Automotive Lab Scopes Diagnostics
What is the oscilloscope?
In contrast to the voltmeter, you can see with an oscilloscope not only the mean values of the voltage in the measured circuits but also the change and the form of the voltage through time.
All oscilloscopes have screens on which the waveform is displayed. The screen can be a tube beam type, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a computer program. The typical oscilloscope screen is divided into equal spaces (divisions), which allow the parameters of the signal to be interpreted visually.
The graphics displayed on the monitor are called waveforms. Usually, oscilloscope only shows waveforms of the voltage. This form of visualization shows the change of voltage through time.
The subdivisions marked on the horizontal axis (x) allow the measurement of the time parameters, and the vertical axis (y-axis) allows the measurement of the voltage values.
What purposes have oscilloscopes in automotive diagnostics?
The oscilloscope helps us to find the problem quickly and easily. Often, the problem has not recorded an error code (DTC) in the corresponding ECU, a DTC that can be read with a code reader. Typically, a DTC is recorded when a defective cable or cable short circuit is positive or negative. But if a detector or mechanism has stopped working in some mid-position, there is no error recorded. In this case, as if you need to find the reason that an error will be recorded - the automotive oscilloscope is your most needed instrument.
With the increase of sensors, actuators and wiring diagrams present in the modern Automobile, the automotive oscilloscope is an instrument that can help diagnose irregularities in the automobile faster and easier. An oscilloscope is a tool that is indispensable when you watch the output signals from inductive sensors whose output signals are a pulse sequence, slow changing analog signals, primary and secondary ignition circuits, recording varied absolute pressure, starter current waveforms, Charge currents and etc.
