VCAT-III Vibration Analyst

Learn to be an effective vibration leader and master analyst - capable of managing the condition monitoring program, diagnosing the widest range of fault conditions, verifying and correcting resonance problems, performing complex balancing machinery - with advanced 3D animations and interactive simulations that make everything easy to understand.

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If you are ready to be a senior vibration analyst, with the capability of handling all the common fault conditions and leading the Category I and II analysts, then this is the course for you.

The Category-III course is intended for people who are confident with spectrum analysis but who wish to push on and learn more about signal processing, time waveform and phase analysis, cross-channel testing, machine dynamics, and fault correction. If you wish to truly advance in vibration analysis and be able to run a successful condition monitoring team, then you are ready for this course.

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

  • You will learn to diagnose all of the common fault conditions with rolling element and sleeve bearing machines, utilizing spectra, high-frequency detection techniques, time waveforms, phase readings, and other techniques to diagnose faults.
  • You will also learn machine dynamics (natural frequencies, resonance, etc.), how to perform resonance testing, and how to correct resonance problems. The course also covers the single and cross-channel measurement capabilities of your analyzer.
  • And after completing the CAT-III course, you will be able to set up and run a successful vibration program and mentor the junior analysts.

Once you complete the training, you can take the exam with confidence, and become certified to ISO 18436-2 Category III 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.

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Learn More about VCAT-III Training and Certification

  • Why learn with Mobius Institute™?

    There are four major reasons why over 4,000 vibration analysts choose Mobius Institute every year:

    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.
    4. Our Vibration Analysis training is ISO/IEC 17024 and ISO 18436-2 accredited and is globally recognized through the Mobius Institute Board of Certification (MIBoC).
  • 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 learning by online videos of the course. You can watch it multiple times at your pace! You can place your order here.
  • VCAT-III Candidate profile

    This course is intended for the vibration analyst who will:

    • You have a minimum of three years of experience
    • Have a senior role in the condition monitoring team
    • Have others report to them to verify diagnoses
    • Be responsible for the most complex fault conditions (with the possible exception of sleeve bearing, flexible rotor machines)
    • Need to perform complex tests to validate fault conditions (e.g. resonance) and find a solution
    • You want to be a leader of the vibration team or take a leading role in diagnosing faults and making repair recommendations
    • You want to understand all data collector options, special test capabilities, all analysis tools and understand the widest range of fault conditions
    • You are seeking to become certified to international standards (ISO-18436) by an accredited certification body
    • You want to understand all condition monitoring technologies, how and when to apply them
    • You want to understand machine dynamics (natural frequencies, resonance, ODS), how to perform resonance testing and how to correct resonance problems
    • Use the training and certification as the next step in a rewarding career as a vibration analyst
  • VCAT-III fast facts

    Duration:

    • 38 hours, typically over five days

    Format:

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

    Compliance:

    • Training: ISO 18436-2
    • Certification: ISO 18436-2, ISO/IEC 17024

    Exam:

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

    Certification requirements:

    • Training course completed
    • 36-months of practical vibration analysis work experience, verified by supervisor/manager
    • Pass the exam
    • Have previously been VCAT-II certified by a MIBoC approved certification body
    • Valid for 5 years
    • There is one other way to become VCAT III certified and that is to invoke the mature candidate clause. If you meet the criteria, you can enter the VCAT training and certification program without being VCAT-II certified. *See below question for criteria:  Can I skip the CAT II course and jump directly to CAT III?

    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 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.
  • Which topics are covered?

    There is a great deal to learn, but it will help you to perform your role with confidence. The topics covered in this course include:

    • Review of condition monitoring technologies and the ISO standards
    • Signal processing and data acquisition
    • Time waveform analysis
    • Phase analysis
    • Dynamics (natural frequencies and resonance)
    • Testing for natural frequencies
    • Operating Deflection Shape (ODS) analysis
    • Modal analysis and intro to FEA
    • Correcting resonances
    • Rolling element bearing fault detection
    • Journal bearing fault detection
    • Electric motor testing
    • Pumps, fans, and compressors
    • Gearbox fault detection
    • Corrective action
    • Running a successful condition monitoring program
    • Acceptance testing
    • Review of ISO standards

    The key is that on the VCAT-III course you will transition from being a vibration analyst who should be supervised, to a person who is capable of running the program, being a senior consultant, solving difficult problems, and taking a leadership role.

  • Do you offer a free demo?

    Yes!

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

  • Why become certified by Mobius Institute Board of Certification?

    Vibration Analysis Category III (VCAT-III) Certification

    • You should be recognized for your achievements; not everyone is up to the challenge of understanding vibration analysis, let alone successfully collecting data and utilizing it
    • 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 vibration analysts than any other organization and we have only been offering certification since 2005. Almost 40,000 vibration analysts around the world, just like you, chose Mobius Institute for a good reason.

    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.

  • VCAT-III 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 certification exam (100 multiple choice questions, duration 4 hours).
    • Have thirty-six (36) months of practical vibration analysis work experience, verified by supervisor/manager.
    • Have previously been certified to VCAT-II by a MIBoC approved certification body.

    Certification is valid for 5 years.

    If you do not have the experience, you will still receive a certificate, but you will not be officially certified. When you pass the 36-month milestone, please contact MIBoC to be upgraded to full certification.

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

    There is one other way to become VCAT III certified and that is to invoke the mature candidate clause. If you meet the following criteria, you can enter the VCAT training and certification program without being VCAT-II certified. *See below question for criteria:  Can I skip the CAT II course and jump directly to CAT III?

    You can learn more about the certification process here.

  • A detailed list of training course topics

    Here are the main topics covered on the VCAT-III course:

    • Signal processing
      • Filters: Low pass, band pass, high pass, band stop
      • Sampling, aliasing, dynamic range
      • Signal-to-noise ratio
      • Resolution, Fmax, data collection time
      • Averaging: linear, overlap, peak hold, time synchronous
      • Windowing and leakage
      • Order tracking
      • Cross-channel measurements
      • Correlation and coherence
    • Time waveform analysis
      • Collecting data – ensuring you have the correct setup
      • When should you use time waveform analysis?
      • Diagnosing unbalance, misalignment, bent shaft, eccentricity, cocked bearing, resonance, looseness, and other conditions
    • Phase analysis
      • Collecting data
      • Bubble diagrams
      • Diagnosing unbalance, misalignment, bent shaft, eccentricity, cocked bearing, resonance, looseness, and other conditions
    • Dynamics (natural frequencies and resonance)
      • Natural frequencies and resonances
      • Mass, stiffness, and damping
      • SDOF and MDOF
    • Testing for natural frequencies
      • Run-up coast down tests
      • Bode plots and Nyquist (polar) plots
      • Impact and bump tests
    • Operating Deflection Shape (ODS) analysis
      • Can we prove the existence of a natural frequency?
      • Visualizing vibration
      • Setting up the job
      • Collecting phase readings correctly
      • Interpreting the deflection shape
      • Using Motion Amplification
    • Modal analysis and intro to FEA
      • How does modal analysis differ from ODS?
      • How does Finite Element Analysis (FEA) differ from modal analysis
      • A quick review of the modal testing process
    • Correcting resonances
      • The effect of mass and stiffness
      • Beware of nodal points
      • Adding damping
      • A ‘trial and error’ approach
      • A ‘scientific’ approach
      • Isolation
      • Tuned absorbers and tuned mass dampers
    • Rolling element bearing fault detection
      • Why do bearings fail?
      • Cocked bearing, sliding on the shaft or inside the housing, looseness
      • EDM and DC motors and VFDs
      • Bearing frequencies and what to do when you don’t have all the details
      • The four stages of bearing degradation
      • Ultrasound
      • High-frequency detection techniques
      • Shock Pulse, Spike Energy, Peak Vue, and other techniques
      • Demodulation/enveloping
      • Selecting the correct filter settings
      • Spectrum analysis
      • Time waveform analysis
      • Low-speed bearings
    • Journal bearing fault detection
      • What are journal bearings?
      • Measuring displacement
      • Introduction to orbit plots
      • Using your analyzer to acquire orbit plots
      • Introduction to centerline diagrams
      • Eccentricity ratio
      • Glitch removal
      • How the orbit changes with pre-load, unbalance, misalignment, instabilities, oil whir and whip
    • Electric motor testing
      • How do motors work?
      • Diagnosing a range of fault conditions: eccentric rotor, eccentric stator, soft foot, phasing, broken rotor bars, rotor bar, and stator slot pass frequencies
      • Motor current analysis
    • Pumps, fans, and compressors
      • Unique fault conditions
      • Flow turbulence, recirculation, cavitation
    • Gearbox fault detection
      • Spectrum analysis versus time waveform analysis
      • Wear particle analysis
      • Gearmesh, gear assembly phase frequency (and common factors)
      • Tooth load, broken teeth, gear eccentricity and misalignment, backlash and more
    • Corrective action
      • General maintenance repair activities
      • Review of the balancing process and ISO balance grades
      • Review of shaft alignment procedures
    • Running a successful condition monitoring program
      • Defining the program
      • Setting baselines
      • Setting alarms: band, envelope/mask, statistical
      • Setting goals and expectations (avoiding common problems)
      • Report generation
      • Reporting success stories
    • Acceptance testing
    • Review of ISO standards

Frequently Asked Questions

Some of the more common questions regarding our VCAT-III Senior Analyst course

  • CAN I SKIP THE CATEGORY II COURSE AND CERTIFICATION AND JUMP DIRECTLY TO CATEGORY III?

    If you have five years of experience, and you have previously received training that covers the Category I and II syllabus, then you may go directly to Category III. This is called the “Mature candidate” clause.  You will be asked to verify your experience and provide evidence of your prior training, but it will save you from re-taking the Category II training and certification exam.

  • 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?

    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.
    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. If you don’t have sufficient experience you will still receive a certificate if you pass the exam, but it will note that your experience was insufficient for ISO certification at the time.

  • 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?

    Vibration analysis certification is valid for five (5) years.

  • WHAT ARE THE EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR VCAT III?

    You must have 36 months of practical work experience in vibration data collection and analysis. You will be asked to provide the contact details of a manager/supervisor who can verify the work experience details submitted.
    Certification to VCAT III also requires previous certification to VCAT II by a MIBoC approved certification body.

  • 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.

VCAT-III Vibration Analyst

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