Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1275515
32 | July - August 2020 | www . machinerylubrication.com TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION very seriously and study it completely," says Jose Camilo Valest Sandoval, Technical support engineer at tritech. Owoyemi Adeboye, maintenance manager at Lafarge Africa Plc., explains that the MLE certification exam provided him a means to validate his years of learning and on-the-job experience. While he found MLA I and II materials to be helpful, he advises others to tailor their preparation around the MLE BoK as a study guide. But he also suggests industry veterans such as himself don't always have to sweat the small stuff: "I was concerned about questions on ISO 55000 standards, but this turned out to be what I routinely practice as part of my work, albeit unknowingly." And why stop at the MLE DoK? Andy Sitton, technical director at Focuslab Ltd., supplemented his study with at least one additional resource he really liked: "ere's a book from Industrial Press that looks like a good study guide, Maintenance & Reliability Certification Exam Guide, by Dr. Nathan C. Wright [a certified MLT II]. I wish I had bought it before the exam." The Value Of Hands-On Experience…And Other Resources But Sandoval and others also recognize that book knowledge is best consumed within the context of real experience: "I think the applicant must have previous knowledge and great experience in lubrication," he explains. "e exam is tough," reports Wojciech Majka, president and CEO of Ecol and Ecol North America, "so you need to read a lot of information and re-collect all in a scheduled way. If you work in this business for a long time—that would be a great advantage." Certainly, there is no reason to restrict yourself to the refresher courses and MLE Domain of Knowledge when considering your self-guided preparation options. "If you are considering the MLE certification, be a practitioner of lubrication and asset management with knowledge as an MLT II or CLS (Certified Lubrication Specialist™), along with field experience in reliability engineering practices and asset manage- ment," advises Gabriel Delgado, sr. technical instructor at Freeport McMoran. "Studying the body of knowledge alone without prac- tical wisdom, it will be very difficult to be successful." Nathan omas, maintenance reliability engineer, offers this recollection: "Hands-on experience with managing an existing and developing new lubrication programs was very helpful to prepare myself for the MLE exam. I would advise anyone interested in sitting for this exam to really understand the life-cycle of lubricants, from the formulation to the application, selection, condition moni- toring, reclamation, and disposal." is gets into the areas of physical asset management, too: "Having a high-level understanding of asset management as it relates to the maintenance work process would be useful," adds omas. (On a related note, this is exactly why ICML strongly associated MLE with the new standard we published last year, "ICML 55.1: Require- ments for the Optimized Lubrication of Mechanical Physical Assets.") What About The Actual Test Itself? As you read these responses, you see that most advice focuses on test preparation. In the previous two parts of this article, our experts offered some tips regarding the four-hour exam session itself. e MLE exam is a multiple-choice format, so many common test-taking practices apply. Jeffrey DesArmo, lubrication engineer/supervisor at WestRock, offers these additional nuggets of wisdom for the MLE exam in particular: 1. Watch the time. Don't spend too much time on any one question. 2. Pay attention to questions and remember that ICML is looking for the "best" right answer. 3. Money is not a factor in the answers as it may be in the real world. But Is The MLE For Everyone? Generally, the advice here suggests that much depends on what you plan to do after earning your credential. "I believe the MLE exam is what every aspiring professional should consider and every self-respecting working profes- sional should sit for," says Lead Engineer Nnamdi Achebe at Petrosave Integrated Services Ltd. "at exam is exactly what it is meant to be, [to] test your knowledge as well as your resolve to effectively discharge that knowledge. e MLE certification stamps a badge of quality on your claims and personal assumptions of machine lubrication expertise." Nurudin, S.T., Pertamina Lubricants technical specialist, believes the MLE is for leaders. "When you get the certificate, do not let it be just a paper without any func- tion," he says. "An MLE certified person is proven capable to lead a lubrication reliability program in his facility. e smart solution to achieve excellent plant reliability is with an excellent lubrication program." Not every practitioner will pursue the MLE, but Optimain Ltd. Managing Director Danny Shorten advises that every asset-rich facility should have one. "MLE represents a top down and bottom up, company-wide approach to lubrication excellence. My recommendation for all companies who have lubricated assets, is to consider why they don't have a similar expert within their skill set?" A good ques- tion, indeed. e MLE credential has been available only since April 2019, so it really is a distinguishing achievement when manage- ment-level practitioners earn and apply this certification for the betterment of their facil- ities and the lubrication industry in general. So, what are you waiting for? Here is one final bit of advice, courtesy of Adeboye at Lafarge Africa: "You do not have to think twice. Just go for it, but be prepared." ML