Tests EOL

Multi-channel logging with the PCAN-Router Pro FD

The problem

A major European commercial vehicle manufacturer, specializing in 40-ton semi-trailer tractors for long-haul transport, operates highly automated end-of-line test benches for the final inspection and calibration of control units. Several CAN and CAN FD buses run in parallel — engine control, exhaust after-treatment, transmission control, driver assistance — and all communication must be fully documented to ensure long-term vehicle quality.

The PC-based recording infrastructure proved unreliable and costly to maintain. Buffer overflows caused data loss and non-deterministic timestamping, complicating synchronization between the engine bus and the transmission bus. Under full load, CAN FD lines reach 8 Mbit/s and the ECUs exchange hundreds of messages per second (engine torque, rail pressure, lambda values, shift strategies, ADAS data). Any lost frame or shifted time base made root-cause analysis impossible — unacceptable at end-of-line.

The solution

The manufacturer deployed the PCAN-Router Pro FD as a standalone six-channel CAN FD data logger.

1. Enregistrement complet

The device logs all frames, including error frames and bus load. Storage relies on 16 GB of internal eMMC memory, expandable via SD card for several days of continuous recording.

2. Precise timestamping

Each data set receives a microsecond timestamp from a battery-backed real-time clock, which keeps the time base even after a power outage.

3. Fonctionnement autonome

The recorder operates without a PC, triggered automatically by CAN signals from the test-bench control system. Staff simply remove the SD card at the end of the test for centralized analysis (PCAN-Explorer scripts and proprietary Python tools). The firmware remains programmable via the C/C++ SDK for custom filtering routines.

The result