Tech Training

Technician Training Done Right

Cashman's techs are cutting-edge with local training

Nevada's economic rollercoaster may be on a downward spiral at the moment, but most of us can recall the not-so distant elation we shared when our economy was going up, up, up! And, it goes without saying that we all look forward to those days of joy again. In the meantime, businesses are looking to simply hang on until the ride is over.

Cashman Equipment is dedicated to assisting customers in doing so, which means perfecting every service to provide the best possible value. A recent example of this commitment is the implementation of local training and certification in component repair classes for electrical systems, hydraulics, powertrain, engine repair/engine performance, brakes, and air conditioning.

Staying up-to-date on Caterpillar's latest technological advancements is vital to providing customers with impeccable machine repairs. Cashman employees accomplish this through enrollment in Cat's Dealer Learning Management System (DLMS), a web-based education system that provides technicians with individual interactive learning. The online course starts with a seven (7) step "how to" diagnostic process that teaches the proper techniques for investigation, isolation, repair, and documentation of an issue. This seven-step introduction supplies technicians with the basic knowledge, principles, and tools for problem solving. The diagnostic testing is followed by approximately six (6) additional courses that delve more deeply into the component repair process. DLMS technician training takes about 60 days, depending on the student's progress. If a technician has in-depth questions that cannot be answered in DLMS, Mike Grimes, Cashman's service trainer, is available to assist in any way necessary. Through weekly progress monitoring, Grimes is able to help the techs and make status reports to company executives as necessary. At the end of the DLMS training, the technicians must take a 50-question final exam, achieving 80% or greater to pass.

Completing the associated DLMS courses is a prerequisite to the next step in this program, Instructor Led Training (ILT). ILT is a higher level, hands-on training and certification course, which Cashman conducts at three of their Nevada facilities. Prior to the 2009 implementation of this local training program, Cashman would send technicians to Caterpillar headquarters in Peoria, IL, for certification. Cashman worked diligently to create the equivalent courses at their own locations to explore the cost-saving possibilities and to facilitate timely technician training. The setup involved finding the right trainer (Grimes, a construction equipment mechanic with a military degree in training) and preparing extensive simulations and practical exercises for the techs. The hands-on portion of the training includes 10 workstations and 34 labs, which cover skills like:

• Assembling electrical circuits and using a Digital Multi-Meter (DMM) to measure electrical circuits;
• Identifying basic components and applying Ohm's Law;
• Identifying and servicing connectors;
• Diagnosing basic circuit faults in a faulty harness;
• Navigating and interpreting schematics;
• Successfully flashing an ECM using Electronic Technician (ET);
• Identifying inputs and outputs and measuring their signals;
• Explaining / demonstrating pull-up voltage and its function in a circuit;
• Using service resources to troubleshoot diagnostic codes; and,
• Using service resources to correctly diagnose battery, starter, and alternator faults.

February 2009 saw the first class graduate from Cashman's local training program. Eight service technicians passed all the workstation tests to become officially certified in electrical systems by Caterpillar "“ a distinction recognized industry-wide. The first class was quickly followed by 24 more graduates in the following months.

When asked about the benefits of instituting local classes, Grimes said, "In addition to the cost savings for Cashman, we are also immediately addressing any areas Cat has made advances in, or ones we feel our people need additional training in. We want our techs to be able to effectively troubleshoot the whole machine, not just a certain model or component." The DLMS and ILT courses also improve the quality of repairs and service, enhance troubleshooting diagnosis, reduce rework due to misdiagnosis, minimize customer turnaround time, and lower overall costs. The increased efficiency for Cashman technicians ends up translating directly to their customers, something that was the company's goal from the beginning. Grimes summed up the training program by stating, "If our technicians are trained right, the repairs are done right, which means we are doing right by our customers."