While a qualified person can perform these activities, a certified reliability engineer has additional certifications that enable him or her to perform much more in the field of quality assurance testing. In addition, the certification that a person receives from an organization also qualifies him or her to make a specific product or system predictions. The goal of these predictions is to provide a corrective action plan to an organization when significant quantitative or qualitative changes have been made to an existing product or system that affects its reliability or applicability.
A certified reliability engineer may also apply a variety of different tests to describe a specific problem or potential problem, including failure modes and event criteria. These tests are used to identify a critical area of a system or component that requires a corrective action to increase the product’s reliability or maintainability. The examination or test that the certified reliability engineer successfully passes qualifies him or her to call the failure and its consequences in an objective manner that increases system or product maintainability and reliability. Therefore, a certification is not only achieved by a person who has successfully completed a series of tests; he or she also must be able to interpret and explain the results of those tests in a way that a management team or someone in a customer service department would be able to understand and apply them to improve system or product function. Therefore, the certification obtained is far more than just the ability to identify problems or failure modes; it also requires an ability to explain those results in a way that anyone who understands how testing works will be able to interpret and use.
There are several different types of examinations that engineers must successfully complete in order to be certified. The most common ones include the Certified Verification Engineer (CVE) examination, Certified Equipment Utilizer Qualified (CEU) examinations, and Certified Testing Engineer (CTE) examination. Although most CVEs and CEUs will not qualify for an engineer to become a CTO, they do qualify for an engineer to become a registered quality assurance specialist (RSA). Registered testers fulfill two conditions: they need to have at least a three-year working experience in the field that they are testing; and, they need to pass an examination that tests their ability to analyze and repair technical products. An engineer who is certified as a CTR can work for any type of organization in the manufacturing, power generation, construction, aerospace, or automotive industries.
Engineers with four years of relevant experience can become a Certified Weibel (CWE) engineer. Certified Weibel (CWE) engineers have a minimum of eight years of relevant experience. During the last two years of their study, candidates need to show a significant level of understanding in the areas of applied mechanical drawing (AMD), process engineering, and reliability testing. This is achieved by taking the Certified Weibel Test, which includes one multiple-choice question, two ratchet tests, and one writing test. Once an engineer has passed this exam, he or she can work for almost any industry in the said field as long as it involves mechanical products.
A Certified Reliability Engineer will also be able to evaluate and solve hazards. Hazard analysis is considered as one of the most critical steps in the entire process of product life cycle. The hazards can include failures at design, manufacturing, and transportation stages. To evaluate a hazard, the engineer first collects data using various techniques such as mechanical, structural, analytical, or electronic means. Then, based on the data, an effective plan for handling the hazard is formulated.
In order to become a certified reliability engineer, certain requirements must be met. The requirements include having a relevant degree from an accredited university; working experience in a relevant position; and having the necessary work experience and qualification in the fields of electronics and mathematics. Generally, manufacturing plants prefer to hire candidates with relevant certificates and years of relevant experience. In some cases, however, manufacturing companies may hire individuals who do not hold certifications but possess the skills and knowledge that are needed to ensure plant reliability.
Certified reliability engineering professionals describe the challenges of implementing quality systems using the best available materials. They describe the way the testing of a system’s parts and systems occur, describe how the testing should go, and describe what results might indicate to a qualified person, such as an OEM. Furthermore, they describe the steps that need to be taken to make sure that an OEM receives expected results. Additionally, these professionals describe the methods that must be used in testing for levels of quality assurance. They provide an overview of engineering analysis, design optimization, testing, control, verification, and maintenance, and finally, they provide a description of future testing needs that will be addressed in the near future.
