Lubrication Certification: Hard to Earn and Well Worth Keeping

Suzy Jamieson, ICML

Earning your ICML certification has acknowledged your expertise in machinery lubrication and/or oil analysis to troubleshoot and ensure reliability of lubricated equipment. The lubrication and oil analysis community, your employer, clients and peers worldwide recognize your ICML credential as a symbol of the skills and knowledge you've gained through experience. Your certification shows that you are a professional with the ability to successfully utilize machinery lubrication and/or oil analysis for your organization or client.

Before earning your ICML certification, you had to meet both experience and training requirements, and more so, you had to take a three-hour examination in which your skills were tested over a series of 100 multiple-choice questions in the different subjects of the body of knowledge of your certification type. Most humans dread the idea of having to endure any exam, especially closed-book ones, naturally. Your ICML certificate was hard-earned, and you can be rightfully proud of having it.

Make sure you don't let your ICML credentials lapse. Your certification is valid for three years from the date of issue. It is crucial that you keep your certification up to date. Recertification may be achieved by one of the following two methods:

  • Recertify by points. Candidates must obtain sufficient recertification points and submit a completed application to ICML.

  • Recertify by examination. Previously certified individuals may recertify by correctly answering 70 percent of a recertification exam (50-question multiple-choice examination).

 

Recertification Points System
Individuals certified must recertify their competency every three years. The purpose for recertification is to ensure that certified individuals keep their skills current and up to date. An application for recertification must be received in order to recertify by points. All points must be earned during the time the certification is in effect. Points earned before or after the certification period will not be accepted. Points may be applied to multiple ICML certifications held by the individual, assuming that the points are applicable and approved for each individual recertification.

To recertify by points, individuals must accumulate 15 recertification points over the three-year period. Points may be claimed using the criteria spelled out in the box.

Criteria of Acceptability

  • Employment must be in a field related to industrial lubrication and/or oil analysis. Training related to oil analysis, lubrication or other topics important to effective equipment maintenance and management will be accepted.

  • Articles published in journals, magazines, books or proceedings should be related to a topic within the body of knowledge for oil analysis, lubrication, or equipment maintenance or management.

  • Attendance at a conference for topics related to oil analysis, lubrication or other aspects important to effective equipment maintenance and management will be accepted.

  • If by any chance you do not meet the criteria outlined in the table above and you dread the idea of retesting, do not despair just yet. It is possible that based on your specific lubrication/analysis-related work tasks you qualify under ICML's draft recertification categories amendment. So if your certificate is about to or has expired, don't delay; contact ICML today.

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