Good afternoon.

I am Lelel II from Flir and soonest my certification expire.

From  the Flir they told me that I must re-certificate .It is realy necessary  to re-certificate ?

I was active thermografer all the past 5 Years

Also from  where  I can have a re-cerification in the same level?

Thanks in advance for you help

IG

Under the FLIR scheme of "certification" you need to re-certify—with them! It is unfortunate what is basically a fairly simple issue of maintaining qualification has been complicated by a marketing department. While the intent of the system may have had value, the result all too often simply serves their needs rather than the customers.

The truth is there is NO requirement for re-certification in the United States except as determined by the employer or the customers. In other countries re-certification may be required by a national certification standard or board. 

If you do not yet have a company Written Practice, I would urge you to draft one. We can provide you with a simple guide. It should clearly state what is required for a thermographer to be qualified and certified and how that certification is to be maintained. You may determine, by the way, that FLIR certification and re-certification fully meets your needs, but that should be determined only after close examination of your real needs! The Written Practice should meet the needs of your company and customers and any of the regulatory requirements in your country. 

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Thermally Yours,

John
ASNT NDT Level III #48166
The Snell Group
www.thesnellgroup.com
www.thermalsolutions.org
800-636-9820

As far as I know the requirement for recertification comes from ISO. There are various other organisations that require recertification, both for thermography and other NDT tecniques. The basic concept is that you must remain active and keep up with developments in the industry. It is not really good enough that you can certify, and move out of the industry completely for thirty years and still have valid certification.  

In order to recertify you must remain active in thermography, write a published article (or attend a thermography conference), submit proof and apply for recertification. Most people after five years in the industry can meet all these requirements.

Under ISO 9712, which covers thermography for NDT work, this topic is clearly covered in section 10.4 and 10.5, from which I quote in part below, and Annex F which is specifically for Level III.

"10.4 Renewal

10.4.1 Prior to the completion of the first period of validity, certification may be renewed by the certification body for a new period of similar duration, provided the certificate holder supplies documentary evidence of a) satisfactorily fulfilling, during the preceding 12 months, the vision requirements of 7.2.1 a), and b) continued satisfactory work activity, relevant to the certification, without significant interruption.

10.4.2 If the criterion 10.4.1 b) for renewal is not met, the individual shall follow the same rules as for recertification (see 10.5).

10.5 Recertification

10.5.1 General

Prior to completion of each second period of validity, or at least every ten years, the certified individual may be

recertified by the certification body for a similar period, provided the individual meets the criterion 10.4.1 a) for

renewal and meets the following conditions, as applicable."

 

ASNT addresses the issue of re-certification in SNT-TC-1A as follows: 

"All Level I and II NDT personnel shall be re-certified every three (3) years based upon evidencof continuing satisfactory performance as judged and documented by the certified NDT Level III for the applicable method. Where a weakness is identified by the NDT Level III in the technical performance of an individual supplemental training and specific examinations may be used, at the discretion of the NDT Level III, to upgrade the individual prior to completion of recertification. Level III personnel shall be re-certified every five (5) years based upon continuing satisfactory performance as judged by ASNT."

 

The system mentioned earlier in this thread may be a derive from other standards, but one must be clear that it is a certification scheme created by a private company (FLIR) and may or may not comply with accepted international standards and/or the needs of the company and their customers. Too often I've found people in our industry not being clear about that which I think is a mistake.

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Thermally Yours,

John
ASNT NDT Level III #48166
The Snell Group
www.thesnellgroup.com
www.thermalsolutions.org
800-636-9820