Category: Certifications

Tips for ICML certifications.

Obtaining my MLT I & II certifications

The MLT (Machinery Lubrication Technician) exams are developed by ICML (International Council for Machinery Lubrication) and is seen as the entry level certification for those who are working in the field of lubrication. When I entered the reliability field (years ago!), it was one of the credentials I was told that I should obtain to allow others to take me seriously since I was a young female entering a male dominated world. Back then, the training for these exams usually took place as a week-long intensive course in the US followed by the exam. For me, this would have meant travelling to the US, studying for the exam, catching up on work, balancing some jet lag and then writing the exam. This approach didn’t work for me.

I may have taken the unconventional route and written my first book, “Lubrication Degradation Mechanisms – A Complete Guide” published by CRC Press and obtained my MLE (Machinery Lubrication Engineer) certification before thinking of these exams. After achieving my MLE and becoming the first person (and still the only female) in the Caribbean, I went on to secure the Varnish badges from ICML. These are the VIM (Varnish and Deposit Identification Mechanisms) & VPR (Varnish and Deposit Prevention and Removal) badges from ICML. I was the first female in the world to achieve these and to date, still the only female with these badges. I pursued all of these courses via On demand sessions from the master himself, Michael Holloway of 5^th Order Industry.

Everything at the right time

At the end of 2020, Mike approached me to write a guide book for the MLT Level I & II exams. My first question to him was, “How can I write the book for these exams if I don’t have these certifications?”. He assured me that the MLE content covered the topics in MLT I & II and then a lot more. We decided to work on writing the book and get the certification before the book was published. Surely enough after we submitted the pages to the publishing house, I began my preparation for the exam using Mike’s On Demand videos and the book we had just developed for these exams! I was preparing myself to take the MLT I first and then the MLT II right afterwards. Plus, Mike had a really good deal on the course content! How could I refuse?!

Unfortunately, life happened, or in this case death. In November, one of my parents contracted COVID and did not survive. While taking care of them, we also contracted COVID, the one with the long haul effects. Needless to say during the following months, I could not retain any information nor sit an exam. One of the side effects from COVID was brain fog and even after a couple of months this did not clear up to the point where I felt that I was ready to retain any information. I had forgotten basic info which would have been at the forefront of my memory and really struggled for some time to come to terms with everything that had happened and the new journey which lay before us. Our lives were changed forever.

Exam preparation

In May, I finally began to feel a bit better and restarted my MLT Journey with Mike’s videos and our certification book as our guide. This time, I had a physical copy of the book on my desk as it was already published (maybe things do work out in their own special timings). Getting back into study mode while running the business and dealing with never ending paperwork and legalities which surround a death was tricky. I was so grateful for the on demand courses to allow me to study on my own time, at my own pace, when I was truly ready. Also being able to book the exam and complete it virtually from my own space was terrific! The time and anxiety associated with taking an exam is enough, we don’t need to include traffic, getting to a physical location and the environmental conditions of the exam room into the mix!

If you’re preparing for the MLT exam, you have to complete Level I first. There is no skipping ahead to Level II as during the sign up process for MLT II, you have to include your MLT I ID#. My advice for scheduling the exams would be to schedule one on the Monday and the other by Friday of the same week.

Exam scheduling

Here are some tips on scheduling your exam:

When you sign up and pay for the exam you should allow 1-2 business days for processing.
Once you have been approved, then you can set your exam date. You will be notified via email with instructions on the next steps.
MLT I & II are both 3 hours, so choose your timeslot carefully.
Exam results take 2-3 days to process. You will receive an email with your results and grades in the various areas of the BoK.
Once you have passed MLT I and gotten your ID#, you should sign up for the MLT II exam immediately, if you intend to pursue it afterwards.
This will then take 1-2 days to process again. You will receive another email letting you know that you can choose your exam date.
Then, it’s on to schedule your exam date.
After the exam, you will have to wait for 2-3 business days to get your results.

Ideally, one should schedule a 2 week window for taking both the MLT I & II exams and receiving the results. You cannot take both exams in one day (just yet!).

Exam day

Once you enter the Examity portal, you will be asked to suggest a couple of security questions. Please choose these wisely and remember your answers as they will be asked on the day of the exam by the proctor. My advice would be to check the exam portal one day before your exam to familiarize yourself with the questions and answers as these are blocked out on the day of the exam. You should try to log on to the portal 30 minutes before the actual exam just to make sure you can get in and everything works. You will not be able to enter the “exam room” until 15 minutes before your appointed time. Afterwards, the Proctor will do their checks and balances with you where they ask to see your government issued identification (be sure your picture and expiry date are on the same side of this identification). They will also ask to see a 360 view of the room in which you are sitting to ensure it is clear.

During the exam, you can flag questions which you are not sure about and always go back to those afterwards. When you get to the last question, the button turns to submit but you don’t have to use this button until you are ready. Use your time to go back to your flagged questions, decipher the best suited answer and then press forward with your exam. Once you have finished and clicked the “Done” button, you should notify your proctor that you have finished the exam. They also have to close off the session on their side, so this is important to remember. You will see a page which comes up saying exam results, don’t panic! These are not your actual results, just a statement of the time you took. You will get your actual results within the next few days.

The MLT I & II Body of Knowledge

Here’s a look at the BoK for MLT I and MLT II. You will realize that the MLT II builds on the content covered in MLT I. Depending on where you are on your journey to machine lubrication, you can opt to take the both tests (one after the other of course) or simply start with the MLT I and then work up to the MLT II exam. In our certification guide, we used a Unique 5 Step process for learning:

Familiarize
Find Socrates
Be the Exam
Practice Exam
Explore

This unconventional method has proven to be exceptionally effective, not for only passing the exam, but to truly retaining the knowledge and becoming an expert in the content you’re studying. Certification requirements are discussed throughout the work, making this the ideal resource for prospective MLT I and/or MLT II certification candidates.

Here’s a quick overview of the content covered in the book:

Notes Outline: For the reader to complete. Aids in organizing ideas and thoughts.
Guided Cooperative Argument: A dialogue between authors concerning the topics. Helps answer questions that are asked on the job.
Statements of Truth and Exam Development: From the recommended Body of Knowledge, with space to develop your multiple-choice questions. Develops critical thinking process and understanding of how the exam questions are structured.
Body of Knowledge Outline: Works as a reference to help answer any questions that may arise.
Practice Exam: A mock exam designed to familiarize the reader with taking a multiple-choice test that is similar in structure and content to the real one.
Glossary & Appendices: List of common terms, charts, and tables with which all certification candidates need to be familiar.

I hope this helps anyone on their journey towards achieving their ICML MLT certifications. Good luck to those who are getting ready to take these exams.

Varnish Badges of Honour

Varnish is widely known as a primary culprit of equipment failure. This sticky enemy effectively finds its way into most of our equipment and causes operators, maintenance personnel and plant managers a series of nightmares. From unplanned shutdowns costing millions of dollars to sticking of servo valves on startup, or increases in bearing temperature, varnish usually announces its arrival. Once it has been found, there is typically a cause for panic but perhaps it just needs to be understood rather than feared?

The ICML VPR & VIM Badges

Recently (August, 2021), the International Council for Machinery Lubrication launched two new badges. These badges are, VIM (Varnish & Deposit Identification and Measurement) & VPR (Varnish & Deposit Prevention & Removal). These were created after the culmination of 3 years of work from the global varnish test development committee. It has been designed for those involved in all aspects of managing or advising lubricant programs especially those with the responsibility of recommending, selling or installing appropriate deposit control equipment or other mitigation strategies.

Most of the readers will already be familiar with my enthusiasm for understanding lubricant degradation. Thus, when these badges came out, I knew I had to secure them! While the requirements for taking the test suggest the possession of the MLT I or MLA I certification or 1 year of experience, I figured that my MLE certification would be an asset (as I haven’t gotten my MLT I certification yet, it’s on the list!). However, I wanted to make sure that I covered all of the elements in the BoK for both the VIM & VPR badges, so naturally I turned to the varnish guru himself, Greg Livingstone!

Fluid Learning – All the way!

1604954736_Fluid Learning Splash 2020-01

Greg is the CIO at Fluitec but he’s also the facilitator for the ICML VPR & VIM badges. What a treat! If you’ve never heard the name Greg Livingstone then you’re obviously not in the lubrication field. Greg has penned hundreds of papers on varnish and can be thought of as the varnish guru since he has extensive experience in this area. It’s a no brainer that I chose Fluid Learning to get me up to speed on what I needed to know for these exams!

Greg was an amazing facilitator and not only covered information relevant to the BoK for the exams but gave students a full overview about everything you needed to know about varnish. These on demand sessions kept me scribbling notes and nodding to myself and saying, “Oh that’s what really happens!” He presents the information clearly and adds some much needed humour into the sessions. It was an absolute privilege having him as my tutor for these badges.

VPR & VIM- What you need to know!

VPR - Varnish & Deposit Prevention and Removal

The VPR badge ensures that candidates understand proactive methods and technologies which can be employed to reduce the degree of degradation. It is also designed to confirm that they can sufficiently evaluate combinations of technologies to prevent and remove varnish including the proper steps to set up and implement an effective varnish removal system.

The topics covered in the VPR include:

Problems associated with Varnish & Deposits (20%)
Factors affecting Breakdown (28%)
Proactive Methods that can be used to minimize oil breakdown (16%)
Methods / Technologies that can be used to remove oil breakdown products and/or prevent deposits (36%)

The complete BoK for the VPR badge can be found here.

VIM (Varnish & Deposit Identification & Measurement)

The VIM badge on the other hand is more ideally suited for personnel responsible for recommending suitable oil analysis tests and mitigation efforts related to the deposit tendencies of various in-service fluids (application dependent). They would also be responsible for monitoring and adjusting these strategies accordingly.

The topics covered in VIM include:

Problems associated with Varnish and Deposits (20%)
Varnish and Deposit Composition (24%)
How Breakdown Products / Contaminants become Deposits (24%)
Oil Analysis Techniques that can be used to gauge Breakdown and Propensity towards Deposit Formation (32%)

The complete BoK for the VIM badge can be found here.

Exam tips!

The actual exams for both the VPR & VIM are set at 45 minutes with 25 multiple choice questions. Candidates must achieve 70% grade to attain the badges. Currently, the fee for the exam is USD75. Since there were overlaps of the content and the exam durations weren’t that long, I decided to sit both exams in one day. I will only advise this for those who are comfortable with doing this as exam anxiety and all that comes along with it can be stressful!

Here are a couple tips for taking these exams:

Log into the system 30 minutes prior to your scheduled exam time. This allows you to clear your mind, settle yourself and gives you an extra 15 minutes to figure out where the email is with your credentials! If you can’t remember your password to login to the system, this also gives you enough time to get that reset and sorted before the actual exam time.
The session only opens 15 minutes before the appointed time. During this time, you will converse with the moderator as they do the checks of the room and your National Identification. The moderators will engage with you and ensure that you are sitting the correct exam.
Ensure you have your National Identification on hand (your passport can be used as well). As long as it has your picture and the expiration date on the same side, it will be acceptable. For the Trinidadians, do not use your National ID card as we have our pictures on the front with the information on the back (I used my Driver’s permit).
Candidates have the option of “Flagging” questions to come back to them later. This is a great tool to help you to mark those questions you want to return to or double check.
There is a timer in the screen layout which helps you to keep track of your time. 45 minutes passes very quickly when you’re running through the questions!
Exam results for these badges come back very quickly as much as within a few hours or one day depending on the time of your exam.

Why do you need these badges?

As long as you work within the lubrication sector or interface with machines requiring lubrication, then you need to get these badges! Oil degradation occurs throughout the life of the lubricant whether it’s a small or large operation. By understanding how it degrades and ways to mitigate that degradation, you can save your equipment and avoid unwanted downtime. These badges were designed for the personnel in the field to allow them to make decisions regarding the lubricant and to empower them in taking steps to avoid degradation or mitigate it should the need arise. Consider it as getting your passport stamped by the ICML!

The courses offered by Fluid Learning are perfect for those seeking to understand lubrication deposits, what causes them and how they can be mitigated. While the content covered during these sessions align with the ICML VPR & VIM badges, they also add to a more holistic approach to varnish and deposits. Fluid Learning is an official ICML Training Partner and is currently the only one (of which I am aware) offering training prep for these badges. I highly recommend them for anyone seeking to learn more about or avoid sticky varnish situations.

At the moment of writing this article, there are only 8 people globally who have acquired these badges from ICML. I am the first female in the world to attain these badges but I will not be the only female for very long. Varnish is an issue which affects us all and we need to understand it, so we can prevent it and keep our equipment safe. I hope to see many more candidates with these badges in the near future!

Certifications / Reliability

My MLE Journey

Ever since the MLE (Machinery Lubrication Engineer) exam was launched in April 2019, I was intrigued by it! It provided a certification where the dynamic duo of reliability and asset managers could be combined and infused with elements of lubrication and oil analysis. The perfect combination! However, since its launch, there have only been a couple of public sittings where the exam has bene conducted. Unfortunately for me, this would have required me to travel to the US for at least a week and run my business remotely. Every session that was announced directly clashed with my schedule and it was almost impossible for me to attend a session that didn’t clash with my crazy schedule.

Enter the C-19 pandemic that we’ve been facing that began in March 2020 (for us in Trinidad when our borders were closed). This pandemic caused (some much needed) downtime for all of us and helped to revolutionize the industry by allowing advancements in technology to finally be accepted. During the downtime, I decided to start studying for the MLE Exam with 5th Order Industry LLC. What a surprise, I had in store for me! After starting the course, I realized, I knew nothing about lubrication in the past! It was a definite eye opener and made me aware of the number of elements that I took for granted during my entire lubrication career.

Michael Holloway CRL, LLA (I,II), MLT (I,II), MLA (I,II, III), OMA, CLS, MLE was a great teacher and offered me assistance in all the areas in which I was unclear. He was also extremely responsive to all of questions at weird hours of the day when I got the time to study for the exam. His guidance was paramount to me achieving the MLE certification! The flexibility of On Demand modules allowed me to learn at my own pace and ensure that I understood each area before moving on to the next. The unique style of the delivery of the class really ensured that I benefitted from the bulk of the information provided as it allowed me to apply the knowledge in real life practical situations.

What exactly is the MLE?

The MLE exam was launched in April, 2019 along with the ICML 55.1 standard. Part 1 of the ICML 55 standard speaks to Asset Management, requirements for Optimized Lubrication of Mechanical Physical Assets. The MLE was mapped to this ICML 55.1 standard. This allows personnel within organizations who are studying for this exam to become more prepared for eventually attaining the ISO 55001 certification for their organization. The ICML 55.1 standard was drafted using the ISO 55001 as a guide however the 55.1 standard fills the gap with specific requirements and guidelines to establish, implement, maintain and improve consistent lubrication management systems and activities.

The MLE Body of Knowledge consists of 24 areas of knowledge and can be found here in greater detail. Additionally, the well documented Domain of knowledge is also accessible here.

The 24 areas for the BoK include:

Asset Management, ISO 55001 & ICML 55; Basic Elements (3%)
Machine Reliability; Basic Elements (5%)
Machine Maintenance; Basic Elements (5%)
Condition-based Maintenance; Basic Elements (5%)
Tribology, Friction, Wear and Lubrication Fundamentals; Basic Elements (5%)
Lubricant Formulation for Machine Types to achieve Optimum Reliability, Energy Consumption, Safety and Environmental Protection; Basic Elements (5%)
Job and Task Based Skills / Training related to Lubrication and Reliability by User Organizations (4%)
Lubrication Support Facilities needed in Plants and Work Sites (3%)
Risk Management for Lubricated Machines; Basic Elements (4%)
Optimum Machine Modifications and Features Needed to Achieve and Sustain Reliability Goals (5%)
Lubricant Selection for Optimum Reliability, Safety, Energy Consumption and Environmental Protection based on Machine Type and Application (4%)
Lubrication related Planning, Scheduling and Work Processing (4%)
Periodic Lubrication Maintenance Tasks (4%)
Inspection of Lubricated Machines for Optimum Reliability, Safety, Environmental Protection and Condition Monitoring (5%)
Lubricant Analysis and Condition Monitoring for Optimum Reliability Objectives (8%)
Fault/Failure Troubleshooting, Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Remediation (5%)
Supplier Compliance / Alignment and Procurement of Services and Products (3%)
Waste and Used Lubricant Management and Environmental Compliance (3%)
Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection (3%)
Health and Safety (3%)
Oil Reclamation, Decontamination, De-varnishing & Additive Reconstruction (3%)
Lubrication during Standby, Storage and Commissioning (2%)
Program Metrics (5%)
Continuous Improvement (4%)

Candidate requirements

As per ICML, candidates require at least 5 years education (post-secondary) or On-the-Job training in one or more of the following fields: Engineering, Mechanical Maintenance, Maintenance Trades, Lubrication, Oil Analysis and / or Condition Monitoring (Mechanical Machinery).

There are no prerequisites of an Engineering Degree or prior ICML certifications to attain the MLE certification. However, there are overlaps in the BoKs for the MLA & MLT exams that would prove useful in preparing for the MLE exam.

Scheduling the Exam

Once I completed the course from 5th Order Industry, I was awarded my Certificate of Completion which stated that I had achieved the required 40 hours of preparation for the exam. Looking back on it now, I spent a lot more than 40 hours preparing for the exam! In addition to completing the courses online, I started reading documents, manuals and books all outlined in the Domain of Knowledge (mentioned above).

In essence, it took me approximately 3 and a half months to fully prepare for this exam! It’s such a lengthy time span since I was studying at my own pace which the On Demand modules allowed me to do and I wanted to make certain that I was ready! After completing the online courses, it took me an additional week to schedule my exam as I had to make sure that there would be no urgent order of business during my 4 hour isolation and that I had reviewed at least 5 times the material covered!

To schedule the exam, one has to go to the ICML site. Then choose the mode of delivery (I chose Online of course and not Paper based). The site then allows you to choose the exam that you are applying for while giving you the guidelines that are specific to the exam type chosen (Online or Paper Based). For the Online sessions, they allow the candidates to verify whether their computer meets the requirements by clicking on some links provided.

After the exam type is selected, the candidate is moved to another page where they are required to provide some confirmations and upload their training certificate from one of the approved training providers. After submitting this information, the candidate is then directed to another page to fill out their profile information and make payment. An email will be received with the receipt from ICML. Afterwards, you will receive another email from Examity providing a link to fill out your profile and schedule your exam.

Exam day

The MLE exam spans a duration of 4 hours. These can pass in the blink of an eye in the exam room! For the exam, be sure to login at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time of your exam. Bring along a form of National Identification (ensure that the expiry date is on the same side as your picture). In my case, my National ID card has my picture on one side and all the details on the other side. The Proctor had to ask me for another form of ID and since my Passport had expired (the renewal date passed during the Quarantine Period!), I had to use my Driver’s permit which was upstairs! It took a bit of shuffling around (frantically, I’ll say!) but the Proctor was able to use my Driver’s permit after I retrieved it.

The desk area must be clean with no additional items. The only items on my desk were my 2 forms of ID. The Proctor will ask to view the entire room and ensure that all doors are closed. There is no need to walk with a calculator as one will be available in the virtual exam room on the screen as well as other tools that may be required. For this exam, you just need to walk with your brain, selection skills and your virtual knowledge base! The exam allows candidates to flag questions that they are unsure about and come back to them at a later time (which was absolutely terrific for me)!

The Results

After completing the exam, the candidate has to inform the Procter that they have finished and then submit their answers. Thereafter begins the dreaded wait for the results! To my surprise, I got these results in two days after completing the exam! I can tell you, there was a lot of hesitation before opening that email! The email contained the results (yes I did pass! Yay!) and the score for each of the 24 sections of the exam.

At the time of writing this article, I am the first MLE in the entire Caribbean (I had to check twice to make sure)! I would highly recommend the MLE exam for lubrication professionals who want to challenge themselves and personnel within the reliability and asset management sectors who have a passion for lubrication. It is a wonderful exam and the knowledge that it will expose you to will be phenomenal!

Check out this article where our feedback was published by ICML!