All attendees to the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Fall Meeting and TMCSuperTech national technician skills competition will be able to take advantage of additional educational opportunities by attending the Professional Technician Development Committee (PTDC) Technician Training Fair. This is a series of training sessions designed for technicians, shop supervisors and fleet managers.
The Technician Training Fair is being held in conjunction with the TMC meeting and skills competition taking place September 19 to 22 at the Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, NC. The theme of this year’s fall meeting is: “Maintenance Solutions You Can Count On.”
A group within TMC - an organization whose mission is to improve transport equipment, its maintenance and maintenance management, the PTDC works to promote professionalism of commercial vehicle technicians.
The annual fair consists of six training sessions based on the diagnostic skills stations held during the TMCSuperTech.
This year’s sessions will be held on Monday, September 19, and on Wednesday, September 21.
The PTDC training qualifies for National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) continuing education credits. A non-profit foundation, NATEF’s primary mission is to improve the quality of automotive technician training programs nationwide through voluntary accreditation.
MONDAY SESSIONS
On Monday, the PTDC Technician Training Fair will take place 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. There will be three training sessions. Each one will be repeated per the following schedule: 8:30 a.m. to 9:20 a.m., 9:35 a.m. to 10:25 a.m., and 10:40 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Training Session #1 - Fifth Wheel Inspection and Maintenance. This session will offer information on the inspection and proper adjustment of today’s various fifth wheel models. It will include training on coupling and uncoupling diagnostics, as well as tips for rebuilding fifth wheels.
Training Session #2 - Alternators and Starters: Operation and Maintenance. This session will deal with the operating basics of alternators and starters. It will also cover the science of how these components work, plus offer expert troubleshooting and component identification tips.
Training Session #3 - Repair Order Process Guidelines. This training session will cover the basics of proper repair order processes. Additionally, there will be information on the importance of tracking, following a logical process and using industry standard codes for proper recordkeeping.
WEDNESDAY SESSIONS
The training sessions for Wednesday are scheduled for 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Once again, each session will be held three times: 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., and 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Training Session #4 - Trailer Alignment Basics. This session will address the fundamentals of trailer alignment. Among other things, it will cover techniques for performing proper trailer alignment, using alignment tools and achieving repeatable results.
Training Session #5 - Steering and Suspension Maintenance. This session will cover steering and suspension theory, diagnostics and component identification. Expert tips on proper maintenance procedures based on current industry standards will also be presented.
Training Session #6 - Electrical Troubleshooting Panel Discussion. This session will discuss topics that relate to electrical troubleshooting. A panel will cover different troubleshooting techniques and discuss ways to become more efficient in diagnosing electrical problems.
