Metrologists Gain ‘Street Cred’ With CMS Level Two Certification

Published: Thursday, May 22, 2014 - 15:37

The Certification Committee of the Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS) has been laser-locked on its target to deliver its first Level Two Certification, a device-specific performance assessment for users of portable coordinate measuring machines (CMMs). Those efforts will come to fruition at this year’s 30th annual Coordinate Metrology Systems Conference (CMSC), held July 21–25, 2014, at the Embassy Suites Hotel in North Charleston, South Carolina.

The committee’s journey toward a personnel certification program began in 2009. Last year, the CMS delivered the first industry-recognized certification to the profession of portable 3D metrology.

The use of 3D measurement technology has grown exponentially in manufacturing and scientific applications, while the current workforce is graying and heading toward retirement. The CMS determined a clear need for certification programs for metrology experts and potential newcomers to the field. Measurement equipment is calibrated to traceable artifacts, yet technicians and shop-floor personnel operating this equipment have lacked industry-recognized proficiency credentials. Their skill level and measurement techniques can significantly influence data collection.

The CMS Level One Certification exam helps to quantify an employee’s knowledge of metrology, which is essential to ISO-certified manufacturers and companies with quality management systems. This year, metrologists can also expand their “street cred” with the CMS Level Two Certification conducted by CMS-authorized proctors, a hands-on performance examination for users of portable CMMs. Both certification exams will be conducted in a proctored environment during the weeklong CMSC. Applicants will have a choice of hardware and software for the practical assessment. Certification program guidelines and application forms are available on the CMS website.

“We are very pleased to roll out our second CMS certification program for portable 3D metrology at the 2014 CMSC,” says Randy Gruver, chair of the CMS Certification Committee. “The Coordinate Metrology Society continues to focus on professional career development for metrologists through certification programs that verify their knowledge and ability to perform accurate measurements. Metrologists can earn career-enhancing credentials, and apply industry best practices that are embedded throughout these certification assessments. An operator can dramatically influence data collection and analysis, so it is important for an employer to understand the knowledge level of an employee or a metrology service provider in this industry.”

Candidates are required to complete an application process and qualify in order to take either examination. Level One Certification applicants must meet eligibility requirements, sign the CMS code of ethics, and pass a peer review. Level Two Certification applicants must have a Level One Certification, two years basic experience (minimum 400 hours) on an articulating arm, and submit an application with two references who can attest to the candidate's hands-on expertise. Qualifying candidates will be notified and scheduled for an examination seat at CMSC 2014.

The Level One examination is a proctored, online assessment which includes about 200 multiple-choice questions covering foundational theory and practice common to most portable 3D metrology devices. The Level Two Certification exam on a portable CMM is a performance assessment conducted by an authorized proctor. The candidate uses the metrology instrument to collect a series of measurements on an artifact and analyzes specific features of that artifact. The proctor evaluates the applicant’s measurement techniques, accuracy of the results, and overall performance on the PCMM. The Level Two Certification program was professionally designed and developed in cooperation with the CMS. The cost for current CMS members to take either exam is $400; non-member pricing is also available.

The membership of the Coordinate Metrology Society represents a broad spectrum of measurement specialists, hardware and software manufacturers, authors, scientists, academics, service providers, and manufacturing and quality assurance personnel. The Certification Committee includes representatives from most of this demographic base, and meets monthly to plan and progress its initiatives. For more information, contact Randy Gruver at certification@cmsc.org.

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.