Diagnostic Tool Trends

As technology becomes more complex in today’s vehicles, so too has the equipment needed for vehicle repair. Dependable tools of yesterday are still in demand, but the trend today is for better, faster, and in some cases, cheaper high-tech tools.

Not long ago, interfacing, CD-ROM and the World Wide Web were terms used only by computer enthusiasts. Today, they’re terms commonly used by technicians. Connectivity means more than wires and components under the hood. And high-tech equipment is not just for shop owners anymore.

Is the diagnostic repair industry about to experience a transformation? According to Mark Warren, AutoInc. columnist and owner of Mark’s Auto in Tucson, Ariz., the state of diagnostic repair is about to face an "evolution," rather than a "revolution." The next few years will be a time of product enhancements and fine-tuning, according to many industry experts. Here’s a look at today’s diagnostic tool trends, who’s buying tools, what’s available and what to look for in the future. Expanding the market

Advancements in technology now allow technicians to own powerful, but affordable, diagnostic equipment. Diagnostic equipment purchases are made by both technicians and shops, and as in most purchases, price is a deciding factor.

Several experts agree that prices in the $3,000 range determine what tools fall into the shop tool category vs. the individual technician purchase.

"Shops tend to pick up the higher-priced equipment," said Jan Lee, OTC product development specialist. "Our surveys show that in the $2,500 to $3,000 range, the shop to technician purchase ratio is about 2-to-1."

Warren said hand-held diagnostic tools are hot sellers with individual technicians because "machines of the past were never in the price range that technicians could afford." Steve Trottier, Automotive Diagnostics product manager, performance test equipment (PTE), said technician purchases tend to include multimeters, lab scopes and scan tools, while he sees automotive repair shops purchasing the majority of diagnostic consoles.

Many say the big market is in small tools, but John Hamminga, marketing communications manager for CAS, said sales trends of new hand-held tools can be deceiving since the first 3,000 to 4,000 units are sold to fill inventories of the distribution channels selling these products.

There is definitely a growing market for hand-held tools, but they haven’t replaced console units, says Hamminga.

"Viewing purchasing decisions for analyzers vs. hand-held units as an ‘either/or scenario’ is unrealistic in today’s market," said Hamminga. "Both, by themselves, are insufficient for today’s needs."

Big vs. small

As more companies offer multi-task tools, technology is closing the gap between hand-held tools and console-type units.

"There is no doubt that small hand-held tools have made up ground on the larger console-type diagnostic units," said Bernard J. Carr, senior application engineer at Vetronix Corporation. "Breakthroughs in hardware design " electronic devices, components and packaging " have enabled small electronic tools to perform like their larger counterparts." Carr also said improvements in software technology have increased capabilities to develop new and powerful diagnostic routines.

How do hand-held units compare to consoles when it comes to performance? For one thing, battery powered hand-held tools are portable, offering test-drive capabilities that larger equipment simply can’t provide. Jorge Menchu, founder of Automotive Electronics Services (AES), a company that develops lab scope accessories and software, points out that hand-held lab scopes typically have "flight recorder" capability. This feature allows data to be stored during road testing for later playback, and according to Menchu, is the key to solving intermittent problems.

Bill Fulton, a diagnostic tool seminar instructor for Mitchell International, said flight recording features are used 10 percent to 20 percent of the time in "real world cases."

Douglas Graham, automotive sales and marketing specialist for Fluke Corporation, a manufacturer of hand-held test equipment, points out that a lab scope flight recorder feature also holds a safety benefit.

"If you think about it, you use a road test to monitor some signal. Are you going to watch the road or watch the equipment? It becomes a safety issue," Graham said.

However, smaller units tend to be "propriety-based systems," said Warren, that limit the purchaser to original manufacturer upgrades. Small tools also mean "small, monochrome, slow displays with no other options," says Warren.

Then, there’s the performance issue. Hand-held tool capabilities are not as complete as those of the diagnostic console, say observers.

"To provide the same basic testing capabilities as a diagnostic console, the technician would have to purchase most of the following: multimeter/lab scope, ignition scope, exhaust gas analyzer, OBD-II scan tool and an information system including a personal computer (PC)," Trottier said.

Fulton points out that most larger engine analyzers have the ability to do a power balance test, whereas most small hand-held units can’t conveniently perform this test.

A closer look at diagnostic consoles reveals more differences. Most are PC-based with flexible architecture for upgrades and add-ons, like four-gas analyzers. "Some hand- helds will link to a four-gas analyzer, but it gets pretty messy with cables and such everywhere," said Warren.

Consoles also feature the ability to use a standard computer monitor. "For the user, this provides color, it’s larger, faster and cheaper (more flexibility)," Warren said.

Hamminga also stresses the importance of an "open architecture" environment for updating, as well as "cross-platform" compatibility.

"This new technology is packaged into systems called service bay workstations ... workstations have analyzers on-board, but as only one element of a package, not as a total product," said Hamminga.

Experts with companies that make anaylzers say their units are definitely not dinosaurs, and older units can be upgraded.

"If you are turning customers away or are unable to test newer vehicles, I recommend contacting your equipment manufacturer representative and inquiring about enhancements or trade-in programs," Trottier said. "Manufacturers devote a large portion of their resources to maintain diagnostic console analyzers at a level allowing them to work on all current vehicles."

Most shops will have both large and small diagnostic tools, and one does not obsolete the other, said Warren.

"It’s like comparing an RV to a Volkswagen. You may not want to drive your RV to work every day or deal with parking difficulties when you go downtown, but if you’re headed to a campsite on the weekend, the RV sure will provide better accommodations than trying to sleep in your Volkswagen," he said. "Small diagnostic tools no more make larger units a dinosaur than the Volkswagen makes the RV one."

The marketing impact tools make on customers is another consideration. While costs are considerably greater for console units, customers have been known to call service facilities inquiring specifically about "the big machine."

"Small units, while powerful, just aren’t visually impressive to the customer," said Warren.

Fulton agrees with Warren’s assessment. "The large computer-type engine analyzer gives customers the feeling that they are getting more value from their diagnostic charge," he said.

OTC’s Lee believes customers are not as impressed with the equipment as much as the shop or technician who can diagnose and repair their vehicle the first time. "This factor rates higher than the price charged for the repair, as shown by current surveys," Lee said.

Menchu believes that today, the tools you have may help sell the customer, but the technician operating the tools is the big seller. "Highly skilled and highly trained technicians are the important thing ... it’s the mind that works in the shop, not the machine."

Choosing Diagnostic Tools

With so many options " consoles and workstations; hand-held multimeters, lab scopes and scan tools; CD-ROM-based information systems; break-out boxes; digital logic probes and test lights " choosing equipment can be confusing.

How do technicians know what to buy? Menchu warns against listening to "sales hype" and suggests seeking good, strong companies that sell a variety of products.

Budget, personal preference, equipment size and effectiveness variables should be considered, but today’s "combination" diagnostic tools require even more pre-purchase planning. While some answers come easy, it’s not clear cut what combination of diagnostic tools will provide the most efficient use of time, the highest level of accuracy and the most reasonable return on investment.

To help with purchasing decisions, Menchu suggests using on-line computer services, such as the "Techs Only" section of CompuServe’s "CARS" forum. "Services like CompuServe can help " they allow techs to talk with others who are knowledgeable," said Menchu.

When making purchasing decisions, keep in mind how your decision will impact customer satisfaction, said Hamminga.

"Customers are interested in a shop’s ability to provide an accurate time and dollar estimate; to fix technologically complicated problems quickly and completely; and to communicate progress effectively. Solutions that cannot provide a shop owner with these attributes are not solutions," said Hamminga.

Tools Of Tomorrow

Chip Hennen of Edge Diagnostics Systems said that for the average indepent repair shop the amount of daily work involving diagnosis of computer-controlled vehicle systems will increase dramatically over the next few years. Hennen said that according to one automobile manufacturer’s estimate, the percentage of daily work involving computerized electronics now ranges from 15 percent to as much as 30 percent. Hennen said that the automobile manufacturer predicts that the percentage will rise to more than 85 percent by 1998.

To deal with the coming challenge, here’s what some experts expect to be hot in the future.

To imagine what the future holds for diagnostic tools, consider the tools available now with increased speed, power and compatibility. These are the tools of tomorrow.

ASA Main Page
AutoInc. || More Info About AutoInc. || Tech Tips || Tech To Tech
Chairman's Message || Taking The Hill || Diagnostic Tool Trends
Directions || Stat Corner || News Briefs || News Briefs Extra
Undercoat And Clearcoat Developments
AutoInc. Magazine ®, Vol. XLIV No. 2, February 1996