Ecmweb 8156 Infrared Certification Pr
Ecmweb 8156 Infrared Certification Pr
Ecmweb 8156 Infrared Certification Pr
Ecmweb 8156 Infrared Certification Pr
Ecmweb 8156 Infrared Certification Pr

Understanding Infrared Certifications

April 22, 2016
What are these certifications, and do they really matter?

In the electrical industry, a certification is often not a goal unto itself, but a recognition that you’ve demonstrated expertise in a given area. One area that is increasingly popular for certification is infrared thermography. This technology has proven itself useful in many ways. Today, it’s considered essential among those who work in high-reliability environments. It’s also highly valued in other environments. But start asking experts about infrared certification, and you open a can of worms. Let’s see what happens when we pry the lid off that can.

Photo 1. An untrained thermographer is unlikely to obtain this image, even with the best of cameras (Photo courtesy of Greg Stockton, United Infrared, Inc.).
Can of worms

To get a master electrician’s license, you must pass a state-approved exam. The state sets the rules and issues the license. That is not the case with infrared certification. As Greg Stockton, president of United Infrared, Inc., says, “There are no infrared certification police. It’s not like a state license where things are standardized.”

John McKenna, thermal imaging teacher, Infrared Certified (part of the InterNACHI association), agrees. “There’s no certification or license required to use infrared cameras in North America,” he says. “Some insurance companies require Level II certification. Generally, the word certification means a school has given you training. It doesn’t give you any particular legal status.”

So where does this leave you? Providers of infrared training could just take your money and provide little value in return. How do you make sure you’re getting real value for the money you’re going to spend? Wyatt Neese, instructor and consultant at The Snell Group, advises, “Find a training agency that is compliant with the American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT). It should offer professional certification or a path to that. You don’t want to waste employee time on a worthless certification.”

What does ASNT-compliant mean? The answer to that question lies in the ASNT standard SNT-TC-1A. First, understand that the ASNT sees the certification as employer-driven. The training need not be employer-provided, and it’s only one part of what’s needed to achieve certification. Just as pilots must fly X number of hours in addition to classroom training and written exams, so must infrared technicians perform X number of hours to achieve certification.

“ASNT requires three elements: training, testing, and job experience,” Neese says. “We provide the training and testing. The third thing required for Level I by ASNT is 210 hours on the job. For Level II, the experience requirement is more than 1,200 hours. We provide a training/testing certificate; the employer can certify the experience.”

Companies that provide training toward infrared certification can provide either:

• Their own, ASNT non-compliant certification. How they are going to provide actual field experience is a big question, and the answer is they don’t.

• Classroom training and exams, resulting in a completion certificate. The employer can then provide the actual field experience needed for ASNT certification.

So what do these different levels of certification mean?

Levels of certification

Different levels of infrared certification exist because different levels of expertise are needed in different environments and applications. If you look at companies that provide infrared training toward ASNT-compliant certification, you’ll find they follow the three-level system in the ASNT standard. ASNT lays it out this way (nutshell version):

Level I (Qualitative). Can perform specific calibrations, tests, and evaluations, and work under the direction of a Level II- or III-certified technician.

Level II (Quantitative). Qualified to set up and calibrate equipment, and to interpret and evaluate results with respect to applicable codes, standards, and specifications. Thoroughly familiar with the scope and limitations of the methods being used. Able to organize and report the test results.

Level III (Administrative). Capable of developing, qualifying, and approving procedures and techniques. Decides what gets done and how.

How does this translate to infrared certification training? “If you’re going to put a camera in someone’s hands, why wouldn’t you want him to know how to get the information out of the camera properly?” says John Waggoner, Sr., thermography instructor at ITC/FLIR. “That’s Level I. Level II is more. You learn more about thermographic techniques and their limitations. Which technique(s) apply to the problem? Level III gets more into administration.”

Neese adds, “A Level I covers the four main areas of thermography: building, electrical, mechanical, roofs. Then, there’s theory, equipment, what everything on the camera does. A Level II covers more math, how to determine the real-world resolution of the camera, what the user can realistically measure — and also some administrative issues, such as reporting and meshing with other technologies.”

Cost

How much does infrared training cost? That depends on where you get it. Price competition for adequate training is going to be around $500 a day. That’s about where the established training firms sit right now. Some of the newer, lesser-known entrants beat this price considerably, but looking over what they offer brings to mind both “caveat emptor” and “you get what you pay for.”

“For the traditional classes, the reputable companies charge about $1,700 to $1,800 per certification,” McKenna says. “Some new players are charging as low as $995 for allegedly the same certification. There’s another category, and it’s where the classification is distilled down for a specific area, such as home building inspection, and the savings are commensurate with the focused content.”

Who needs certification?

Photo 2. An untrained thermographer is unlikely to discover the problem with this breaker (Photo courtesy of Greg Stockton, United Infrared, Inc.).

With the investment of time and money, it might seem training and certification aren’t necessary for the typical user. That perception typically gets shattered on the first day of class. And once trainees are back on the job, “this was a really good idea” becomes readily apparent (Photo 1 and Photo 2).

According to Neese, it’s important to remember one key concept. “It’s not an expensive thermometer,” he says.

“If that’s what you’re using it for, you’re missing out on the capabilities it has.” Waggoner adds, “There’s a list of things for basic competence.”

And then there’s the ability to obtain the right camera to begin with. The qualified thermographer can effectively wade through the many camera options to get the best use of the purchase dollar for the anticipated needs.

We all know cheap tools are a waste of money. So beware. “There’s a flood of cheap cameras today,” McKenna says. “They have low resolution, and many firms using these don’t have training and certification. Nobody at the customer end has enough expertise to spot that.”

But you don’t need to go to the opposite extreme either. It’s not about getting the most expensive camera for “the best work,” but getting the right camera for the work that needs doing. “Students with the training also know exactly what to look for in a camera,” Neese explains. “They avoid wasting money on a camera that really doesn’t do the job.”

And don’t rule out cheap cameras entirely. “You might want a cheap camera to permanently mount in a specific application, so covers don’t need to be removed to get the data,” Neese says. “Setting it up properly requires the know-how to do so.”

Finding a provider

There are several providers to choose from, but most of the work is going to be performed by third-party certification companies, notes Waggoner. “You don’t go to college for this certification,” he says.

Photos 3A and 3B. Good training is going to involve classroom instruction and hands-on use (Photo courtesy of Greg Stockton, United Infrared, Inc.).

Traditionally, explains McKenna, you go to an on-site location and take a class (Photos 3a and 3b). “There are online webinars and other means, also; we call these distance learning,” he says. “There are real-time interactive testing and verification processes for some of these. Generally, I prefer the advantages of classroom training.”

Remember from our can of worms discussion that not all providers are the same. Don’t make the costly mistake of using the cheapest one. Make a point of finding one that will make the investment worthwhile. “The good schools are out there — the ones that have been around a long time have a good reputation,” McKenna says. “Look at the age and reputation of the school.”

And take a good look at the training content. Neese is a strong proponent of hands-on training. “There’s no way to substitute for hands-on,” he maintains.

The value

With training, you’ll know what to look for, insists Neese. “You’ll know which materials will or won’t give you good measurements,” he says. “One of the biggest payoffs for training is reliable data. One of the things we teach students is, ‘You’re here to learn how to use the camera to prevent catastrophic failure.’”

According to Stockton, the certification has value, but experience is vital — and you need the relevant training (e.g., a qualified electrician). Although there is no certification specifically focused on electrical, Stockton notes that Level II certification is where you’re going to learn how to correctly measure electrical equipment temperatures.

“Consider bus bar,” Neese continues. “Suppose you’re looking where two segments connect, and the left side appears two degrees hotter than the right side. It is probably much hotter than it appears. Why? Low emissivity skews the reading, and that shiny bus bar has very low emissivity. A thermographer with proper training would know this is something to pay attention to. A thermographer without the training would figure it’s only a couple of degrees and move on.”

For some electrical service firms, the non-compliant certification may appear to be suitable. It gives them a certification they can use for marketing purposes to gain new customers. But this discount certification is likely to mean they send a “certified” thermographer out into the field — and this person really doesn’t know what he’s doing. The proverbial chicken will come home to roost. And it won’t be pretty.

Would you want your journeyman electricians trained the same way? Would you hire a marketing director whose degree came from a low-cost diploma mill? Any good electrical services firm wants qualified workers doing the work its reputation depends on. What about a plant maintenance department? If you have someone out in your plant removing covers and surveying energized equipment, why would you not want that effort to provide accurate, actionable test results?         

Lamendola is an electrical consultant located in Merriam, Kan. He can be reached at [email protected].

About the Author

Mark Lamendola

Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.

Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.

Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.

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