RE: RP certification?

From: mehmetsalim@arpastr.com
Date: Tue Feb 25 2003 - 09:45:28 EET


about this subject many people had said many opinions but I want to put a point to end,

If RP Community decides to ask certificate from the people who will earn money from certification ?
 
For me this RP Equipment operating is not (and must not be) a thing which requires a well qualified and highly eduacated employer. It is not a so big deal of being professional just to operate a machine and prepare the data for building process on a software.

In Turkey high school graduated employers who are able to operate MS Windows are operating RP machines very succesfully and doing great jobs.

Microsoft Certified User title is just the game of Microsoft and monopoly of Microsoft. But in RP industry, if 3D Systems won't be a monopoly company, there is nothing like that an "RP Certified" user can operate every machine as soon as he acrosses the machine. But I am sure that after a training of half an hour I or any engineer can operate every kind of RP machine. But of course like every job, to produce perfect parts it needs time and experience. (I am a mechanical engineer and operated for 12 months a 3D Systems SLA 3500 machine)
 
If you mean part cleaning and finishing certification this is something different and it is not directly the subject of RP. Most of of the tool makers can do this job easily although they do not know anything about RP.

As you most, who are specialized in manufacturing, know every new part is a new experience and it is an endless period to have experience.

As the conclusion I do not think RP is the subject of certification and no need to classify ourselves as the masters of RP with just knowing how to operate user friendly (suppliers saying) machines.
 
I do not know how it works in USA or Europe but in Turkey an engineer is expected to know everything from design to manufacturing and he/she has to learn everything by himself after starting to work professionally.
 
 
Sorry for so much writing and my English mistakes.
 
 
 
regards to all
 
Mehmet SALIM

 -----Original Message-----
From: Blasch, Larry [mailto:LBlasch@OPW-FC.com]
Sent: Monday, February 24, 2003 6:18 PM
To: RPML (E-mail)
Cc: 'mcolling@sme.org'; 'jwellington@sme.org'; 'jvillagomez@sme.org'; 'beth@finelineprototyping.com'; 'fritzbo@mail.northgrum.com'; 'gervasi@msoe.edu'; 'dmitchel@ford.com'; 'tim.gornet@louisville.edu'; 'swscherm@scj.com'; 'jim@paramountind.com'
Subject: RP certification?

Dear list,
 
With the economic downturn that industry is experiencing, we are seeing a substantial number of highly qualified RP'ers looking for work. Perhaps it it would be of some benefit if there was a way to identify that experience in a standardized way.
 
Many employers sort résumé's by credentials first and experience second so if we as a group could create a certification process similar to the MCSE test, It might benefit us all.
 
Maybe someone with the SME could oversee the test(s) and the credentialing process?
 
We could break it down into a number of levels (or not) or we could have a number of process specific tests.
 
I understand that the machine producers are attempting to present their RP products as simple to use, so I doubt we would get much support from them, but a parts quality is still a function of the skill level of the people involved.
 
We could have:
 
RPCT Rapid Prototyping Certified Technician
                Plus a minimum of 2 years full time experience using any RP technology
 
RPCSE Rapid Prototyping Certified Systems Engineer
                Plus a minimum of 4 years full time experience experience using any RP technology
 
MRPS Master of Rapid Prototyping Systems
                Plus a minimum of 6 years full time experience experience using Multiple RP technologies
 
PhD RPS Doctorate in Rapid Prototyping Systems
                Plus a minimum of 8 years full time experience experience using Multiple RP technologies

Just an idea to kick around...

The above correspondence contains, my opinions, and such. If you disagree with me, send $100 to the address below and I'll consider your point of view.

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Lawrence R. Blasch
Design Engineer
CAE Systems Administrator
     
OPW Fueling Components
P.O. Box 405003
Cincinnati, OH 45240-5003 USA
Voice: (513) 870-3356
Fax: (513) 870-3338





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