Balancing Certification

Overview
Students that have completed our Fundamentals or Pump & Impeller Seminars will have the opportunity to take the Level I - Balancing Operator Exam. Candidates may take the exam following any one of the three classes and may return as often as necessary. Students that have previously attended any one of the three courses may also take the exam. After obtaining Balancing Operator Certification, students may then proceed to Level II Certification. To qualify for Level II Certification, students must attend a Balancing Theory & Application Seminar which will be followed by the Level II Certification Exam.

Those that achieve Level III – Balancing Technology Specialist Certification are experts in all aspects of the balancing process. To qualify, candidates must previously achieve both Level I and Level II Certification and attend an Advanced Balancing Theory & Application Seminar as well as a Vibration Analysis & Field Balancing Seminar. The Level III – Balancing Specialist Exam will be offered immediately following the Advanced Balancing Theory & Application Seminars.

Please note that certification exams are not mandatory and students may take any scheduled course outside of the certification sequence if desired.

Level I – Balancing Operator
In order to obtain Level I Balancing Operator Certification, candidates must demonstrate their ability to balance a variety of rigid rotors during a combined written and practical exam. This level of certification focuses primarily on the operator’s knowledge of machine and instrumentation functions, balancing technique, and safe machine operation. To qualify, candidates must first pass a written test on basic balancing theory and then complete a hands-on practical exam to balance several types of rigid rotors based on ISO recommended balancing tolerances. Level I Operators must also be able to demonstrate a basic knowledge of unbalance correction techniques, proper instrumentation functions, and proper rotor-machine setup procedures. Machine-Specific Certification is also available on request. Some machine types may require “machine-site” certification.

Level II – Balancing Technician
To be certified as a Level II Technician, candidates will be tested on their knowledge of balancing theory and related industry standards. This certification is recommended for individuals who are experienced balancing operators, lead persons, or supervisors. These individuals are typically responsible for overseeing balancing cell operations and subsequent assembly processes that could affect the rotor’s field performance. In this level of certification, students will study low-speed balancing theory, setup and tooling use, and vibration critical assembly processes. To qualify, candidates must demonstrate their knowledge of balancing theory, related balancing equations, tooling considerations, and balancing industry standards for tolerance and machine testing. The Level II Certification requires the use of a calculator and a basic knowledge of math, algebra, geometry and trigonometry.

The Level II Balancing Technician exam will be offered immediately following our Balancing Theory & Applications Seminars.

Level III – Balancing Technology Specialist
A Level III Balancing Technology Specialist can demonstrate in-depth knowledge of balancing theory, principles and practices. This category is for industry consultants and engineers who are responsible for defining a rotor’s balancing requirements, specifying the appropriate balancing machine and/or tooling requirements, and evaluating the balancing process in order to achieve a given rotor’s performance criteria. To qualify, candidates must demonstrate their knowledge of vibration analysis, rotor dynamics, flexible rotor balancing, and a thorough knowledge of both machine and measuring instrumentation.

Pre-requisite: Level II Balancing Technician Certification and completion of both a Vibration Analysis & Field Balancing Seminar and an Advanced Balancing Theory & Application Seminar.

The Level III Balancing Technology Specialist exam will be offered immediately following our Advanced
Balancing Theory & Applications Seminar in 2006.