Noregon announced the first major update of the year for its in-shop diagnostic and repair solution, JPRO Professional 2018 v1. The release includes an improved NextStep troubleshooting and repair module, an education portal, a virtual truck for hands-on learning and increased bi-directional tests.
NextStep underwent enhancements to provide tighter integration with JPRO Professional. Dave Covington, chief technology officer for Noregon, said, “We always look for ways to improve our products that will speed repairs and, in turn, improve vehicle uptime. Users can now view fault data, clear faults and initiate bi-directional tests directly from NextStep. We utilize a component-based lookup, meaning if a new vehicle has components with existing coverage, users will not experience any lapses when working on that vehicle. This is different from many similar databases, which store repair information based on VINs, slowing the process of updating coverage.”
Noregon noted that along with the integrated NextStep product, a standalone portal named NextStep NET also is available. NextStep NET provides easily searchable troubleshooting guidance and fault information available on internet-connected PCs and tablets. NextStep NET is available as an a la carte solution, or provided at no additional charge to JPRO subscribers with the integrated NextStep.
The latest release of JPRO implemented features to satisfy the company’s commitment to education. Jason Hedman, JPRO’s product manager, said, “Whether you’re a student or a seasoned technician, we want JPRO to make your work easier and teach you in the process. In addition to the educational features within the application, we elected to showcase our valuable training options, including our new JPRO certification program, by creating an education portal in JPRO that provides a centralized location for videos, webinars, tech tips and other resources.”
Expanding on the educational features within JPRO, Hedman added, “DPF systems on today’s diesel trucks can be confusing systems for technicians, so we implemented design changes to ensure regen zone information is prominent in JPRO. The application alerts users from multiple screens if a forced regeneration is required or if a regen is inhibited, and coaches the user as to why the vehicle is in a particular regen zone. Users have access to soot load information, derate and regeneration requirements, and a recommendation based on the vehicle’s current state in order to guide them to make the best decision for that vehicle.”
In addition, Noregon unveiled a new virtual truck feature. “Our virtual truck lets users take JPRO for a test drive without ever connecting to a vehicle,” said Hedman. “Users can simulate bi-directional tests, launch NextStep, view live data and exercise the other powerful features within JPRO. This is invaluable in training environments, including classrooms, where it is not always feasible to connect to a truck. Students can now simulate a DPF regen with none of the associated risks or costs of performing a forced regen on an actual vehicle. The virtual truck also allows prospective customers to try JPRO before making a purchase, even if they do not yet own one of our DLA+ adapters.”
Noregon noted that once the software is available, active JPRO Professional subscribers will receive a prompt to update the software when they launch the application with an active internet connection. For more information, users are encouraged to visit noregon.com/jpro or call Noregon’s product experts at 855-889-5776.
