INDUSTRIAL TRAINING REPORT

Prepared By

NAME : AICHA EUGENE

REGISTRATION NUMBER : EN292-0662/2009

COURSE : BSC. MECHATRONIC ENGINEERING

TRAINING DURATION : FEB 1ST -APRIL 30TH

2013

2.0 Declaration

I sincerely declare that:

1. I am the sole writer of this report

2. The details of training and experience contained in this report describe my involvement as a

trainee in the field of Mechatronic engineering

3. All the information contains in this report is certain and correct to my knowledge.

Signature:

Name: Aicha Eugene

Date: 16th May 2013

3.0 Acknowledgements

I would like to express my utmost gratitude to the Simba Colt Motors for providing me with an opportu-

nity to pursue the engineering (automotive) training as a partial fulfillment of the requirement for the de-

gree of Bachelor of Science in Mechatronic Engineering. Throughout this training, I was very fortunate to

be blessed with the guidance and encouragement from highly skilled and experienced Technicians who

also served as my mentors during the training.

4.0 Abstract

I joined Simba Colt Motors as an intern during the three month training period from February to April

2013. In this report, I have highlighted the details of the work done, benefits and challenges that I en-

countered and the actions taken or solutions to problems during that training period. At the end of it, I

have also included a few comments and recommendations with respect to the attachment for both the

University and training station itself.

5.0 Table of Contents

1.0 Front Cover (Title Page)........................................................................................................1

2.0 Declaration............................................................................................................................ 1

3.0 Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. 1

4.0 Abstract of the Report........................................................................................................... 1

5.0 Table of Contents...................................................................................................................2

6.0 Introduction............................................................................................................................8

7.0 Details of Internship Experience...........................................................................................8

8.0 Recommendations and Conclusion........................................................................................8

9.0 References..............................................................................................................................8

6.0 Introduction

Simba Colt motors is a subsidiary company under the mother Company Simba Corporation. Other

companies under the same umbrella include Avis, Bavaria Auto (BMW dealers) and Xylon Motors

(Mahindra and Skoda dealers). Simba Colt motors owns the sole dealership to import, sell and maintain

Mitsubishi and FUSO vehicles from the manufacturers in Japan.

The main vehicle models under Simba Colt Motors dealership include the Mitsubishi Lancer, the

legendary Lancer Evolution (Evo), Mitsubishi Pajero, Mitsubishi Colt, the L200 Pick-up trucks and the

Mitsubishi Outlander. Variants of the Mitsubishi Pajero include the Pajero Sport, Pajero Montero, Pajero

Shogun and the Nativa Sports version.

Being a dealership, as expected, the company also runs a Service Workshop and a Pre-Delivery

Inspection (PDI) Unit. I was attached to the Service Workshop which mainly consists of the Body Shop

and the Service Line. I spent three months at the Service line which has sections like the Lancer line, the

Pajero line, the Engine Shop, Diagnosis Section, Electrical Shop, Tire alignment Center and the Training

Center. I will ignore the washing and shampooing sections as they are not of much significance to my

Engineering Course.

7.0 Details of Internship experience

I had a period of three months to learn as much as I could about the Servicing, maintenance and

overhauling of the models named above. On the Lancer and Pajero lines, the main duty I carried out was

servicing. There were two types of service, the minor and the major service. The minor service is mainly

about checking brakes for wear, changing the oil, cleaning (air-blasting) the air cleaner element, checking

the battery and the coolant level. The major service had more than just that, as it also involved changing

the oil filter and air intake filter element.

Other common maintenance procedures were changing the shocks and struts, stabilizer bushes,

tie rod ends, steering racks/fluids/purging, brake fluids/purging, wheel hubs, clutch plates, transmission

fluids and gearbox oil.

These lines also fed the Engine Shop with work as it was the venue at which specimens handled

at the engine shop came from. For example, if the transmission had a problem, it was removed and logged

into the system from the service lines and transferred to the engine shop. The engine shop was my best

shop as it handled overhauls of a myriad of items ranging from complex steering racks, manual

transmissions, automatic transmissions, cylinder heads, engines and differentials. Here, the main duties

included participation in the whole process from removing the item from the vehicle, e.g. a transmission,

bringing it into the shop, dismantling it and putting away non-reusables (like gaskets, O-rings and seals),

cleaning all the parts, assembly and reinstallation of the part back to the vehicle.

At the electrical shop, what mainly took place was the disassembly and repair of electrical

components like motors, starters and alternators. Another interesting section was the Wheel alignment

and balancing section. In this section, all wheel alignment parameters were inspected and adjusted

according to the vehicle specifications given in the manual. Wheels were also balanced by adding weights

at various positions as indicated by the machine. The Diagnosis Section is an important area when it came

to solving complex problems that required On-Board Diagnostics II, mainly using the Multi-Use Tester

III Software. After the diagnosis, the problem was solved by referring it to the required section or just

solved there if the issue was that easy to deal with there and then.

8.0 Recommendations and Conclusion

I would say the internship experience was the best I have ever had (though it’s the only one I have

had).This is because the company has a very solid approach to training where all technicians, head

foremen and managers take it upon themselves to ensure you gain from the experience and require the

student to uphold the discipline and commitment to it. I do agree that this was a completely new approach

to Mechatronics, automotive technology is a different application but I learnt so much in three months.

The impromptu challenges given by the foremen technicians kept me at my toes and it ensured I was

always equipped with the knowledge of everything I touched. At the end of the process, all interns were

subjected to an exam to test what was covered and mastered during that training.

I would note a few areas of improvement for the company and I gave my proposal to the management that

promised to address the issues:

Management of tools was a problem as there was a high loss rate among technicians

More training to technicians when it comes to diagnosis, as a few who were not very well trained

solved problems by replace-and-try method which has far-reaching consequences in some cases.

Generally, it was a superb learning experience.

10.0 References

[1]. The Students External Attachment Logbook