Gauge cluster (instrument cluster)

01

Choose the display, gauges and inputs

AMA's instrument catalogue for agricultural and construction machinery shows the span of one maker's range. Its JCluster combines pointer gauges with a 2.4-inch TFT at 240 × 320 and 220 cd/m², 15 LED indicators, one CAN bus and 8–32 V DC supply at IP65. Its MCluster uses a 7-inch TFT at 800 × 480 and 450 cd/m² with 22 LED indicators, one CAN and one LIN bus and two video inputs; the 10VIEW uses a 10-inch touchscreen at 1024 × 600 and 1000 cd/m² with three CAN buses; and the Steering View places a 7-inch 800 × 480 display in the steering wheel at IP67. AMA's D52 stepper-motor gauges show fuel level, water or oil temperature, oil pressure or voltage, and its D80 gauge pairs an RPM or speed pointer with an LCD showing hours or total distance, on 12 V or 24 V with an IP65 front cover. [3]

Pricol's TFT clusters come in 2.8, 5, 7, 10.25 and 12.2 inch sizes with resolution up to 1280 × 720, 1000 cd/m² surface luminance, dual CAN and LIN, auto or manual brightness control, IP65 and IP67 ratings, −30 °C to +85 °C operation and 12 V or 24 V rated supply with operating ranges of 6.5–18 V or 8–32 V DC. [4]

Jining Zhineng's ZN270-2 cluster for construction machinery uses a 13-inch capacitive touch display with two CAN 2.0A/B interfaces, 8 analog inputs, 4 frequency inputs, 8 PWM channels, two AHD video inputs, USB 2.0 and 100 Mbps Ethernet. It runs on 9–32 V DC (24 V rated) at under 12 W, is rated IP65, operates from −30 °C to +70 °C and is stored from −40 °C to +80 °C, in an aluminium alloy housing for flush or universal-joint mounting. [5]

Editorial note: brightness figures in these sources range from 220 to 1000 cd/m²; ask for luminance measured with the same method and for the dimming range, since a cab in direct sun and a night cab need both ends.

Give the supplier the vehicle or machine type and cab (open or closed), display size and type, resolution and luminance, pointer gauges required, telltale list and colours, the CAN, LIN and protocol details (including whether SAE J1939 messages are needed), analog, frequency and digital inputs, video inputs, supply voltage and transients, IP rating, operating and storage temperature, vibration profile, mounting cut-out, connector, languages and quantity.

02

Check speedometer, odometer and telltale rules

UN Regulation No 39 applies to the approval of vehicles of categories L, M and N with regard to speedometer and odometer equipment. The speedometer must sit in the driver's direct field of view, be legible by day and night, and span the vehicle's maximum speed; on M and N vehicles it is graduated in 1, 2, 5 or 10 km/h steps with numbered values at intervals not exceeding 20 km/h up to 200 km/h. Speed indicated must never be less than true speed: at the test speeds, 0 ≤ (V1 − V2) ≤ 0.1 V2 + 4 km/h, with test instruments accurate to ±0.5% and the speedometer at a reference 23 ± 5 °C; for conformity of production on M and N vehicles the upper limit is 0.1 V2 + 6 km/h. The odometer must show at least 6 numerals on M and N vehicles, resolve 1 km or 1 mile, and indicate total distance within ±4.0% of true distance. [1]

FMVSS 101 (49 CFR 571.101) applies to passenger cars, multipurpose vehicles, trucks and buses and sets the location, identification, colour and illumination of controls, telltales and indicators. Listed items must use the symbol, word or abbreviation in its Table 1 or 2; telltale light must be the colour Table 1 specifies, and a telltale may light only for its condition or during a bulb check. Indicator illumination must be adjustable to at least two brightness levels, and the brake, high-beam, turn-signal and seat-belt telltales may never be dimmed to invisible. On a shared message area, those telltales must displace other messages, and red, high-beam, turn-signal, low-tyre-pressure and passenger-air-bag-off telltales cannot be cancelled while their condition persists. [2]

Editorial calculation: under the UN R39 type-approval limit, at a true 100 km/h the speedometer may read from 100 to 0.1 × 100 + 4 + 100 = 114 km/h, and at a true 40 km/h from 40 to 48 km/h. Over a true 100,000 km, ±4.0% allows an odometer reading of 96,000 to 104,000 km. [1]

03

Compare what suppliers offer

Suppliers linked to this page list gauge clusters; each card links to the page reviewed.

The reviewed listing covers instrument cluster assemblies for construction, mining and agricultural machinery, from LCD gauge panels to a 13-inch touch display.

04

Trace the cluster components

This is a functional reference built from the sources cited; it is not one maker's design.

05

Fill the specification fields with values for your vehicle

A gauge cluster quotation needs values for your vehicle or machine. The table explains each field, gives published values where a reviewed source states them, and says what to obtain from the supplier.

06

Send the vehicle, display and network data together

Paste it into your enquiry below or into an email to a maker, then replace every bracket.

Vehicle or machine: [type; cab; market rules]
Display: [size; resolution; cd/m²; touch]
Gauges and telltales: [pointers; symbol list; colours]
Inputs: [CAN; protocol; analog; frequency; video]
Power: [12 V; 24 V; range]
Environment: [IP; temperature; vibration]
Build: [cut-out; connector; quantity]

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