CMS Certification Program Takes a Giant Step

Published: Monday, November 5, 2012 - 11:24

The CMS Certification Committee broke new ground this year during the Coordinate Metrology Systems Conference in July 2012. Attendees, both experts and novices, were encouraged to test their general knowledge of portable 3D metrology and contribute to the success of the first, level-one personnel certification in portable 3D metrology in the industry.

The CMS Certification Committee has made steady progress on this endeavor since 2009. This year's pilot examinations were the final step in the rigorous process to create an academically sound and legally defensible assessment. The test results were used to validate and weigh the examination questions and determine a cut score. CMS members reviewed the eligibility requirements for the certification and provided feedback during the conference.

More than 90 attendees took the first raw pilot examination, which was conducted each day in two, two-hour segments. Immediately following the conference, members of the committee and NOCTI, a national leader in creating customized and standardized assessment solutions for emerging workforces, began the analysis of the test results. Overall, the cut score was 84 percent, meaning that test takers would need to correctly answer 166 questions out of 199 to pass the actual assessment.

A CMSC attendee tests his proficiency using a portable arm

A survey of test takers revealed that 86 percent felt the certification examination was challenging, and 87 percent confirmed the test questions were very relevant to 3D metrology. 60 percent of the test takers rated the exam as excellent, with 47 percent rating the assessment as average.

"The level one assessment is complete," says Randy Gruver, CMS Certification Committee chair. "We are now finalizing the business arrangement between CMS and ASPRS so we can work on the logistics of hosting the examination in key regions across the country and overseas. We are planning to hold the certification examinations at the CMSC and ASPRS conferences to start, and will seek partnerships with reputable industry experts and educational facilities to further expand our hosting sites."

Randy Gruver, CMS Certification Committee chair

The CMS certification committee represents manufacturing, original equipment manufacturers, service providers, and national standards measurement laboratories. Gruver, a technical skills instructor with The Boeing Co., is joined by the following members of the Certification Committee: Angelo Beraldin and Dave McKinnon (National Research Council Canada IIT); Keith Bevan (National Propulsion Laboratory, UK); Gary Confalone (ECM Global); Talion Edwards (The Boeing Co.); Chuck Pfeffer (FARO Technologies); Ulysses Green (The Boeing Co./GKN/RT); Pat Hammett (University of Michigan, Transportation Research Institute); Bob Elliott (Lockheed Martin); Georgia Harris (NIST/NCSLI); Alan Metzel (Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems); Benjamin Rennison (Clemson University); Pat Walsh (MVS Group); Randy Fratena (Harris Corp.); Joe Mayes (The Boeing Co.); and Mike Falk (Falk PLI Engineering and Surveying).

This dedicated committee drafted a core body of knowledge and identified the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) as the partner organization to support the certification effort. Formal documents defining roles, responsibilities, authority, and accountability were crafted and reviewed by each organization's executive committees. The Coordinate Metrology Society expects to launch the 3D metrology certification during the first half of 2013. The organization also plans to deploy a level-two, equipment-specific certification that would include laser trackers, area scanners, laser radars, hand-held scanners, and data post-processing.

About The Author

Belinda Jones

Belinda Jones is the founder and owner of HiTech Marketing LLC, in Westbrook, Connecticut. For more than a decade, Jones has written articles and commentaries about manufacturing, engineering, quality assurance, CAD/CAM/CAE applications, and other high-tech topics. She has extensive experience in marketing communications, technical sales, and applications engineering. Before joining the computer industry, she was a broadcast copywriter for four years. Jones holds degrees in fine arts and mechanical engineering, and studied cultural arts in Europe.