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CERTIFICATION SERVICES DIVISION

CHANGES IN STANDARDS AFFECTING THE PCN SCHEME

General Engineering Sectors

PCN/GEN is structured to comply with EN 473 (Non-destructive testing – general principles for qualification and certification of personnel), which was published in its third edition in July 2008. This edition embodies significant changes which will affect all PCN candidates and certified personnel, and the following are the key points to note.

EN473 : 2008 – How it will affect the PCN Scheme

The following have been identified as requiring significant changes to the PCN scheme.

3.8 examination centre: centre approved by the certification body where qualification examinations will be carried out. Note: the Certification Body (BINDT) must approve the examination centre(s) – even if operated by an AQB.

6.2 Training The candidate shall provide documentary evidence that he has satisfactorily completed a course of training, in the method and level for which the certification is sought, which is in accordance with the syllabus content of CEN ISO/TR 25107. Note: This TR is an extensive syllabus broken down into three levels, and will replace the PCN syllabi presently annexed to each PCN/EN Appendix.<EN in reference normative a is which 25108, TR ISO CEN given guidelines the against assessed be will organisations training personnel>

6.3 Industrial NDT experience

6.3.1 General; A minimum period of experience prior to examination shall be defined by certification body (a fraction of x % of the total requirement of Table 3 as appropriate). In the event that a part of the experience is sought following successful examination, the results of the examination shall remain valid for two years. Note: the value of ‘x’ has been agreed for the PCN Scheme as being 0%. In other words, candidates that have completed the formal BINDT approved course of training at an accredited training establishment may continue as at present to attempt the PCN examination without gaining further experience. However, the PCN certificate will not be issued until the required experience has been attained and presented in a verifiable documented form acceptable to BINDT.

7 Qualification examination

Table 4 - Required minimum number of questions - General examinations

NDT method

Number of questions

AT, ET, RT, UT

40

LT, MT, PT, VT

30

All PCN general papers will comprise 40 questions in order that the qualification examinations in the general engineering and aerospace sectors continue to satisfy both EN 473 and EN 4179. This will have the added benefit of reducing the number of papers to be maintained, and facilitating the future introduction of online examinations.

7.3.3 The level 3 main method examination part F requires the drafting of one or more NDT procedures in the relevant sector. For a candidate who has already drafted an NDT procedure in a successful Level 3 examination, the certification body may replace the drafting of a procedure with the critical analysis of an existing NDT procedure, covering the relevant method and sector, containing errors and/or omissions.   It has been agreed to adopt this within the PCN Scheme.

7.3 Grading of qualification examinations 
The requirement for weighted composite grading is replaced by a simple requirement to achieve a minimum of 70% in each examination part attempted.

7.4.5 An examiner shall be responsible for grading the examination in accordance with procedures established by the certification body. It is recommended that Level 3 examination be set and graded by two examiners.  It is proposed that, in the PCN scheme, level 3 examinations shall be marked and graded by only one examiner unless there are specified reasons for requiring dual marking.

7.5 Re-examination

7.5.2 A candidate who fails to obtain the pass grade for any examination part (general, specific or practical), may be re-examined twice in the failed part(s) …  Note: the 2003 edition of the standard allowed only one retest before returning to initial candidate.

Annex C (normative) Structured credit system for level 3 recertification 

Note: The credit systems from EN473:2008 and prEN 4179:2008 are normative. The PCN Scheme will be unable to provide dual compliance for Aerospace NDT personnel in this area, and the UK National Aerospace NDT Board will decide which system is to be incorporated within PCN/Aero.

PCN Document Review and Revision Action Plan

  • PCN/GEN: revision in progress, expected to be approved for publication November 2008 and implementation 01 April 2009.
  • PCN/Aero: revision in progress; expected to be approved November 2008 for implementation 01 April 2009.
  • CP09 (AQB requirements) in progress, expected to be approved for publication November 2008 and implementation 01 April 2009.
  • CP22 (marking and grading of PCN practical examinations) completed and published, available at http://www.bindt.org/Certification/PCN_Document_Download
  • CP25 (NDT Procedure and NDT instruction writing) completed and published, available at http://www.bindt.org/Certification/PCN_Document_Download
Aerospace Engineering Sector

The two standards on which PCN/Aero is based, EN 473 and EN 4179 / NAS 410, have both been recently issued in revised editions. EN 473:2008 was published as a CEN standard, and prEN4179:2008 was published as an ASD standard.

The current edition of EN 4179 (Aerospace series – qualification and approval of non-destructive testing personnel) was published in 2005 but, at the 14th August 2008 meeting of the UK national Aerospace NDT Board, it was agreed that, given that the changes in the latest revision of EN 4179 were not fundamental (though there was some concern regarding a revised vision standard), it would be appropriate to embark upon the revision of PCN Aero for circulation and comment prior to the next meeting on 20th November 2008, where the revision would be considered for approval to implement.

The meeting also agreed that it would be appropriate to mandate the implementation of prEN 4179 : 2008 by Outside Agencies. Any newly drafted written practices should conform to this revision immediately, and all existing written practices should conform to this revision within a transition period of six months ending 01 April 2009.

Condition Monitoring Standards

The PCN condition monitoring scheme is based on ISO 18436, which specifies the requirements for certifying bodies and the certification process (part 1), training bodies and the training process (part 3) and the technical specifications for vibration analysis (part 2), Lubrication management (parts 4 and 5), acoustic emission (part 6) and thermography (part 7).

The acoustic emission standard, prepared by S Roe for, and approved by consensus at, TC108/SC5/WG14, has been published (August, 2008) as an ISO standard. Part 3 has been published as an FDIS document but contains an error in Annex A pertaining to the qualification requirements of trainers. An amendment is being issued by the ISO secretariat correcting this error, indicating that in a 3-category system the trainer must possess certification at least to category 2 in that technology. However, in a 4-category system, such as with vibration analysis, the trainer must possess at least a category 3 certificate in that technology.

The PCN scheme, which operates with levels, not categories, currently offers only 3 levels for vibration analysis, where the training syllabus for category 4 in ISO18436 part 2 is added to the category 3 syllabus, to create the ‘expanded level 3’ in the PCN CM scheme. The VA technical committee is deciding whether to retain the expanded level 3 structure or create a level 4, thus requiring the VA trainers to acquire level 3 certification.