It may sound odd, but some automated processes inside factories require the assistance of human employees.
There’s a popular narrative of globalization threatening the viability of North America’s factories, which couldn’t compete against factories set in countries where labour is cheaper and regulations are fewer. The answer was automation: machines that increased the efficiency of production lines were a life raft to struggling factories around the continent.
This narrative is largely true, but it obscures the fact that even many automated production lines still need people working alongside the machines. If you want to future-proof your career there are jobs in automation you can pursue, and the training for them will teach you CMM tech tips you can use right away. Here is what the training process looks like.
In-Class Metrology Lessons
One good way to find true metrology experts is to look to authorized dealers — they don’t just sell and service metrology equipment but teach it too, and they are usually the ones with the most experience in the industry. For such a niche, specialized subject, it’s smart to seek out the companies with the longest history.
During their in-class sessions, you will be able to handle a variety of high-grade CMM machines, such as an Equator, Bridge CMM, and a ROMER arm. It’s great to learn through reading and discussion, but immediately applying this knowledge to the machines themselves is a big component of in-class lessons.
The courses offered are designed to satisfy different specialties and levels of advancement: PC-DMIS levels 1/2/3, PC-DMIS CAD++, PC-DMIS Portable, PC-DMIS Pro, Datapage+, Polyworks and Quindos.
There are also specialized training courses available in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing — these will ensure you’ve absorbed the fundamentals. Expect quizzes and tests to ensure you’ve reached an operational level of understanding. The training sessions usually last between 1-5 days.
What to Anticipate from E-Learning Modules
You don’t need to attend a physical classroom to get important lessons on metrology fundamentals. Online students can train in PC-DMIS Portable, PC-DMIS levels 1/2, and MODUS for Renishaw Equator. Naturally, this format conveniently gives you the option of learning from your own home, or perhaps the factory where you already work.
You will receive a certificate after the course has been completed, proof that you have absorbed the skills taught in the module. Again, the best E-Learning modules on metrology are offered by companies that have worked in the industry for over 30 years.
Nobody knows exactly what North America’s manufacturing industry will look like decades from now, but it’s smart to be prepared for a future where machines play a large role in factories around the continent. While there is concern that automation will create job loss, the fact is those jobs wouldn’t exist here anyway if globalization had continued to decimate the viability of factories in North America. Learning about how to work in automation alongside CMM machines is a great way to be ready for a future that remains uncertain.
