Hi guys,

I am going to be in the US next month or so, & am looking to get some certifed training over there. I hope you can help me with the following issues:

1. Now that everyone is having closed book examinations, which one is better; Technical Associates, Vibration Institute or Vibration Consultants? The last one doesn't seem to be that famous, but their course looked quite good.

2. I did my Level 1 course from EntekIRD in India (before I started vibration analysis). I've got 2 years experience with vibration & acoustic emission analysis and five years with current signature analysis. Do you think that's good enough to go for the Level 2 course or should I do Level 1?

3. I'm used to thinking in mm/sec, linear scales & Hz. I believe that in the US, everyone uses inch/sec, VdB & CPM. If I have to keep converting everything, will I be able to finish the exams?

Sorry if some of these queries seem silly, but I do need some reliable input.

Thanking you all in advance,

Aditya

Aditya,

I've heard good things about Technical Associates. Another option is Vib-Assist (215-297-5518). They make a good training CD if you want to do some review before making a decision.

Also, alow me a pet peeve. I'm always leary of certifications that are tied to organizational memberships. The altruist in me says that the certification should reflect your competence, not your membership status.

Hi Aditya,
I use CSI's Equipment and Training Facility in Knoxville TN. They have an Excellent 5 Day Level 2 Vibration Analysis Course. The Instructors are knowledgable and for the most part thorough. The Certification test is optional and also very thorough. There is also an extra charge for it. I think the course is about $1500 and the Cert Test is about $200 But you would need to check with them on that. 1-800-675-4726 and talk to Nancy Goettsch

Hi guys,

Thanks for your response. I am currently using iLearnVibration for training & reference, so I'll skip Vib-Assist. I believe they are equivalent to each other.

I agree that certification tied up with membership sucks. Still, if Vibration Institute is the only one that is approved by ASNT, I don't have much choice.

A 5 day training course sounds good & CSI is definitely good. My only worry is whether the course is centred around the use of their instruments. Can you give me some input on this? I don't use CSI products.

Best regards,

Aditya

Yes,CSI is a good course, but they seem to veer toward their equipment, I would recommend a course that is not tied to any equipment as is CSI,ENTEK, etc. I've taken both VI and TA and found both to be very good. VI focuses more on theory(such as a college course) where TA focuses on practical aspects. I hear that VCI courses are specialized on bearings and gearboxes. Hope this helps.

Rafael

In reply to your third question.

Technical Associates have provided a metric exam paper for european clients in the past.
And have also carried out training in the UK.
Something worth considering when you decide to go beyond level-2.

CE