Course Objectives

On completion of the course learners will be able to:

• Apply a logical systematic strategy for approaching machine faults and narrowing to the cause, starting with visual symptoms and evidence gathering techniques, essential logical thinking approaches to narrow down a problem area to a specific circuit, navigation of the systems and testing and verification of a fix.
• Evaluate which interventions are low risk and which carry the possibility of making things worse (by adding a second fault into the system)
• Identify which components need a setup routine when changed-out vrs those that are simple plug and play.
• Read electrical schematics to enable cause and effect relationships to be determined and test points to be established.
• Apply effective strategies for faults including: open circuits, faulty components pulling down the power supply voltage, faulty coils, machine interlock loop faults, DC & AC short circuits, faulty sensors, sticky contacts, timer faults.
• Apply safe work practises for when to work live, de-energised and when and how to isolate, Lock and Tag for maintenance.
• Communicate effectively to the next shift, document progress on an unresolved fault. A vital skill for avoiding repeated steps.