SKF South Africa Training Solutions is proud to have obtained accreditation through the South African Institute of Mechanical Engineers (SAIMechE) on five of its training courses.

SKF South Africa is the first bearing manufacturer to receive SAIMechE accreditation which is mandated by the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA). It also complements the company’s two other accreditations - BINDT (British Institute of Non-destructive Testing) for SKF Vibration Analysis training and MerSeta for SKF bearings and lubrication training received in November and December 2012 respectively.

Bearing reliability and lifespan are determined not only by the quality of the bearing itself but also by correct fitment and maintenance. Training plays a fundamental role in educating customers on correct bearing installation and maintenance. The value adds of training are maximised bearing reliability and lifecycle and increased uptime and production. This mind-set initiated the establishment of SKF Training Solutions a number of years ago. “It is also an extension of SKF’s ongoing commitment to provide excellent service,” says Steve Parkinson, Training Solutions Manager for SKF South Africa.

SKF Training Solutions trains approximately 500 delegates on its various programmes annually. “Accreditation of our training programmes enables us to offer our customers, Authorised Distributors and delegates several important advantages,” states Parkinson.

“Registered professional engineers are required to obtain a minimum of 25 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points every five years in order to keep their registrationstatus. Some engineers who need points but are limited by time, opt for a general seminar which has CPD points rather than attend SKF training.”

“Our accredited courses now enable engineers to claim their attendance and CPD credits as part of their development. Furthermore, accreditation is affirmation of our ongoing commitment to our customers to provide training programmes that are of first class quality and highly relevant for the industry.”

As the first business unit within the global SKF Group to accredit regional SKF training Centres, SKF South Africa currently boasts two accredited regional training centres in Cape Town and Durban respectively - West Cape Bearings (SKF Authorised Distributor), and Shukela (a division of the SA Sugar Association). Parkinson adds that many SKF authorised distributors also have facilities to present training should there be a need for smaller groups in specific regions. Currently approximately 70% of the training being conducted by SKF is onsite at customer premises.

SKF Training Solutions has a basket of over 40 training courses available of which 20 are products specific. Parkinson confirms that SKF South Africa is currently offering thirteen courses which cover bearings, lubrication, alignment, balancing, condition monitoring, vibration analysis and thermography. Product specific courses are also offered to customers after purchasing the products.

Supported by Training Coordinator, Nadine Schroeter, Parkinson calls on specialists from within SKF which include two application engineers and two condition monitoring experts as well as a retired SKF trainer to facilitate training.

The SAIMechE accreditation which was received on 13 April 2017 is applicable to the following five SKF training programmes:

WE 201 – Bearing Maintenance and Technology (3 CPD points)- Bearing basics; includes a practical component for delegates to correctly mount and dismount bearing
WE 204 – Bearing Damage Analysis (2 CPD Points) - Analyses of bearing failures and determination of the root causes of failure
WE 240 – Precision Shaft Alignment (2 CPD Points) - Alignment methodology; practical demonstration on alignment of rotating shafts within specified tolerances
WI 202 – Vibration Analysis Category 1 (5 CPD Points) - How to: Operate instrumentation, take vibration readings, conduct testing, compare all measurements, verify data collected and evaluate and report results.
WI 203 – Vibration Analysis Category 2 (5 CPD Points) - How to: Select the correct measurement technique, set up instruments, perform vibration analysis, maintain a database of results, perform basic impact tests, classify, interpret and evaluate results, recommend corrective actions and recommend alternative condition monitoring techniques.