INFORMATION - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Vibration Analysis Training & More by Technical Associates of Charlotte, North Carolina

INFORMATION - ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

ISO Certification FAQ

Question 1: If I pass a closed-book Technical Associates exam, will I receive both ASNT and ISO certificates?
Answer: Yes, except for Entry Level, beginning January 1, 2009, you will receive ISO compliant certification in addition to the ASNT certification if you are eligible (see Question 13). You will need to decide in which Analyst Registry you want your name to be listed on the Technical Associates web site.

Question 2: Is a yearly fee required for me to maintain my ISO certification with Technical Associates?
Answer: No, Technical Associates has never charged yearly fees for any type of vibration analyst certification, Traditional TA, ASNT or ISO.

Question 3: Am I being certified by ASNT, ISO or Technical Associates?
Answer: You are being certified by Technical Associates. ASNT uses an employer-based system with the employer being responsible for certification of their personnel. ISO does not provide vibration analysis training or certification.

Question 4: How do the ISO Categories and ASNT Levels correspond to the Technical Associates seminars?

Answer:

TA Course	ASNT Level	ISO Category
Entry	N/A	Category I
Analysis I	Level 2A	Category II
Analysis II	Level 2B	Category III
Analysis III	Level 3A	Category IV A
Advanced	N/A	Category IV B

Question 5: How many training hours are recommended by ISO 18436 for each Category?
Answer:
Category I – 32 hours
Category II – 38 hours
Category III – 40 hours
Category IV – 64 hours (Total training hours for 2 seminars, Parts A & B)

Question 6: Now that Technical Associates provides certification for ISO Categories I, II & III, do you also plan to offer Category IV Certification?
Answer: Yes, Technical Associates will be adding ISO Category IV training and certification. The Category IV training necessary to cover all Category IV certification topics will require two seminars, Parts A & B. An analyst attempting to pass the Category IV exam without taking each of these seminars will find it very difficult to achieve a passing score.

Question 7: Can I test open book as I have in the past?
Answer: Yes, you can test in the traditional Technical Associates open book format. If you score 75% or higher, you will receive certification that complies with Technical Associates requirements.

Question 8: Can I continue my ISO certification progression with Technical Associates if I began certification with another training organization?
Answer: Yes, if you submit documentation of your current ISO certification, you may pursue the next higher ISO Category with Technical Associates.

Question 9: Can my traditional Technical Associates Certification (open book test) be augmented with the corresponding ISO Certification?
Answer: No, ISO requires all certification testing to be closed book.

Question 10: Must I retest in order to augment my current ASNT Certification with the corresponding ISO Certification?
Answer: Retesting is not required for this one-time offer. Technical Associates will determine if you are eligible for the ISO Certification using documents submitted by analysts requesting ISO certification. If you qualify, you must then submit an Application for ISO Certification form (available from Technical Associates), along with a $75 processing fee.

Question 11: What previous ASNT certification is required for me to qualify for the Technical Associates ISO Category II supplemental offer?
Answer: You must have passed the Technical Associates closed-book ANALYSIS I exam in order to be eligible for the ISO Category II Certification offer.

Question 12: What previous ASNT certification is required for me to qualify for the Technical Associates ISO Category III supplemental offer?
Answer: You must have passed the Technical Associates closed-book ANALYSIS II exam in order to be eligible for the ISO Category III Certification offer.

Question 13: Does ISO require me to be certified at the lower Category before proceeding to the next higher Category?
Answer: As per the ISO 18436-2 standard, Category I certification is not a prerequisite for Category II. However, certification for Category III or Category IV requires previous certification at the lower category. You must have Category II certification to be eligible for Category III; and Category III certification to be eligible for Category IV.

Question 14: How long are the ISO and ASNT certifications valid?
Answer: ASNT certification does not expire while the ISO certification is valid for a period of 5 years. Technical Associates can then renew ISO certification for qualified individuals for subsequent 5-year periods if an analyst meets certain criteria as per the ISO 18436-2 standard.

Question 15: What will the cost be to renew my ISO certification?
Answer: There will be a $75 fee to renew ISO certification. You must also submit verifiable documentation of your continued activity in the vibration analysis field and documentation of continuing education in vibration technology.

Question 16: Whose responsibility is it to ensure that I recertify every 5 years – mine or Technical Associates?
Answer: The individual is ultimately responsible for his renewal so please take note of the expiration date shown on your certificate. However, Technical Associates will attempt to notify you prior to your certification expiration date. Thus, it is very important that you keep us continually updated on any changes to your contact information (mailing address, email address, phone number, etc.).

Question 17: What happens if I let my ISO certification lapse?
Answer: Your ASNT or Traditional Technical Associates certification would still be valid since they do not expire. Unfortunately, if you allow your ISO certification to lapse, you will need to apply for recertification.

Question 18: If I qualify for the supplemental ISO offer, how and when will I be notified?
Answer: Notification of the ISO offer will be emailed and mailed in early 2009. If you have not received the offer by April 1, but think you qualify, please submit the Eligibility for Certification Request Form available on our web site.

Question 19: If I fail a certification exam, is there a waiting period before I can retest?
Answer: No, you can retest at any time with payment of the $250 test fee.

Question 20: If I fail a certification test, where can I retest?
Answer: Once you register with our Training Coordinator, you can retest on Friday morning at any of our public seminar sites. A private testing session can also be arranged at the Technical Associates office in Charlotte, NC. A proctor (invigilator) must be present to oversee your examination.

Question 21: What is the Passing Grade for ISO Categories I, II, III and IV?
Answer: The passing grade for all ISO Categories exams is 75% as specified by the ISO 18436-2 guideline.

Question 22: Will ISO Category IV Certification be offered to analysts who previously received their ASNT certification at a Technical Associates ANALYSIS III seminar?
Answer: No, because two seminars, Analysis III and Advanced, are needed to cover the variety of topics required for ISO Category IV Certification. However, by passing the Analysis III exam you have already demonstrated proficiency for the first part of the ISO Category IV Certification requirement.

Question 23: How can I achieve full ISO compliant Category IV Certification from Technical Associates?
Answer: You would need to pass the closed-book ISO Category IV exam given following the Advanced Vibration Analysis Seminar. The questions in this 5-hour Certification examination cover material from both the Analysis III and Advanced seminars. A notable portion of the Category IV questions will come from topics taught only in Analysis III so attendance at both classes is strongly recommended.

For more detailed information, please call Technical Associates of Charlotte, send us an email, or use our quick & convenient Online Request Form.

Call Technical Associates @ 704-333-9011