Today data are everything. Their analysis and extrapolation allow us to interpret past and contemporary events and under certain hypothesis to forecast the future.
In magnetic rope tests inspectors needs to manage and to interpret data to understand the rope behaviour.
During this process many different questions could rise: Which is the difference in terms of signal between a broken wire and a deep corrosion? Do they weight the same? Is that a broken wire or a distortion? Is that a fake signal or an internal broken wire? Training is the best answer.
In this article we will evaluate the importance of a good training in magneto-inductive device inspections.
The best device with the worst technician is less accurate than the best technician with the worst device, because the system is only an interface between the maintainer and the rope.
This is true also for visual analysis, a not-trained technician can easily fall in misunderstandings and errors. Trivially, the eyes (interface) are not enough to perform an inspection without knowledge.
It is fundamental that each technician attend a well-structured MRT training course before operating.
In the next paragraphs we will specify and explain the minimum topics of an MRT training.
The operative training
This preparation must allow the inspector to correctly use the device in laboratory and on the field, to read and interpret the data on the software and prepare a report perfectly in compliance with the regulation.
The training represents the first step on a path for becoming an MRT expert technician. Later, practice and good after-sales services will help keep maintainers on the straights. This path must help maintainers to be aware of how an MRT inspection works.
- Minimum required knowledge, Regulation, and Report
Technician must know what characterizes ropes and the inspection environment. Ropes terminology, characteristics and construction are the minimum necessary knowledge for operating.
Knowing the Regulation, the ISO4309 for the heavy lifting sector, is almost half of an inspection.
The standard establishes general principles for the care and maintenance, and inspection and discard of steel wire ropes used on cranes and hoists. Furthermore, it provides realistic discard criteria covering maximum number of broken wires, decreases in rope diameter and corrosion and gives a method for assessing the combined effect of deterioration at any position in the rope.
A report in compliance with the regulation shows if the inspection procedure has been respected and legally protects the maintainers in case of claims. These features are mandatory either for visual inspection, which is usually underestimated. It is always necessary for an operator to know the difference among defects and their relative severity rating. A valley break has 100% of severity rating (the rope must be discarded), whilst the severity rating of an external/internal broken wire depends on rope construction
- MRT-signals and their interpretations
This part is the core of Magnetic Rope Tests. Inspectors must learn the correspondence between signals and defects, how and why signal varies, how to distinguish fake signals and specially when to use a signal instead of another one (LM vs LMA).
- Software training
It could seem easier to have defects numbers or damages percentage instead of diagrams, but these numbers are a quantitative representation performed by a machine. Reading a number defined on different rope behaviour conditions could be tricky when you have the responsibility of the result. This topic regards also unappropriated use of filters, we do think that a training starting from raw data leads maintainers to safer interpretations. In this part of the training the user must learn how to apply filters and their meaning and how to set best the diagram for a real time and post-processing evaluation.
- Technical Practice
MRT systems are experience goods, users starts usually to evaluate these products only after several technical approaches. This part of the preparation allows the customer to be confident with the equipment and to perform several tests before the first inspection on the field.
ISO9712-Training
This training is mandatory in the cableway sector and allows the technician to be considered as MRT expert in heavy lifting sector.
This course is held by qualified companies under the supervision of third-party organism, usually a notified body.
This training is technically deeper than the operative one, providing all the necessary knowledge to operates in accordance with International Standards. The candidate will learn the basics of electromagnetism, how the system works, how the signal is created and how different regulations work.
After the course, the technician will be capable to understand the physic concepts behind the device designing.
Conclusion
- Trainings are necessary tools to become an MRT inspector. Furthermore, we think that a constant support from teacher/MRT supplier could be very useful to conduct maintainers toward the full understanding of each phenomenon.
- Professional inspectors interpret diagrams and provide a rope status report, normal inspectors read numbers.
More about Magnetic Rope Testing?
Discover our articles about Magnetic Rope Testing (MRT):
- When is an MRT suggested?
- Rope inspection, safety and the ISO4309 regulation
- The EN12927, is your MRT device in compliance with the standard?
- Localized Fault VS Loss of Metallic Area
- A permanent MRT system
- The magnetization curve of a steel wire rope
- How is MRT equipment made
- How to choose an MRT device
- How to develop customized magneto-inductive equipment
