773F, 773F OEM, 777F and 777F OEM Off-Highway Trucks and 775F and 775F OEM Quarry Truck Vital Information Management System (VIMS) Caterpillar

General Information

Usage:

775F DLS

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Illustration 1	g01291625
Connections of the data link for the Advisor

This manual discusses the Advisor monitoring system of the 773F, 775F, and 777F off-highway truck. Details on the hardware and the software that make up the system and all of the subsystems is identified. The Advisor monitoring system is an optional system. The Advisor monitoring system continuously monitors all of the machine systems. The Advisor consists of software and hardware. This manual discusses the means of navigating through the various screens of the Advisor.

VIMS

The Vital Information Management System (VIMS) is a state-of-the-art onboard system with the following features:

Machine systems are monitored for the operator.
The productivity information for the Payload is measured by the system and stored in onboard memory. This information can be downloaded later for analysis.
Abnormal machine conditions and/or incorrect operation of the machine are identified. The diagnosis of these abnormal conditions will allow the operator to modify the operation of the machine in order to correct the problem. The service technician is able to schedule maintenance for the machine if the condition is not related to the operation of the machine.
Prognostic information that can help predict potential problems before failures can occur. This allows the maintenance of the machine to be scheduled during the preventive maintenance servicing interval.

The components of the typical VIMS are listed below:

VIMS electronic control module
Sensors
Payload lamps

Data Links

The VIMS communicates with other electronic controls on the machine and the VIMS communicates with systems off the machine through the data links. The three data links for VIMS are listed below:

Cat Data Link - This two wire data link allows communication between the VIMS electronic control module and other machine control systems.

RS-232 Data Link (Service Tool) - This serial three-wire data link allows communication between the VIMS electronic control module and the service tool (laptop computer).

RS-232 Data Link (Broadcast) - This serial three-wire data link allows communication between the VIMS electronic control module and other off-board systems that are not service tools. The onboard data can be passed from the machine when a radio telemetry system is connected to the port.

Data

The Vital Information Management System uses four types of data. The four types of data are listed here:

Sensed - Data is read from the sensors and the switches. The sensors and the switches communicate with the VIMS electronic control module.

Internal - The data is generated within the VIMS electronic control module. The date and time are examples of internal data.

Communicated - The data is received through the Cat Data Link from other machine systems. For example, the engine speed is received through the Cat Data Link from the electronic engine control.

Calculated - Data mathematically determined by the VIMS electronic control module. For example, the event duration is calculated and stored in the event list.

Events

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Table 1
EVENTS
Data Event	System Event
Filters	Open Sensor Circuits, etc.
Temperature	Calibration
Possible Machine Damage
Performance (Payload)

The operator is alerted to the existence of all abnormal machine conditions by VIMS via the Advisor display module. All abnormal machine conditions are called data events. The Advisor and the electronic control modules that are on the data link refer to these abnormal conditions as events. A high engine coolant temperature is an example of a data event. The operator is alerted to problems in the VIMS electronic control module and other electronic modules on the machine. The diagnostic type of electronic system failures are called system events. The Advisor and the electronic control modules that are on the data link refer to the electronic system failures as diagnostics. The signal voltage of the coolant temperature sensor that is above normal is an example of a system event. Stored VIMS event information is used in order to assist the service personnel with that machine maintenance and troubleshooting.

Data events are related to a machine system. The operator needs to RESPOND to this event in most cases. For example, the operator needs to modify operation in order to cool the oil temperature for the converter when the temperature is too high. When such an event is present, the operator is shown additional information on the Advisor screen.

Problems with the electrical system of the machine are called system events. System events require a service technician to make a repair. Use the buttons on the Advisor display module in order to navigate to the "Active Events" list in the "Service" menu when a system event is present. Selecting a code and pressing the "OK" button will display more information such as the MID, the CID and the FMI. If the event is a warning level 2 or 3, an event screen that shows the details of the event will automatically appear on the Advisor display. The information will appear when the diagnostic code becomes active. When a MID for a different system is displayed in place of a MID for VIMS, refer to the applicable Service Manual for that electronic control module.

Note: Multiple events for a single machine condition may occur. The Vital Information Management System can inform the user if the actual cause of a stored event is due to a faulty component or a true abnormal condition.

Feature Variations

The same VIMS operates on a variety of different machines. All of the possible functions of VIMS are not performed on every machine. Configuration software is used in order to identify the type of VIMS machine. The configuration software also identifies the available functions of VIMS.

The quantity of VIMS display components and the type of available indications are listed here:

The Instrument Cluster is used in order to show changing machine conditions. The tachometer gauge (5) shows the engine speed information. Gauges display information such as the temperature, the pressure and the level.
The screen on the instrument cluster shows the actual transmission gear and the direction.
The screen on the instrument cluster also shows the ground speed information ("[MPH (km/h)]").
The alert indicator on the instrument cluster shows that an event has been detected and the event is active.
The parameter name, status and operator instructions are information that is displayed on the Advisor display module.

Diagnostic information is stored for all system events even if the event is not present at the time of troubleshooting. A personal computer (PC) is used as the VIMS service tool. Refer to the Vital Information Management System VIMSpc Users Manual, FEB0047 for additional information.

Stored Data

The occurrence of certain events and machine conditions are recorded in the onboard memory. The information is organized into seven categories. This information is used to analyze problems with the machine. The information is typically used at a later date by service technicians or management. The seven categories of information are listed here:

Event List - The event list is a record of stored events that have occurred on the machine. Not all events are stored. The record contains the last 500 events (data or system) that are listed in chronological order. This means that the events are listed in the order of occurrence. The newest events appear at the top of the list. The event list transfers the oldest data into the "event summary list" when the event list exceeds 500 records. The "event summary list" is composed of the first five occurrences, the last five occurrences and the worst five occurrences that are recorded for any of the "data events". The "event summary list" is limited to storing only 500 records. "System events" can be identified by the diagnostic codes (MID, CID and FMI).

All other events are "data events". The event list is accessible from the Advisor display or with VIMS PC.

Note: All events that contain diagnostic information (MID, CID and FMI) are the diagnostic type of system events. Not all events without diagnostic information (MID, CID and FMI) are data events. An example of a system event without diagnostic codes is an open wire in the circuit for the hydraulic oil level. Remember that the circuit of a switch (2 wire) (open switch) can report a true condition that relates to a parameter. This same switch (2 wire) can indicate a system failure (open wire) but the failure is reported as low hydraulic oil level.

Snapshot - The Snapshot stores a segment of history in real time for all parameters (channels) at a one second interval. The snapshot relates to a set of predefined events. A snapshot is triggered automatically for a severe event. The snapshot is then stored in memory. The configuration software designates the events that are considered to be severe events. The "Trigger Snapshot" menu option in the Advisor can be used in order to initiate a snapshot manually. A snapshot consists of a "flight recording" of all of the parameters that describe the conditions of the system. The snapshot records data from five minutes before the event to one minute after the event. This strategy is also applied to snapshots that are triggered immediately after key ON. However, a portion of the five minutes of data that occurred prior to the event was actually captured prior to turning the key start switch OFF. This portion of data may have been stored hours or days before the event that triggered the snapshot.

The VIMS has the capability of storing two sets of snapshot information. If a snapshot is in the process of being recorded and a second snapshot is triggered the second snapshot is ignored.

The snapshot information is accessible only with the VIMS PC.

Data Logger - The data logger captures all of the parameters that are monitored by the VIMS. The data logger is recorded in one second intervals. The operation of the data logger is similar to the snapshot. However, the data logger can not be triggered automatically. The manual triggering of the data logger can only be done by VIMS PC or the Advisor display. The data logger can be started and stopped with a total recording time of 30 minutes.

The information that is recorded by the data logger is accessible only with VIMS PC. The data logger can be reset by VIMS PC or the Advisor display.

Note: The cycle data for the Truck payload (time and date) can be used as basic information of data logger in place of this data logger.

Trends - Trend information consists of the minimums, maximums and averages of parameter data over time. Trend information is viewed with VIMSpc software. The trend information is displayed as a graph or the trend information is displayed as columns of data. An example of trend information is the average brake temperature per hour. Trend information is recorded for predefined parameters for each machine. Trend information is recorded under the specified guidelines that are listed here:

All one hour continuous trends begin when the key start switch is turned to the ON position.
The data of the trend that is collected during a period less than one hour when the key start switch is turned to the OFF position is discarded.
Trend points are the average of each trend that was captured during the past hour. Each trend must meet the conditions that are set for that trend. . A single trend point for the designated hour is calculated and stored when the measured trends are averaged over one hour.

The data point or the responsible failure mode identifier are stored according to the guidelines that are listed here:

At least one "Trend condition" was met.

"FMI 19 conditions not met" is stored or the actual FMI that was responsible for the conditions that were not met for the entire hour is stored.

Trends are accessible only with VIMS PC.

Cumulative - Cumulative information is the number of occurrences (counts) of specific events. An example of cumulative information is total engine revolutions or total fuel consumption over the life of the machine or component. Cumulative information is recorded for a standard set of parameters. The parameters are defined in the configuration software for each machine. The onboard system collects "life-time cumulatives" with no need to reset. The situations that will cause an automatic resetting of the "cumulatives" are listed here:

New onboard software is flashed into the onboard memory.

Note: The term "onboard software" describes the following information:system (VIMS) and the model of the machine

A configuration is loaded with any changes to the methods of calculating and storing cumulative data. The change indicates that a correction has actually been made to the configuration or the VIMS electronic control module has just been installed from a different application. The new VIMS electronic control module may not recognize the methods of calculating and storing cumulative data that is used by the configuration.
The disconnect switch is in the OPEN position.

Resetting of "cumulatives" manually is not required. If the user desires, the "cumulatives" may be reset manually. The reset process clears all "cumulatives". Because there is only one choice, "cumulatives" can not be reset individually. If a reset of "cumulatives" is requested, all the "cumulatives" will be reset.

"Cumulatives" are accessible only with VIMS PC.

Histograms - Histogram information records the history of a parameter since last reset. For example, a histogram of the engine speed would indicate the percentage of time that the engine operated within a defined speed limit (example 0-699, 700-1299, 1300-1699, 1700-2199, 2200 up) and the time interval (example 25 to 475 SMH or 1/1/99 to 2/2/99) of the data gathered. Histograms can be used to evaluate the range of operation for a parameter.

Histograms are accessible only with VIMS PC.

Payload - Payload information is recorded for the off-highway trucks, as required.

Total payload data is accessible only with VIMS PC. Basic data is available through the Advisor display by accessing the "Payload" menu option or "System Parameters" under the "Service" menu.