Pico Technology

Here is your monthly Test and Measurement update from Pico Technology. We wish all our customers a happy and prosperous New Year.

1.  New Products! 6-way Automotive Breakout Leads

In addition to our 2-pin automotive breakout lead, we now have a new range of 6-way automotive breakout leads. These allow you to connect your PicoScope Automotive Oscilloscope to various components in the engine bay without having to strip or pierce any insulation, and with no risk of damage to connectors. Each lead has six blades wired to six blade sockets, allowing you to insert it between a plug and socket pair, and a further six 'banana' (4 mm) sockets that connect to the TA000 test leads included in all our Automotive Diagnostic Kits.

The leads are available with three different blade sizes to fit different sensors and actuators. With all three leads you can test a huge range of automotive components, including:

• air flow sensors
• throttle position sensors
• coil packs
• camshaft position sensors
• lambda (oxygen) sensors
• manifold air pressure sensors
• coolant temperature sensors

More details on the universal breakout leads

2.  New Accelerator Pedal Position (APP) Sensor Waveform

This month’s new automotive reference waveform is from an accelerator pedal position (APP) sensor. You can view this waveform, along with dozens of others, on our website and even download it free of charge for use with your PicoScope Automotive software. If you have the latest version of the software (upgrades are free), you can read more detail about all these waveforms by looking under the Automotive menu.

View the automotive waveform library

3.  Tech Tip: Removing a Voltage Offset in PicoScope

When you are working with low input voltages, you may find that your converter has a small offset on its ADC input. PicoScope has an Offset Null function that can remove this offset, if you use the following procedure.

1. Select Settings from the menu bar
2. Select Offset null... from the Settings menu
3. Select the channel that you wish to null
4. Disconnect or short the input on the relevant channel and then click [OK]
5. PicoScope will automatically remove any offset from all traces and meter
6. readings for that channel until the program is closed

4.  Training: Engine Management Diagnostics using PicoScope
- St Neots, UK

13 to 14 March 2006

Book now for the next two-day training course for users of our Automotive Diagnostic Kits.

On the first day you will learn the basic working principles of Engine Management systems, component testing and system diagnostics using oscilloscopes. The day will be split between theory and practical demonstrations in a workshop using the Pico Automotive Diagnostic Kit. On the second day you will continue to explore practical examples of diagnostic work with the oscilloscope. You will also build your understanding of electrical and mechanical faults and the engineering significance of voltage signals.

By the end of the course you will be certified by Pico Technology to use the Pico Automotive Diagnostics Kit and PicoScope oscilloscope software specifically for advanced automotive diagnostic applications. You will then possess the knowledge to run diagnostics on most of the common automotive sensors.

More information on Pico automotive training courses

5.  Employment Opportunities

Due to our continuing growth, we have vacancies for the following positions:

• Marketing Manager
• Principal Digital Hardware Engineer
• Principal Analogue Hardware Engineer
• Principal Applications Software Engineer

We look forward to hearing from you if you want to be part of a growing company at the leading edge of test equipment design.

View full details of all our current employment vacancies

6.  Forthcoming Exhibitions and Training Dates

Full details of upcoming exhibitions and training dates can be found on the exhibitions page.

7.  Latest Software Releases

As soon as we release new software, it is made available for FREE download from our website. To check which version you are using, start the software (PicoScope, PicoLog or EnviroMon) and select HELP | ABOUT.

The current releases are:

• PicoScope R5.13.4
• PicoLog R5.12.8
• EnviroMon R5.12.2
• PicoScope Automotive R5.13.4

To download the latest software please visit the software downloads page

(Note: the above web page also contains a link to our 'what's new' page which describes recent changes and additions to the software.)

8.  Back Issues of this Newsletter

Back issues of this newsletter are available online at http://www.picotech.com/maillist.html

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