What do the words of the file service business mean?

Every trade has its own words, and tuning has more than most. Here are the ones you will hear most often, in plain language, whether you are new to the business or explaining something to a customer.

What are the words for tools and files?

Master. A tool, or the person holding it, that can open and edit files. See master or slave. On TunerEngine, Master is also the name of our largest package, which is about dealer networks rather than tools.

Slave. A tool that reads and writes a car, but whose files are locked to one master.

Slave file. A read from a slave tool, which only its master can open. See what a slave file is.

Read. A copy of what is in the ECU, taken with a tool. Also called the original, or the ori.

Plain read. A read that is not locked, and that any editor can open.

Container. A tool maker's own file format, often locked. See ECU file types.

Decrypting. Opening a locked file so it can be tuned. Encrypting is locking the tuned file again for the customer's tool.

Editor. The software a tuner uses to change the maps.

What are the words for ways of reading a car?

OBD. Reading and writing through the car's diagnostic socket.

Bench. Wiring the ECU to the tool on the desk, away from the car.

Boot. Connecting directly to the ECU's board to reach protected memory, often to recover a unit as well.

BDM and JTAG. Debug connections to the processor, used on particular units. See what each method means.

What are the words inside a file?

ECU. The engine control unit, the computer that runs the engine.

TCU. The transmission control unit, which is the same idea for the gearbox.

Hardware number. Identifies the physical ECU.

Software number. Identifies the calibration inside it. See what these numbers tell you.

Map. A table of values the ECU uses, such as how much fuel to inject at a given speed and load.

Checksum. A check value the ECU uses to confirm its data has not been changed by accident. After tuning it must be corrected, or the car may not start.

EEPROM. A small separate memory that often holds settings and immobiliser data.

What are the words for the work?

Stage 1. A remap for a standard car, with no parts changed.

Stage 2 and 3. Remaps that go with changed hardware, such as an exhaust, an intercooler or a bigger turbo.

Remap. Changing the maps in the ECU. Also called chiptuning, a word left over from when chips were physically swapped.

Revision or correction. A changed version of a tuned file, after the customer's feedback.

Dyno sheet. The power and torque graph from a dynamometer, or a chart presented in the same way.

What are the words of the business?

File service. A business that tunes files for other tuners and workshops.

Dealer. A workshop selling under its own name and sending its files to a master. See how networks work.

Credits. Money paid in advance and spent per file. See credits or card.

White label. Selling a service under your own name. See what it should cover.

Turnaround. The time from receiving a file to delivering it. See how fast you should be.

Reverse charge. The EU rule under which a business customer accounts for VAT rather than the seller. See VAT on tuning files.