DEC+ is a tool you can use to get fast, repeatable, and systematized insight into the condition of a diesel engine- using just a mobile phone. The tool uses a 6-second audio recording to estimate engine operating state- including positive identification of normal operating states. In cases where some abnnormal operating state caused by a mechanical issue (valvetrain or short block) is identified, DEC+ estimates the severity of the issue on a scale of 0-2, with 0 being "normal, stable state" and 2 being "imminent failure".
It's designed to work with a wide range of mobile smart telephones. It will run on any device that has a Web browser, including Windows and Mac desktop computers.
When we first developed this, we were pleasantly surprised at how inherently good computers are at this job. Ever listen to a diesel engine, and wonder "is that a valve tick, or rather just some weird way I'm perceiving the normal noise?!" You're not alone, and the limits of human hearing and perception often limit how well even the best technician can interpret engine state by ear alone. Computers, however, have a much wider range of frequencies they can take into account all at the same time in real time. So it turns out that while teaching them to recognize engine noises is a big task, once they're taught, they're surprisingly good at the job!
DEC+ doesn't replace formal diagnostic methods like compression, leakdown, and cylinder balance tests; but it does save time and add consistency to parts of the fleet management process that occur before that- such as, for example, rough evaluation of engine condition at auctions, inspecting returned rental equipment, or triaging engines that are difficult to get at- like van-mounted cargo refrigerators when there's ice covering the cab roof.
Is your revenue model centered on hourly shop charges? This product is not for you.
Do you benefit from a fast, predictable process to estimate diesel engines' condition? This could work.
ALL DEVICES: Visit solanum-service.com/dec .
THEN:
iOs: Tap "share" > scroll down to "Add to Home Screen" > either accept defaults or type your own name for the app > tap "Add" in upper right of dialog
Android: Tap "Menu" (3 vertical dots in upper right) > "Add to Home Screen" > "Add"
Windows Edge & Windows Chrome: Near the right edge of the URL bar, there will be an "install app" button. Hover over the items in this area to see which is which; the exact appearance of the button varies between devices & versions. Click the "install app" button, then click "Install" on the dialog that appears. On some Chrome browsers, you may then be asked where to put the icons- make your selections then click "OK".
MacOs: Tap "share" > scroll down to "Add to Dock" > either accept defaults or type your own name for the app > tap "Add" in upper right of dialog
NOTE: Installation is optional. DEC+ and all of its features work perfectly well in a normal browser window.
We have full docs, both .md format with long-form, human-readable explanation of how to call the API, and OpenAPI-compliant api.yaml docs for automated integrations.
We've been doing digital signal processing for this and similar use cases for a few years now- for the most part, all the error handling that's peculiar to the use case at hand is handled by the back end, so we expect that most front end developers should be able to quickly create integrations without having to deal with all the ins and outs of DSP and the quirks of mobile devices that come up in dirty, loud environments this API is meant to listen to. The API is very deliberately designed not to return anything of value unless the integration is configured properly.
Error handling performed automatically by the API includes:
-Detection of samples taken too close to the edges of the microphone's amplitude range
-Exclusion of samples that are too long or too short
-95% accurate exclusion of samples that pass other checks, but are not recordings of engines
If you want to try an integration or to use at scale, call 908.627.1025 or email info@solanum-service.com .
©2025 Solanum, LLC . "DEC+" and the moldboard logo are trademarks of Solanum, LLC.