VCAT-IV CANDIDATE PROFILE
This course is intended for the vibration analyst who will:
- Have a minimum of 5 years of experience
- Have a senior role in the condition monitoring team, but you want to go beyond and truly reach the peak of the vibration world
- Be able to understand the measurements associated with critical turbomachinery and other fluid-film bearing machines
- Be able to do everything the Category III can do – only better!
Duration
90.5 hrs total:
- Part 1: Online Distance Learning. You will have access to online course videos and study materials
- Part 2: 5-day in-person course with optional exam.
Compliance
- Training: ISO 18436-2
- Certification: ISO 18436-2, ISO/IEC 17024
Exam
- 5 hours
- 60 multiple-choice questions, with calculations required
- 70% passing grade
- Can be taken online or in-person at the course
Certification requirements
- Training course completed
- 60 months of practical vibration analysis work experience, verified by supervisor/manager.
- Have previously been certified to VCAT-III by a MIBoC approved certification body
- Pass the exam
- Valid for 5 years
What will you gain from taking this course?
There is a great deal to learn, but it will help you to perform your role with confidence. The topics covered in this course include:
- Advanced signal processing
- Cross channel measurements
- Dynamics (mass/stiffness/damping, natural frequencies, modes)
- Resonance testing (run-up/coast down tests, impact tests, ODS, modal analysis)
- Corrective action (flow control, resonance correction, isolation, and damping)
- Proximity probe and casing measurements
- Orbit and centerline plot analysis
- Rotor dynamics (natural frequencies, modeling)
- Journal bearings (design, fluid film instabilities)
- Flexible rotor balancing
- Torsional vibration
The key is that with the VCAT-IV course, you will transition from being a very good vibration analyst to a vibration super-hero!
TOPICS COVERED - CATEGORY IV
Principles of vibration
- Vectors, modulation
- Phase
- Natural frequency, resonance, critical speeds
- Force, response, damping, stiffness
- Instabilities, non-linear systems
- Torsional vibration
- Instrumentation
- Proximity probe operation, conventions, glitch removal
- Shaft and casing measurements
Signal processing
- RMS/peak detection
- Analog/digital conversion
- Analog sampling, digital sampling
- FFT computation
- Filters: low pass, high pass, band pass, tracking
- Anti-aliasing
- Bandwidth, resolution
- Noise reduction
- Averaging: linear, synchronous time, exponential
- Dynamic range
- Signal-to-noise ratio
- Spectral maps
Fault analysis
- Spectrum analysis, harmonics, sidebands
- Time waveform analysis
- Orbit analysis
- Shaft centerline analysis
- Transient analysis
- Unbalance, bent shaft, cracked shaft, eccentricity, rubs, instabilities
- Resonance and critical speeds
- Turbomachinery
Phase analysis
- Transient analysis
- Enveloping
- Electric motor defects
- Flow-induced vibration, aerodynamics, and liquids
- General fault recognition
Rotor/bearing dynamics
- Rotor characteristics
- Rotor modeling (rotor, wheels, bearings, aerodynamic effects)
- Bearing characteristics (fluid film bearings, housing, and supports, seals, couplings)
Corrective action
- Flow control
- Isolation and damping
- Resonance control
- Low and high-speed shop balancing
- Field balancing (single plane, two plane, static/couple, flexible rotor)
Equipment testing and diagnostics
- Impact testing
- Forced response testing
- Transient analysis
- Transfer functions
- Damping evaluation
- Cross channel phase, coherence
- Operating deflection shapes
- Modal analysis
Fault severity determination
- Spectrum analysis
- Time waveform analysis, orbit analysis
- Severity charts, graphs and formula
Reference standards
- ISO
- IEC
- Relevant national standards