ISA Certifications

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ISA Certifications
ISA - Central Keystone Section January 17, 2007
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CCST Presented by

• Ron Hoover, CCST (Level III), is President
  Founder of VibraCom, LLC, of Harrisburg,
  Pennsylvania. VibraCom is an industrial
  engineering company that specializes in Vibration
  Analysis and Facilities Commissioning. They also
  provide consulting on Maintenance Process
  Improvement and Training. Ron is a member of the
  Vibration Institute and the United States Green
  Building Council. He also serves on the HVAC
  curriculum advisory committee at Harrisburg Area
  Community College. He has over 30 years
  experience in facilities operation and
  maintenance. Ron has been a member of ISA and a
  Certified Controls System Technician (III) since
  1996.

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CAP Presented by

• Stephen Blank, CAP, is a Senior Systems Engineer
  with Loman Control Systems, Inc., of Lititz,
  Pennsylvania. He has been a Controls Engineer
  for over 17 years on both coasts of the U.S.
  during which he has had experience working in the
  Manufacturing, OEM, and System Integrator
  environments. Loman Control Systems does
  business in most industrial fields, with most
  customers being in the metals manufacturing
  sectors. Stephen is currently working on his MBA
  from his alma mater, The University of Maryland,
  and has been recognized as a Certified Automation
  Professional since 2005.

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CIMM Presented by

• Thompson McConnell, CAP, is President of POI
  Controls / Powerhouse Operations Inc. of Lititz,
  Pennsylvania. Powerhouse Operations Inc. is an
  industrial control systems design and engineering
  company providing control expertise in Combustion
  controls and safeguard systems for fired process
  equipment, Utility management systems (steam,
  fuel, electric, and water), Chemical Process
  (continuous and batch), Paper mills, Food
  processing, Waste and water treatment. Thompson
  is a member of the Association of Energy
  Engineers and ISA. Thompson has been a Certified
  Automation Professional since 2005.

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Who is ISA?

• ISA
• The Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation
  Society
• A leading, global, nonprofit organization
• Setting the standard for automation
• 30,000 worldwide members
• Develops standards
• Certifies industry professionals
• Provides education and training
• Publishes books and technical articles
• Hosts a number of conferences including the
  largest conference and exhibition for automation
  professionals in the Western Hemisphere.

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Central Keystone Section - ISA

• Chartered in 1953, The Central Keystone Section
  has a current membership of about 180 and covers
  the center of the State of Pennsylvania, from
  Lancaster County in the East to Bedford County in
  the West and from the Maryland line in the South
  to the New York line in the North.
• Central Keystone Section monthly meetings are
  held September through June except December on
  the third Wednesday of the month. For more
  details, visit our website www.isa.org/cenke.

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ISA Certification Programs

• ISA offers three areas of Certification
• Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST)
• Certified Automation Professional (CAP)
• Certified Industrial Maintenance Mechanic (CIMM)

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Why a Certification Program?

• Benefits Employers
• Ensures a high level of skill and competency
• Promotes safe practices
• Serves as an objective third-party tool to bring
  employees to the same level of accountability
• Qualification tool for new hires and contractors
• Way to establish a pay for performance system

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Why a Certification Program?

• Benefits Individuals
• Establishes a professional identity
• Provides documentation and recognition of
  knowledge, experience and education
• Opportunities for promotion, pay increases, job
  portability
• Encourages life long learning and professional
  development

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Certification Requirements

• Each of the Certification Programs require proof
  of the following
• Education
• Experience
• Knowledge (Exam)
• All of this information is available at
  www.isa.org.

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How Do I Apply?

• Download an application from www.isa.org
• Document your experience and employment history
• Complete and return the application to ISA
• You will be notified of your eligibility to take
  the exam and provided an eligibility number
• Visit the Prometric website and select a test
  site and date to take the exam
• Take the exam and receive your score immediately
  upon completion at the test site

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Taking the Exam

• The Exam is available in the following formats
• Electronic Exams through Prometric (New in 2006)
• Starting in 2007, Exam Windows are now in place.
• Special Events (Paper Pencil Exams)
• Private Exam Sites (Paper Pencil Exams)

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Exam Testing Windows (2007)

• Testing Window             
  Application Postmark Deadline
• Window 1
• 1 March - 30 April 2007          
  Tuesday, 16 January 2007
• Window 2
• 1 July - 31 August 2007         
  Tuesday, 15 May 2007
• Window 3
• 1 November - 31 December 2007        Monday, 17
  September 2007

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Renewal

• Certification is valid for three years.
• Certification renewal includes proof of Work
  Experience and Continuing Education.

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ISA Certified Control Systems Technician Program
CCST
Presented by Ron Hoover, CCST (Level III)
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About the CCST Program

• CCST was introduced in 1995
• Over 9,000 technicians have applied
• Over 4,000 now certified as ISA CCSTs
• Eligibility requirements
• Level I - 5 years education / experience
• Level II - 7 years education / experience
• Level III - 13 years education / experience
• Pass multiple choice exam (Levels I and III)
• or simulation exam (Level II)

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Who is a CCST?

• CCSTs are knowledgeable and skilled in
• pneumatic
• mechanical, and
• electronic instrumentation
• CCSTs understand
• process control loops, and
• process control systems including computer based
  systems

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CCST Performance Domains

• Calibration
• Loop checking
• Troubleshooting
• Start-up
• Maintenance/repair
• Project organization
• Administration

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New Exam Structure

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How Can I Prepare for CCST Exam?

• List of Resources on www.isa.org/ccst
• Technician Guide Series
• CCST Review Course
• CCST Study Guide

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ISA Certification Programs
4 Yr Degree Required beginning January 1, 2007
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Control Systems Technician (CST) in Training
Recognition Program

• New for 2006!
• This recognition program is not a certification.
  Those who take the CST in Training examination
  may be interested in pursuing the ISA Certified
  Control Systems Technician (CCST ) program,
  once the education and/or experience level
  reaches five years. Successfully completing the
  CST in Training exam equals one year of education
  good toward the Level I CCST requirements.

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CST in Training Requirements

• One of the following backgrounds will satisfy the
  requirement
• Successfully completed 16 semester course hours
  or 24 quarter hours from an educational
  institution within the related technology areas.
  Courses in basic science, mathematics, social
  science, humanities, and communications will not
  count toward the requirement.
• Completed two year academic degree in related
  technology area (e.g. degree in Instrumentation
  Engineering Technology). Related technology areas
  include instrumentation, measurement and control,
  electrical, electronics, or mechanical
  technologies. Computer programming courses
  related to practical engineering applications
  will qualify.
• Two years of work experience in related
  technology area with a minimum of a high school
  diploma.

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For More Information

• Email ccst_at_isa.org
• Online www.isa.org/ccst
• Phone [phone]

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ISA Certified Automation Professional (CAP)
Presented by Stephen Blank, CAP
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CAP Definition

• Certified Automation Professionals (CAPs) are
  responsible for the direction, definition,
  design, development/application, deployment,
  documentation, and support of systems, software,
  and equipment used in control systems,
  manufacturing information systems, systems
  integration, and operational consulting.

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About the CAP Program

• Developed in 2004 by automation professionals
• Eligibility requirements
• 5 years experience, 4 year technical degree OR
• 10 years experience (This option has been
  extended indefinitely.)
• Pass multiple-choice exam
• Renewal required every 3 years

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Market Support

• 78 believed certification would enhance
  recognition and respect of the automation field
• 72 reported that a certification would be
  valuable to them
• 68 thought certification would increase their
  competitive edge in the market
• 72 said they expect to seek certification

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ISA Certification Programs
4 Yr Degree Required after January 1, 2007
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CAP Performance Domains

• Feasibility Study
• Definition
• System Design
• Development
• Deployment
• Operation and Maintenance

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CAP Technical Categories

• Basic Continuous Control
• Discrete, Sequencing, and Manufacturing Control
• Advanced Control
• Reliability, Safety, and Electrical
• Integration and Software
• Deployment Maintenance
• Work Structure

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Employer respondents cited the following
benefits for CAP

• -Increased quality
• -Safety
• -Standardization
• -Professional recognition
• -Additional means of evaluating potential job
  candidates
• -Help to weed out amateurs posing as automation
  specialists

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CAP Benefits Individual Automation
Professionals

• Enhances professional credibility
• Travel from job to job and provide immediate
  proof of ability.
• Younger professionals increase their recognition
  and credibility
• Mid-range professionals validate and document
  their range of knowledge
• Those nearing retirement enhance their future
  marketability
• Enhances self image
• Improves career opportunities - promotion,
  pay increases, job portability
• Encourages life long learning and professional
  development

Individuals also tend to be early adopters of a
new certification and many have achieved CAP
status have done so to enhance their own
credibility
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CAP Benefits Employers of Automation
Professionals

• Develops a better trained workforce
• Provides documented evidence that employees are
  qualified to do their job. Such documentation is
  a requirement of the ISO 9001 standard.
• Incentive for employees to remain current
• Promotes safe practices
• Qualification tool for hiring and advancement
  decisions
• Enhances company image with internal or external
  customers

Employers tend to be early adopters of a new
certification and many employers are encouraging
their key employees to become certified
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CAP Benefits Companies Providing Automation
Services

• Provider companies can distinguish themselves in
  the market by advertising that their employees
  are certified
• Many users of automation technician services
  require CCST certification, and providers
  who can supply CCSTs have an advantage the
  same thing will happen with CAP
• Qualified automation professionals doing the work
  results in fewer call-backs, less rework, and
  higher profits

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CAP Benefits Companies Contracting for
Automation Services

• When outside companies do your automation design
  how do you know that
• The people doing the work on your projects are
  competent?
• Your safety critical systems are designed in the
  best way and to the latest standards?
• Your plant will get the greatest advantage from
  the latest standards on batch recipe management,
  data integration, fieldbus, wireless, and other
  areas?
• If the people doing your work have a CAP
  credential
• They have demonstrated competence
• Their knowledge of automation is well above
  average
• They are much more likely to know the latest
  standards
• Continuing education requirements keep knowledge
  up-to-date

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How Can I Prepare for CAP Exam?

• List of Resources on www.isa.org/cap
• A Guide to the Automation Book of Knowledge
• CAP Review Course
• CAP Study Guide
• CAP Learning System Now Available!

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First, Become Familiar with the Exam

• This presentation
• CAP Study Guide - 50 sample questions available
  at www.isa.org/cap

Which is not a fieldbus a) Foundation b) Profibus
PA c) AS-i d) 4-20 ma
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Second, Do General Study in All Topicswith one
of the following approaches

• A Guide to the Automation Body of Knowledge
• 500 page, readable book
• comprehensive overview of all 37 topics in the
  scope of the exam
• available at www.isa.org/autobok
• CAP Three-Day Review Course
• thorough basic preparation for the exam
• For dates and locations of classes see
  www.isa.org/cap
• additional classes can be scheduled for companies
  or co-sponsored with ISA Sections.
• CAP Learning System
• self-study modules in print and sample questions
  on the internet
• available at www.isa.org/caplearn

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Third, Further Study Weaker Areas

• Books - For a list of recommended books see
  www.isa.org/cap
• Web seminars ISA offers 40 archived web
  seminars free to members
• Short Courses ISA offers over 60 courses of 1-3
  day duration that cover the entire Automation
  Body of Knowledge

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Take the exam

• Multiple choice questions with four possible
  answers
• 175 questions, four hours
• Computerized exam
• Allows marking questions for easy review later
• Easy return to questions skipped
• Pop-up calculator on computer
• Instantaneous reporting of result when finished
• Nothing in, nothing out but scratch paper
  supplied
• Make sure you answer all questions -- but time
  is usually ample

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For More Information

• Download the CAP Handbook and get other
  information at www.isa.org/CAP
• E-mail questions to cap_at_isa.org

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ISA Certified Industrial Maintenance Mechanic
Program- CIMM
Presented by Thompson McConnell, CAP
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About the CIMM Program

• ISA initiated at the request of industry
• Developed in 2004
• National survey of mechanics and their
  supervisors
• Item Development Committee developed questions
• Test Assembly Committee assembles exam
• Eligibility requirements
• 5 years education / experience, minimum of 3 yrs.
  experience
• Pass multiple-choice exam
• Exam now available for public or private offering
• Electronic testing available in 2006

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Who is a CIMM?

• CIMMs are responsible for
• preventive maintenance
• predictive maintenance, and
• corrective maintenance.
• CIMMs are
• multi-skilled individuals whose expertise is
  primarily mechanical in nature rather than
  instrumentation or electrical.

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CIMM Performance Domains

• Maintenance Practices
• Preventive and Predictive Maintenance
• Troubleshooting and Analysis
• Corrective Maintenance

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Domain I Maintenance Practices

• Topic Examples
• Basic Machine Technology
• Bloodborne Pathogens
• Electrical Power Generation
• Electrical Safety
• Line Breaking
• Lockout/Tagout
• Machine Guarding
• Powered Hand Tool Safety
• Rigging
• Welding Safety
• Workplace Mathematics

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Domain II Preventative Predictive Maintenance

• Topic Examples
• Vibration Analysis
• Gaging Measurement
• Machinery Oil Analysis
• Mechanical Print Reading
• Thermography
• Ultrasonics

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Domain III Troubleshooting Analysis

• Topic Examples
• Belt/Chain Drive Gear Box Inspection
• Clutches Brakes Inspection
• Compression System Inspection
• Electrical Equipment Control System Inspection
• Electrical Mechanical Troubleshooting
  Procedures
• Fastener Equipment Structures Inspection
• Hydraulic System Inspection
• Lubrication System Inspection
• Mechanical Print Reading
• Motor Drive System Inspection
• Pneumatic System Inspection
• Vacuum System Inspection

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Domain IV Corrective Maintenance

• Topic Examples
• Boiler Operation Control
• Centrifugal Pumps
• Clutches Brakes
• Industrial Bearings
• Industrial Drives
• Industrial Hydraulics
• Industrial Seals
• Machinery Lubrication
• Steam Traps

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ISA Certification Programs
4 Yr Degree Required beginning January 1, 2007
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For More Information

• Email cimm_at_isa.org
• Online www.isa.org/cimm
• Phone [phone]