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Archive for the ‘Maintenance Training’ Category

With manufacturing technology up, can your workforce keep up?

Thursday, April 28th, 2011

In February, the Association for Manufacturing Technology released a survey that found that manufacturing technology consumption was up 138.1 percent since February of 2010. Companies looking to up their output are investing in technology to expedite and streamline the production process.

“The dramatic year-over-year growth further underscores the manufacturing renaissance that is taking place,” said Douglas K. Woods, President of AMT.

To get a detailed report, you can check out the full report that even breaks down tech consumption at the regional level. But, with an emphasis on streamlining and investing in manufacturing technology, there comes an added expense in educating employees on the new processes.

Five ITC Tools That Can Help

ITC Training Tool #1: On-Line Products

ITC offers a complete line of on-line courses, from electrical skills training that address AC/DC Motor theory to mechanical training series that offers equipment repair courses. Additionally, the on-line courses are SCORM and AICC compliant. No matter how you plan to deliver the modular content to educate your employees on your new equipment, this ensures you’ll be able to deliver up-to-date industry best practices.

(more…)

Posted in Electrical Training, Maintenance Training, Manufacturing Training, Mechanical Training | No Comments »

Poll suggests economy showing substantial improvement

Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

Economists expect a 2 percent increase in sales in 2011

A recent survey conducted by the National Association for Business Economics says that the U.S. economy’s health is improving “substantially.”

“Companies appear to be positioning themselves for a firming economic environment,” said Shawn DuBravac, an economist with the Consumer Electronics Association, who analyzed the findings.

The survey is conducted quarterly and expresses the views of economists from a select size of trade groups and privately held companies. Results are measured by the Net Rising Index (NRI) which measures the percentage of those that report better outlooks over those whose outlook is less optimistic. (more…)

Posted in Industrial Training, Maintenance Training, Plant Training, Safety Training, Skills Testing, Training Classes | No Comments »

Training for DC Motor Technicians

Tuesday, April 12th, 2011

The 1800s is credited with numerous inventions that have revolutionized our daily life. The DC motor is one of them. Since it was accidentally partnered with another instrument and produced voltage it has been used in conveyor belts, elevators, cranes, ski lifts, extruders and mixers. Today, the DC motor has become one of the most popular equipments used in manufacturing plants, apartment buildings and airports. Since these machines are frequently stopped and started, technicians must have the right training skills to maintain and repair them.

Through ITC Learning’s DC motors training course your employees will learn how to handle and understand how DC motors work. In addition, they will learn how to control how fast (and in which direction) a DC motor operates.

A few other topics covered under ITC Learning’s training skills program include how to identify wear patterns and the causes of arcing and uneven segments and know how to correct them, understand how to prepare a commutator for reconditioning and how to clean and check the commutator after maintenance as well as how to inspect, select, install and seat brushes.

The DC motor has and continues to be the motor system chosen by machine builders due to its low inertia. So it’s important for your manufacturing facility to address these topics in the DC motor training skills course since employees need to know how to fix common motor problems before they become a disaster. By planning ahead, you can identify the topics you want your employees to learn about. Since DC motors are commonly an expensive piece of machinery, fixing a problem before it becomes a big issues is always important to increase or maintain the machines lifetime.

Posted in Industrial Training, Maintenance Training, Training Classes | No Comments »

The Importance of Industrial Process Control

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011

Most gamblers spend their lifetime guessing, but an industrial manager doesn’t have that luxury. Control system failure in an industrial plant is never really an option, but if and when it does happen it’s important to be prepared. For process and manufacturing facilities, control system failure — even for a second — will cause tremendous damage. But with the right training skills any crisis can be handled smoothly.

When it comes to developing your employees control training and other training skills, topics such as how to control, measure, and manipulate the variables of a heat exchanger system; identify the system response for various control modes and determining the setting of the controller’s proportional band and gain on a pictorial representation of process control action are just a few of the important topics to be covered in the industrial process control course.

In addition, other topics will include developing your employees understanding of the single loop and multiple loop control system. For the multiple loop control system in regards to industrial training, employees will learn the operation of several types of digital process control systems, how to identify the benefits of advanced process control strategies as well as how to compare feedback and feed forward control.

The goal of Industrial Process Control Training

The goal of ITC Learning’s training industrial process control training courses is to help your employees maintain production uptime and utilize additional control devices to help prevent accidents. In addition, managers and employees will understand that they need to find that delicate balance between safety, production, and reliability when operating or upgrading the production control systems.

Providing training courses for these skills is never a useless task because it’s essential to having qualified employees who have the industrial training skills to keep your manufacturing facility operating smoothly.

Tags: control training, training skills
Posted in Industrial Training, Maintenance Training, Manufacturing Training | No Comments »

What is SCORM?

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

What does SCORM compliant mean?

SCORM stands for Sharable Courseware Object Reference Model (SCORM), which is a set of specifications that, when applied to course content, produces small, reusable e-Learning objects. A result of the Department of Defense’s Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) initiative, SCORM-compliant courseware elements are easily merged with other compliant elements to produce a highly modular repository of training materials.

SCORM in layman’s terms

Basically, in a general sense, SCORM compliance means that videos and e-Learning tools ensure that it can be played across multiple platforms. Think of it in the context of a DVD release. Say, MGM launches a DVD, but it can only be played on MGM DVD players. Well when you want to watch a Warner Bros. DVD, you have to purchase a Warner Bros. DVD player. You don’t want 10 different DVD players to watch 10 different movies. That’s what SCORM compliance is. You and your business aren’t interested in downloading 10 different video platforms for e-Learning content. SCORM uses a universal code so companies across the board can use the same material. The benefits, along with streamlining the process, allow for a universal adoption of training standards as well. So when a company hires workers that are certified or trained in a particular area, they are hiring an employee with universal training.

E-Learning online courses

The goal is to streamline and simplify the e-Learning experience. Not only do we meet SCORM compliance standards with our instructionally sound and easy-to-use training videos, we minimize bandwidth and security concerns.

Tags: SCORM
Posted in Electrical Training, Hydraulic Training, Industrial Training, Maintenance Training, Manufacturing Training, Mechanical Training, SCORM | No Comments »

Why Boiler Control Training?

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

Boiler systems are often the most commonly used steam or hot water generators in an industrial plant. As a result, great care and attention should be given to ensure that they continue to operate efficiently and safely while responding rapidly to changes. By incorporating boiler training into your plant’s training program, it will allow your employees to develop better control techniques, as well as enable you to have greater flexibility in deciding which employees to assign to specific tasks and ultimately reduce operating cost.

The basic principles of boiler control include understanding proper drum level and the basic techniques for controlling that level. The issue of low boiler drum levels can cause boiler tubes to overheat and become damaged. Too high of a level can interfere with separating moisture from steam causing reduced boiler efficiency and carry moisture into the process or turbine. A happy medium is necessary in order to keep boiler systems running smoothly. In addition, your employees will learn how to ensure that the steam pressure or the temperature of the hot-water system is always constant for any load demand placed on the plant. No boiler training course is complete without teaching the associated safety skills to handle boiler control issues when they arise.

Goal of boiler control training

The primary goal of ITC Learning’s boiler control training course is to improve the skills of employees working in an industrial plant. In addition due to technological advances, this type of training course is definitely a significant part of keeping your employees trained and up to date on boiler control operation and troubleshooting.

Tags: boiler control, boiler control training, boiler training
Posted in Industrial Training, Maintenance Training, Plant Training, Safety Training | No Comments »

How important are air compressor repair and maintenance training?

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

Air compressors are among the more important tools for your business, making air compressor repair and maintenance training worth investing in.

Would you ever consider running an auto repair business out of a truck? It’s not the first place to start, but it is possible. Branden Riggs started his company, Highway Auto Repair, with a truck, some tools and an air compressor. While Riggs noted he would’ve been able to operate without the air compressor, it certainly made things easier, allowing him to move effortlessly along Casa Grande roads and sometimes the freeway, helping broken down motorists.

Riggs has found a new home now, in downtown Casa Grande. Would it have been possible without an air compressor? Probably. But it would’ve come with a little more sweat. Not to mention, spare tires were always flat and Riggs said he needed something to fill them up. It all adds up, and now he and business partner Daniel Barnes are excited about the new digs.

“We have plenty of room to do what we want to do, and we have plenty of room to grow,” Riggs said. The new shop also includes 12 pneumatic hose slots, just waiting to be filled with air compressors, and inevitably, the two will be prime candidates for air compressor repair and maintenance training.

Why air compressor repair and maintenance training?

Barnes’ story may not be the same, but for industrial employers, they have long recognized air compressors as a must-have. There is an immediate ROI for air compressor repair and maintenance training, especially when the pneumatic giant can get an otherwise derailed assembly line back on track or a forklift with a bad wheel moving pallets at light speed.

As we discussed in our “Air Compressor Maintenance” post a couple of months ago, this mechanical component is sometimes critical to the industrial manufacturing operation. Unfortunately, even the most maintained air compressors suffer the elements and need to be fixed. ITC Learning offers a comprehensive two-part course in air compressor repair and maintenance training.

Air Compressor Repair: A two-part course

ITC Learning’s Activ® interactive multimedia training offers a two-lesson mechanical training CD set, giving participants the knowledge to understand, disassemble, inspect, troubleshoot and repair reciprocating air compressors.

Class One: Reciprocating Compressors: Principles and Troubleshooting

The main objective of this course is to inform and teach participants to troubleshoot and execute the most common air compressor repairs.

Class Two: Reciprocating Compressors: Disassembly, Inspection, & Repair

The second CD is a more comprehensive look at air compressor repairs, including disassembly, inspection, clean and repair.

Tags: Air Compressor Repair
Posted in Air Compressor Repair, Industrial Training, Maintenance Training, Mechanical Training | No Comments »

Maintenance for Instrument Calibration

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

Printing companies frequently calibrate their printing equipment to ensure that the items they print such as brochures, catalogs, and other materials all have the same quality. Any deviation from the preset standard point will lead to a low quality product or machine failure. In an industrial plant, equipment calibration is also a critical part of the manufacturing process because if the measurements are off then your company will have wasted its time and money. If your employees don’t understand the importance of accurate instrument calibration, your company’s productivity will decrease and the quality of products produced is sure to be low. Maintenance training in these instances are always extremely important.

It’s impossible to run a manufacturing plant and generate profitable revenue streams without instrument calibration. Regardless of the type of manufacturing plant you manage, instrument calibration plays an important role in the efficient and smooth operation of the plant. If you want to reduce waste and increase productivity, training your technicians to accurately calibrate your instruments is necessary. Once manufacturing employees know how to properly calibrate their instruments you don’t have to worry that your projects will get stopped midway.

ITC Learning’s maintenance training courses are designed to train your employees on-site and your time schedule. Our courses will teach your employees how to use the preset “standard” measure to reference the measurements they make. Plus, our classes usually begin with discussing the principle of calibration, how it affects quality, productivity and safety, perform five point checks, how to identify common instrument errors, and more. Our maintenance training classes are essential to turn your employees into experts.

Posted in Maintenance Training, Manufacturing Training | No Comments »

Mechanical Training– Bearings

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Bearings are used in a wide variety of manufacturing plants, and when bearings fail they can cause the machinery to break down or the entire plant to grind to a halt. Most failed bearings have a story to tell. It can help mechanics to identify the cause of the problem, maintenance issues, bearing selection errors, and other important issues.

For instance, since a paper pulp processing plant will probably use bearings everyday this can lead to premature bearing failure. But when bearings fail, they need to be replaced as quickly as possible. But sometimes it’s necessary to have your mechanics evaluate the bearing to identity the problem so they know what not to do or look for in the future. Although it might seem that having your mechanics evaluate the bearings will increase the amount of time it takes to get the new bearings replaced, doing this a few times can actually decrease maintenance time and cost.

ITC Learning’s mechanical training courses are designed to help companies reduce bearings failure rate through educating their employees in how to remove, inspect, select, handle, install, and troubleshoot bearings according to the manufacturers’ instructions and best practices. Our mechanical training classes will also show them how to replace bearings as well as maintain and identify the indicators of bearings failure using the right tools. Since all bearings need lubricants in order to function, we’ll teach your employees to properly lubricate them. From our courses your employees will take away methods to prolong bearings life, improve productivity and in essence reduce bearings maintenance cost. ITC Learning’s mechanical training program is essential to prolong the overall lifespan of your equipment.

Posted in Maintenance Training, Mechanical Training | No Comments »

Industrial Lubrication Training

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

In an industrial plant it’s important to maintain proper lubrication. Since most large equipment is oil lubricated, knowing the right type of oil to use is a critical part of keeping your machinery in good working condition. Plus, it’s important that your mechanics, oilers, and other employees know the best type of lubricant to select. Not only that, but they should know how to properly store and handle the lubricant during delivery, otherwise it won’t perform as expected. The right amount of lubricant can mean the difference between a disaster and a well run machine. For instance, over greasing can cause the machine to fail. Without an effective mechanical training course, your machinery won’t work properly especially if your mechanics don’t know how to apply lubricants to the right places.

ITC Learning’s mechanical training courses are designed to educate employees about the concept of lubrication and friction, the benefits of a proper lubrication program, the benefits associated with synthetic lubricants, and the functions of additives and inhibitors. Our mechanical training courses will also discuss the common types and causes of lubricant contamination. This is important for your employees to know in order for them to properly operate and maintain your machinery. By establishing a mechanical training program for your employees, it will allow you to enhance your equipment reliability and save money. When you work with us, we’ll organize a comprehensive mechanical training program to turn your employees into industrial lubrication experts. The results of our mechanical training program will be well worth the investment.

Posted in Industrial Training, Maintenance Training | No Comments »