Are you qualified to give HEALTH CHECKS

In the present competitive environment, manufacturing costs are a major consideration for most companies. And one way in which costs are increased is when there is unplanned downtime of plant and machinery.

Many companies try to avoid this by applying preventative maintenance programmes to key plant and machinery. But this can add another layer of cost if such programmes are carried out indiscriminately.

Enlightened companies are avoiding both of these costs by applying diagnostic engineering and condition monitoring techniques to plant and machinery. In these cases the symptoms of a breakdown are diagnosed and then only the part that is at fault, or likely to contribute to a breakdown, is replaced. Over a period, the life expectancy of all major parts is identified and documented, thereby facilitating economic preventative maintenance.

But the application of diagnostic engineering is heavily dependent on the competence of the engineers in charge of the plant, be they installation and commissioning engineers or maintenance engineers.

This level of competence has been recently reviewed by the Leicester-based Institution of Diagnostic Engineers. With an international membership of over 3000, the Institution was formed in 1982. Since its inception, it has only accepted applications for membership from those who could demonstrate their competence in diagnostic engineering and condition monitoring.

Now, in cooperation with the Engineering and Marine Training Association Awards Ltd (EAL), it has gone much further. To give recognition to the professional engineers already in these fields, and to encourage development of these skills, it has established a Diploma in diagnostic engineering.

The diploma is awarded to potential holders who can show that they have acquired credits in selective and relevant NVQ/SVQ units at level 3 in diagnostic engineering.

The Institution feels that industry will benefit from the increased competence that will result from engineers taking up the diploma, registering initially with the Institution and subsequently being directed to one of the nationwide approved centres of EAL. PE

Ron Edmonds is editor of the Inst of Diagnostic Engineers' Journal