The Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) is pleased to announce the release of new micro-credentials covering a variety of smart automation technologies into pilot phase. SACA members are encouraged to begin offering these credentials to ensure the workforce is certified in these essential areas:
- C-217 Smart Manufacturing Fundamentals
Prepares individuals to describe the principles, technologies, and applications of Smart Manufacturing, Industry 4.0, and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and how they affect the competitive position of manufacturers. Further, individuals must be able to safely operate basic smart automation systems that use Human Machine Interface (HMI) panels, monitor system operation parameters and energy usage using HMI visualization software, and connect/test to smart devices through point-to-point Ethernet communications.
- C-218 Smart Manufacturing Data Acquisition
Prepares individuals to identify types of manufacturing data and its function, describe how smart manufacturing data is collected and stored, set up and operate a dedicated cloud-based data acquisition system, interface and test analog and discrete sensing devices, configure and test wired and wireless Ethernet communications to sensors, and view data stored in a dedicated data acquisition system.
- C-219 Smart Manufacturing Visualization and Data Analytics
Prepares individuals to organize and interpret data using a variety of visualization methods, set up and operate visualization displays using dedicated and controller-based data acquisition systems, set up programmable controllers to collect data, configure Bluetooth technology to transfer information between devices, use OPC server software to facilitate data exchange between a smart device and a database or another smart device, set up Excel Spreadsheet, and use Excel to analyze data.
- C-220 Smart Manufacturing Data Transmission and Cybersecurity
Prepares individuals to assess potential cyber security threats to an industrial smart manufacturing system and data transmission methods, use best practices to protect stored and transmitted data against cyber security attacks, respond effectively to cyber security attacks, and set up secure industrial local area networks and firewalls.
- C-305 Industrial Electronic Systems 1
Prepares individuals to connect, adjust, operate, and troubleshoot industrial electronic linear DC power supplies, discrete input devices, and analog input devices. Troubleshooting skills include: adhering to electronic troubleshooting safety rules, reading electronic circuit diagrams, systems troubleshooting, component testing, and using digital multimeters, oscilloscopes, and status indicators. Components include: diodes, rectification circuits, Wheatstone bridge circuits, filter circuits, regulators, BJT transistors, PNP and NPN relays, analog temperature sensors, analog pressure sensors, analog proximity sensors, and signal conditioner circuits.
- C-306 Industrial Electronic Systems 2
Prepares individuals to connect, adjust, operate, and troubleshoot industrial electronic switching circuits used for motor control, switching power supplies and heating. Troubleshooting skills include: systems troubleshooting, component testing, and using digital multimeters, oscilloscopes, and status indicators. Components: FET/JFET/MOSFET/IGBT transistors, PWM amplifiers, switching DC power supplies, variable frequency amplifier circuits, operational amplifiers, SCR DC motor control switching circuits, and TRIAC AC motor control and heating switching circuits.
- C-307 Electronic Systems Installation 1
Prepares individuals to install and test/commission industrial electrical control systems that incorporate programmable logic controllers (PLC), human machine interface (HMI) panels, and variable frequency AC drives (VFD). Key skills include: adhering to electronic installation safety rules, using proper PPE, reading wiring installation diagrams with PLCs/HMIs/VFDs; cabinet mounting PLCs/HMIs/VFDs, wire routing and grounding PLCs/HMIs/VFDs, soldering/de-soldering to component terminals and printed circuit boards, installing Modbus and Ethernet communications network, and installing analog input transmitters and analog sensors.
- C-308 Variable Frequency Drive Systems 2
Prepares individuals to connect, configure, adjust, operate, and troubleshoot advanced AC variable frequency motor drives using sensorless vector and flux vector control modes. Key skills include: configuring control mode, connecting a VFD with 3-phase input, wiring/testing a dual channel incremental encoder interface and troubleshooting, configuring external speed control, monitoring and configuring PC-based drive software, configuring USB and Ethernet communications, and configuring/programming VFD communications with programmable logic controller.
- C-309 Programmable Controller Systems 2
Prepares individuals to program, configure, monitor, operate, and troubleshoot Ethernet communications between intelligent industrial automation devices using wired and wireless Ethernet communications. Key skills include: PLC implicit and explicit messaging, PLC distributed I/O, VFD-PLC Ethernet communications, VLAN security, wireless Ethernet networks, and IACS network troubleshooting.
- C-310 Ethernet Communications 2
Prepares individuals to program, configure, monitor, operate, and troubleshoot Ethernet communications between intelligent industrial automation devices using wired and wireless Ethernet communications. Key skills include: PLC implicit and explicit messaging, PLC distributed I/O, VFD-PLC Ethernet communications, VLAN security, wireless Ethernet networks, and IACS network troubleshooting.
- C-311 Data Analytics 1
Prepares individuals to program, configure, monitor, and operate cloud-based data analytics and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software systems in an Industry 4.0 environment. Key skills include: configuring production statistics collection from PLCs and other controllers via Ethernet networks, configuring production statistics and alarm dashboard display, OPC server configuration/interfacing to control devices, configuring maintenance management application, configuring alarm screen, configuring SQL database for storage of data from SCADA software, developing queries to SQL database to display data, and analyzing data to optimize systems.
- C-312 Robot Systems Integration 2
Prepares individuals to program, interface, and troubleshoot industrial robot systems in an Industry 4.0 automation environment. Key skills include: interfacing analog I/O to robot, communicating I/O control data to/from a PLC via Ethernet/IP network, vision guidance, and vision inspection. Programs commands include: group I/O, position offset, position register, analog I/O, Ethernet handshaking, end-effector macro, robot system troubleshooting, and alarm screen interpretation.
Smart automation technologies are vital parts of many major industries. These industries need highly skilled workers to fill thousands of open positions, and employers need to know that potential employees have the skills they need to hit the ground running.
That’s why SACA’s new micro-credentials were developed with input and guidance from a combination of industry experts and representatives from a variety of educational organizations. Thanks to these organizations and their expertise on the skills and competencies needed for today’s smart manufacturing workforce, SACA was able to create these new nationally recognized, occupation-driven micro-credentials.
About SACA
SACA sits at the forefront of the effort to certify students and workers who demonstrate the required knowledge and hands-on smart automation skills employers so desperately need. SACA’s certifications were developed in conjunction with industry partners who could speak from experience about their needs when it comes to workers able to work alongside a variety of advanced automation technologies.
SACA offers a wide variety of certifications in popular industrial skill areas, including certifications at the Associate, Specialist, and Professional level. For those wishing to focus on building a strong foundation of skills employers need, SACA also offers many micro-credentials that allow students and workers to add certifications as they master new areas.
For workers, SACA certifications can help market their smart automation skills to potential employers. For those employers, SACA certifications represent confirmation that a worker has the skills to hit the ground running in the workplace. To learn more about Industry 4.0 certifications and how SACA can help both future workers and industrial employers begin the task of bridging the Industry 4.0 skills gap, contact SACA for more information.
