert witness
b) Vehicle exhaust emission systems
c) also - specialties in Commercial/Consumer Vehicle Electrical
- Chassis Cab upfitting (ambulances, lift trucks, work trucks, etc.)
- Motor homes/recreational vehicles
- hybrid powered aerial lift trucks
- Alternators, batteries, starters
- Cranking and charging
- Electrical power load analysis
- Wiring design and durability
- Quality audits
- Component failure analysis
- Fire investigation
- Component environmental (temperature/splash/corrosion) and mileage accumulation durability
- Ambulances/emergency vehicles
- Hybrid vehicles
- manufacturing machines (such as welders)
- Other Electrical as requested
ABOUT ME
Mission: to work with your organization - either in conjunction with or as a stand alone agent - to enhance your product offerings.
- Decades employed as a “vehicle (truck/SUV)” Engineer
- Very experienced and knowledgeable with OEM and supplier assembly plant protocols/procedures
- RAM Truck Commercial Vehicle Team member
- Major author of the RAM Body Builder Guide web site
- Memmber of the TMC
- Long time member of the NTEA
- Technical experience:
- Upfitting
- Wiring
- Charging and Cranking
- Hot and Cold Test Trips
- Specialized testing (durability/temperature/touches and rubs/video analysis)
- Prepared vehicles to be certified to meet EPA emission test protocols
- Et al
Employment history:
Chrysler, Volkswagen, American Motors, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat Chrysler (retired)
Unique Experience: worked one year in the Volkswagen Engineering center in Wolfsburg, Germany
PATENTS:
1. Hidden acquisition module for acquiring data from a vehicle
Patent number: 6216069
Patent number: 5998881
TRAINING WORKSHOPS CONTENT EXAMPLES
Wiring
Charging & Cranking
Wiring
Wiring
Charging & Cranking
Wiring
Charging & Cranking
Charging & Cranking
Charging & Cranking
Charging & Cranking
Charging & Cranking
Charging & Cranking
Charging & Cranking
Charging & Cranking
Charging & Cranking