UCAT- I Ultrasound Training and Certification

Learn to be a confident and effective ultrasound technician - capable of diagnosing faults, detecting costly steam and air leaks, and precision lubricating bearings - with advanced 3D animations and interactive simulations that make everything easy to understand.

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Congratulations on the decision to become an ultrasound specialist. Ultrasound is incredibly powerful and versatile, so there is a lot to learn. The good news is you are in the right place. Our UCAT-I ISO Category I course will set you up for success.

We will help you understand why ultrasound analysis is important. You will gain a solid understanding of the fundamentals of ultrasound, lubrication, and leak detection. You will learn how to take quality, dependable measurements, and you will begin the process of understanding how to diagnose common faults.

Once you complete the training, you can take the exam with confidence, and become certified to ISO 18436-8 Category I via the internationally respected Mobius Institute Board of Certification™ [MIBoC]. The MIBoC certification is accredited to ISO/IEC 17024 – there is no higher standard. You will join thousands of other Mobius™ certified analysts around the world.

It should also be noted that it is advised that all candidates utilizing instrumentation with headphones should be given hearing examinations to ensure natural or corrected hearing acuity exists in at least one ear.  This examination should be administered upon initial certification and upon recertification.  The examination shall be administered by a licensed professional and a record of the test made available to the assessment body using the following document: Hearing Test Declaration.

Candidates who do not provide a record of passing the hearing test will receive conditional certification under which it becomes the responsibility of their employer to assess the candidate’s hearing acuity and their suitability to perform ultrasound data collection and/or analysis.  This condition of certification will be noted on the candidate’s certificate as well as MIBoC’s website list of certified analysts.

FREE DEMO: See a preview of the UCAT-I course. Included is segments from our instructional videos and a chapter from our comprehensive UCAT-I manual. You can access the training demo with your student credentials or create a new account using this link –  UCAT-I Course Demonstration Link.

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Learn more about UCAT-I Ultrasound Training and Certification

  • Why learn with Mobius Institute™?

    There are three major reasons why over 5,000 vibration analysts choose Mobius Institute every year, and why you should, therefore, choose Mobius Institute for your ultrasound training and certification:

    1. We make complex topics simple with amazing 3D animations and simulations that make you say, “Ah, now I get it!”
    2. We give you access to the entire course before the class begins so you are better prepared, and for four months after the course, just in case you still have questions.
    3. We use anonymous, stress-free polling throughout the course, so you know if you truly understand each topic, and the instructor knows not to move on to the next topic – no student is left behind.

    We have been training since 1999, and we have had accredited certification since 2012.”

  • How can I take this course?

    We offer the ultimate flexibility:

    • PUBLIC: You can take the public, instructor-led course with other people like you. You can find a public course here.
    • VIRTUAL INSTRUCTOR-LED: You take the course from the comfort of your computer, with a live instructor guiding you through the course. You can find a virtual course here.
    • ON-SITE: You can invite the instructor to your site and save yourself the cost and hassle. You can find partners who can deliver the course here.
    • ONLINE DISTANCE LEARNING: You can have the ultimate in flexibility by watching a video of the course. You can watch it multiple times at your pace! You can place your order here.
  • UCAT-I Candidate profile

    This course is intended for the ultrasound analyst and technician analyst who will:

    • Collect ultrasound data to detect fault conditions in rotating machinery, electrical equipment, and a host of other equipment including valves, hydraulics, steam traps, and more
    • Detect leaks in compressed air and steam systems
    • Grease lubricate bearings with precision
    • Use the training and certification as the start of a new and rewarding career as an ultrasound technician
  • UCAT-I fast facts

    Duration:

    • 32 hours, typically over four days

    Format:

    • Live public course
    • Private On-site course
    • Virtual live instructor-led course
    • Video distance learning online course

    Compliance:

    • Training: ISO 18436-8
    • Certification: ISO 18436-8, ISO/IEC 17024

    Exam:

    • 2 hours
    • 60 multiple-choice questions
    • 70% passing grade
    • Can be taken online or in-person at the course

    Certification requirements:

    • Training course completed
    • 6-months of work experience, verified by supervisor/manager
    • Pass the exam
    • Pass a hearing test
    • Valid for 5 years

    Pre-study:

    • Access to the “Learning zone” upon registration and payment. For online distance learning, access to the learning platform four months from registration and payment.
    • Complete set of videos covering every topic
    • An excellent way to be prepared and get the most from the course

    Post-study:

    • Continue to access the Learning zone for 4-months after the course completion or upgrade for a lifetime with Life Long Learning (LLL).
    • Continue learning for free on Mobius CONNECT® via www.mobiusconnect.com with online forums, webinars, tutorials, etc.
  • What will you gain from taking this course?

    There are so many benefits to taking this course. You will learn:

    • about condition monitoring, including a summary of the most common technologies
    • about reliability improvement
    • how ultrasound testing and ultrasound-assisted lubrication plays a key role in reliability improvement
    • about the fundamentals of sound: frequency, amplitude, wavelength, pitch, and period
    • how it is measured and quantified: dB, rms, peak, kurtosis, and crest factor)
    • how sound behaves: speed of sound, reflection, refraction, and transmission
    • how ultrasound is detected in industrial settings
    • how to take dependable, repeatable, high-quality readings
    • about listening to ultrasound, and capturing and interpreting waveforms and spectra
    • about how to set up software systems, including the naming of assets
    • about impacts, friction, turbulence, cavitation, arcing, tracking, corona, and partial discharge
    • how it can be used to detect faults in bearings, electrical systems, steam traps, valves, hydraulic equipment, pumps, compressors, and other equipment
    • about how hydraulics, electrical systems, steam systems, compressors, bearings, pumps, valves, steam traps and other components work – all with vivid, realistic 3D animations
    • how to correctly lubricate bearings: not too much, not too little
    • how to collect data and perform tests safely
    • how to generate reports that will provide people with the information they really need
  • Do you offer a free demo?

    Yes!

    FREE DEMO: See a preview of the UCAT-I course. Included is segments from our instructional videos and a chapter from our comprehensive UCAT-I manual. You can access the training demo with your student credentials or create a new account using this link –  UCAT-I Course Demonstration Link.

  • Why become certified by Mobius Institute Board of Certification?

    There are so many benefits to becoming certified:

    UCAT-I Mobius Institute Certificate

    • You should be recognized for your achievements; not everyone is up to the challenge of understanding ultrasound, let alone successfully collecting data, diagnosing a wide range of fault conditions, and using it to save your organization a great deal of money
    • Being certified by an accredited certification organization is a major step up from simply passing a test. Yes, the process is a little more complicated and stricter, but that is for very good reasons
    • The educational process is extremely valuable, but being certified tells an employer (or a consulting client) that you are capable of doing an important job

    Mobius Institute has certified more condition monitoring specialists than any other organization and we have only been offering certification since 2005. Almost 40,000 vibration analysts around the world chose Mobius Institute, and we are sure ultrasound specialists will too.

    You will receive a digitally encrypted certificate, an ID card, and a personalized logo that you should use in email signatures and elsewhere that you want people to know about your achievements.

  • UCAT-I training and certification requirements

    All you need is a desire to learn and to succeed in your field. In order to be certified you must:

    • Complete a MIBoC approved training course (click here for a list of approved courses).
    • Achieve 70% or higher on the exam (60 multiple choice questions, duration 2 hours).
    • Have six (6) months practical ultrasound work experience, verified by supervisor/manager.
    • Provide evidence of passing a hearing test administered by a licensed professional.

    Certification is valid for 5 years.

    If you do not provide evidence of passing a hearing test, but you meet the other certification requirements, you will be issued conditional certification.

    If you do not have the experience, you will still receive a certificate, but you will not be officially certified. When you pass the 6-month milestone, please contact MIBoC to be  upgraded to full certification.

    You can learn more about the certification process here or download our Ultrasound Certification Guide here.

  • A detailed list of training course topics

    Here are the main topics covered on the UCAT-I course:

    • Maintenance practices
      • Reactive, preventive, condition-based, proactive
      • How to decide between them
    • Condition monitoring
      • Why it works
      • Vibration, infrared, oil analysis, wear particle analysis, and electric motor testing
      • Detecting faults, root causes, and quality control
      • Acceptance testing
    • Principles of sound
      • What is sound, sound waves, and sine waves
      • Frequency, pitch, period, wavelength
      • Acoustic impedance, reflection, and transmission with different media (materials)
      • The inverse distance rule
    • The application of ultrasound
      • Friction, turbulence, impacting, arcing, tracking, corona
    • Ultrasound measurement
      • Heterodyning
      • The decibel dB scale
      • Metrics: RMS, Peak, crest factor, and Kurtosis
      • Listening versus measuring
      • Severity determination
    • Collecting test data
      • Safety precautions
      • Sensor types: contact vs non-contact, magnets, horns, parabolic dishes
      • Collecting good data
      • Sensitivity validation
      • Repeatability
      • Sensor positioning
      • Shielding and competing ultrasound sources
      • Waveforms and spectra
    • Data storage and management
      • Setting up a good database
      • ISO 14224 as a guide
    • Leak detection
      • Steam systems
      • Compressed air systems and gas
      • Pressurized systems and systems under vacuum
      • Leak detection
      • Tightness testing
    • Electrical testing
      • Safety precautions
      • Corona, arcing, tracking
      • Partial discharge
    • Lubrication
      • Concerns with traditional methods
      • On-condition lubrication
      • Avoiding over-greasing or under-greasing
    • Testing different assets types
      • Valves, steam traps, bearings (low speed and high speed), compressors, pumps, hydraulic systems
      • A detailed explanation of all the above equipment and their failure modes
    • Report generation
      • Providing actionable information
    • Case studies
      • Many case studies are presented throughout the course
  • If I have already received equivalent training, can I take the exam?

    Yes. We will need to see some evidence that you have taken the training from a MIBoC approved certification body: SDT and IRISS.  For a list of recognized courses, refer to ED150.

    For questions, training review, and approval requests in advance of purchase, please email evidence of training to certification@mobiusinstitute.com .

Frequently Asked Questions

Some of the more common questions regarding our UCAT-I Ultrasound Training and Certification course

  • CAN I SKIP THE CATEGORY I COURSE AND CERTIFICATION?

    No, it is a requirement to be UCAT-I trained and certified before you move to UCAT-II.

  • WILL I RECEIVE PRE-COURSE STUDY MATERIALS?

    As a registered student you will receive an instructional email to finalize your course registration. You will also receive a link to our TMS (Training Management System) to monitor your training progress.  You will have access to your personal Learning Zone (except for distance learning). Here you will be provided with a digital version of the course materials and the actual course videos containing the same content that will be used when you attend the in-person or virtual live instructor-led course. The Learning Zone may be  used for pre-course study, review during the course week, and reference after the course. The access is activated at the time you are registered for the course and expires 4 months after the last day of the course.
    For public course you will receive the hard copy manual, activity book, and quick reference guide on the first day of the training. These are required to attend the course.

  • DO YOU OFFER UNLIMITED LEARNING ACCESS?

    Yes, learn forever with Mobius Institute “Life Long Learning”. Receive access to video trainings for a lifetime as a past, present, and future Mobius Institute student. As a student you can continue to access the training videos.  Regardless of whether you attend a public course or an onsite course or purchased an online distance learning. For a nominal cost of the equivalent distance learning course fee, past, present, and future Mobius Institute vibration students can continue to access the training videos forever. To upgrade either select the option – Life Long Learning Upgrade using this link – Life Long Learning Upgrade Link or contact your training partner directly.

  • CAN I BUY THE LEARNING ZONE ACCOUNT AND USE IT TO STUDY FOR THE CERTIFICATION EXAM?

    No, but we do offer our Distance Learning (DL) course which is the online equivalent to our Public course. The cost is the same as attending a Public course, the training material content is fully ISO 18436 compliant and you will be qualified to take the Certification Exam once you have completed the DL course.

    You will find the distance learning courses on our shopping cart.

  • DO YOU OFFER ON-SITE INSTRUCTOR LED COURSES?

    Yes, we can provide this training onsite at your facility or any other training facility of your choice with one of our expert instructors. If you are in North America, Australia or New Zealand please email learn@mobiusinstitute.com for a quotation.
    Outside of these areas, contact your local training partner here.

  • MAY I TAKE ONE OF YOUR COURSES IF I AM NOT INTERESTED IN BECOMING CERTIFIED OR IF I HAVE INSUFFICIENT EXPERIENCE FOR CERTIFICATION?

    Yes, you can attend regardless of experience.  You will receive a certificate of completion for the course however will not be certified until you pass the exam and have the required experience.

  • AFTER I ATTEND YOUR COURSE AND TAKE THE EXAM, WHEN WILL I RECEIVE NOTIFICATIONS AS TO WHETHER I PASSED, AND WHEN WILL I RECEIVE MY CERTIFICATE?

    You will receive notification of your results 5-10 days after the exam has been received at our Australian office. If you have passed the exam and met all certification requirements, you will receive your Digital Certificate 10-15 days after your exam results notification email.

  • HOW LONG IS THE CERTIFICATION VALID?

    Certification is valid for five (5) years.

  • WHAT ARE THE EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR UCAT I?

    You must have six months of experience generally associated with maintenance, reliability, and ultrasound testing.
    You will be asked to provide the contact details of a manager/supervisor who can verify the work experience details submitted.

  • HOW DO I QUALIFY FOR RENEWAL?

    Once you have purchased your certification renewal, the Renewals Team will be advised of your payment. You will then receive an email of any outstanding requirements needed to proceed with your application. You can assist us in this process by logging into your TMS student account to ensure your profile details are current by completing the following:
    Enter a new work experience record that you accomplished over the past 5 years for vibration analysis since your
    certification was issued. (Your experience is required to be verified by your current and/or previous manager)
    Agreed to the MIBoC Code of Ethics Document
    Agreed to the MIBoC Renewal Declaration

  • HOW DO I RENEW MY CERTIFICATION?

    You will purchase your certification renewal and the Renewals Team will be advised of your payment. You will then receive an email of any outstanding information required within the Training Management System (TMS) to proceed with your application.

  • WHAT IS THE HEARING TEST?

    As per the requirements of ISO 18436-8, candidates should be given hearing examinations to ensure natural or corrected hearing acuity exists in at least one ear. A record of the results should be retained and presented to MIBoC upon request. The individual should be capable of hearing a standard pure tone in an audiometry exam with results of an average of 25 dB hearing level or lower. This examination should be administered upon initial certification and upon re-certification, be administered by a licensed professional, and a record of the test made available to MIBoC upon request.

    Candidates who do not provide a record of passing the hearing test will receive conditional certification under which it becomes the responsibility of their employer to assess the candidate’s hearing acuity and their suitability to perform ultrasound data collection and/or analysis. This condition of certification will be noted on the candidate’s certificate as well as MIBoC’s website list of certified analysts.