Snap-on recently demonstrated its diagnostic solutions as part of a National Skills Forum

Imagine you are a third or fourth-year apprentice technician beginning your journey in the global automotive industry.
You are faced with the diagnostic and repair challenges of Petrol, Diesel, Hybrid and EV powertrains including their management systems. Daunting, isn’t it?
Now imagine you have been invited to an automotive “Master Class” – a training event put on specifically for you – because you are the future, the “Next Generation” of diagnostic technicians trusted to repair these complex machines.
In late July 2022, twelve apprentice technicians from across Australia were invited to a specialist training event held at Skills Tech – Acacia Ridge QLD – as part of the National Skills Forum overseen by Worldskills Australia.
Those young technicians were hosted by industry giants – Kevin Dove and Dino Vasquez from Snap-on Australia – who ran an in-depth training session using a range of cutting-edge Snap-on diagnostic tools and platforms.
While the team talked about different overall diagnostic approaches, individual electronic component testing was high on the agenda kicking off with in-depth pre and post-catalyst oxygen sensor testing.
Kevin walked the students through what an O2 sensor is used for and its operation within the engine management system, followed by some waveform analysis of both upstream and downstream sensors showing what happens when the catalytic converter fails.
Another hot topic of discussion was a crank angle sensor failure on a BMW 328i. The students were walked through a complex diagnostic task with the help of the Snap-on ZEUS diagnostic scan tool.
Introducing Intelligent Diagnostics
Snap-on says it has taken diagnostics to the next level with “Intelligent Diagnostics,” whereby the technician is guided through the diagnostic process derived from globally sourced process-driven outcomes bundled into the scan tool.
A notable difference from other platforms is when a DTC or Diagnostic Trouble Code is displayed, there is an option for the technician to select the “Diagnose” tab from the screen.
This directs the technician to a landing page flagging any Technical Service Bulletins relating to the DTC under scrutiny.
SureTrack Information
A very unique feature in the Snap-on diagnostic platform is “SureTrack” where the technician is presented with a graphical display of technician-certified repairs that have been analysed and confirmed by the Snap-on global team, detailing what has fixed that DTC and how many times that repair was successful.
This piece of information is there to give the diagnostic technician an inside edge speeding up the fault-to-fix process.
Smart Data
Snap-on says this little gem is the icing on the diagnostic cake. Smart Data displays code-specific PIDs (Parameter Identification).
When this function is selected only those lines of data relating to the DTC are populated with flags (alerts) attached to the data streams that have values outside of the OE specifications, a critical insight when trying to identify a malfunctioning sensor.
With these insights in hand, the technician can then access a range of functional tests on the diagnostic tool, including component activations and reset functions relating to the DTC.
In the case of the BMW issue discussed in the session, the students used the features to complete a crank angle sensor (CAS) variation learn.
The next generation of diagnostic technicians certainly have a challenging vehicle scope ahead of them, but with the help of tools like the Snap-on Zeus, Snap-on says they get the insights of a global team working together.
Snap-on has been developing tools and equipment for technicians since 1920. Knowing the importance of investing in our future technicians, Snap-on says it is also supporting our next generation through Worldskills Australia, and are looking forward to seeing its Australian representatives Nick McLaren and Isabella Turrise show their skills and talents in this year’s international competitions.

For more information, talk to your local franchisee representative or visit www.snapontools.com.au