Where did you get your training/education from?

Question:
In what fashion did you learn hydraulics?

Choices:
Formally schooled engineer
Engineer, self taught hydraulics
Technical school
Workplaced trained
Self taught
Picked it up here and there
Other

 

101 views, yet only 5 votes?

WHAT DO YOU EXPECCT FROM A DISCIPLINE THAT IS IMPLEMENTED BY ANYONE WHO HAS A TOOL POUCH, HAS AN ME DEGREE OR WHO FOUND A JOB AT A FLUID POWER MANUFACTURER OR DISTRIBUTOR??????????????????

No one is interested Josh, Sorry.

You sound bitter, Bud.

I'm not bitter Josh, just realistic.

Actually the lack of trained persons in the field made my Sales Job and Consulting after I quit sales very simplistic. Just try not to get too many circuit design jobs, training sessions or trouble shooting stints at one time. Never lacked for work for the 15 years I was able to get out. Still get request's but due to my wife's cancer I am home bound now.

And Peter, I don't believe even 5% of persons in industry have enough training in Fluid Power to know how many ways a Directional Controls functions. As you know, the area of Fluid Power you spend al of your time in has even less knowledgeable persons than the everyday area of Fluid Power.

And the "Someone had to design those circuits" is primarily the Fluid Power Manufacturers and Fluid Power Distributor salesman. Try that with Electrical and Electronic equipment.

And, if Josh went to the PLCS's forum he would find more post, by more people in one day than all the Fluid Power forums have in a week, probably in a month.

And, I've been to many Fluid Power shows over the years and agree some of the equipment is impressive. The sad part is, It Is The Same Equipment Every Year. But compare that to one of the Electrical shows and I believe you would find a lot more to impress the thousands more people who attend. Even the few seminars at a Fluid Power show are by the same people yearafter year until they really retire or die

I'm really not bitter just saddened that a discipline that is used so much, but coulld be used a lot more, is not recognized by most as one that needs TRAINED/DEDICATED presons to give it the respect it deserves but is not earned since HALFWAY WORKS OK so why try to do it better.

My tenure is coming to an end, I've loved every minute of it and would dearly like to see it grow. One way to growth is for the field to be recognized by industry similar to how Mechanical and Electrical systems are.

Oh well, I tried and am not smart enough to quit so I guess you will just have to put up with my RAVINGS until I get senile enough to forget there might be a problem.

I'm suprised nobody has taken a hydraulics course at a technical school (or at least voted for it anyway). The certificate program at my local college requires six classes:
Basic Hydraulics
Hydraulic Troubleshooting and Rebuild
Hydraulic Troubleshooting
Basic Pneumatics and Troubleshooting
Electrical/Electronic Applications for Fluid Power
Pneumatic Troubleshooting

Quite a bit more involved than your weekend or week long seminar style education (250 hours in total).

Josh;
That is quite an outstanding curriculum. Better than any I have come across.

The Tech scool in my area puts on a 64 Hour Basic Class for Mechanical and Electrical Maintenence Apprentices as part of a 3 year course. The Mechanical Apprentices also get a 64 Hour Advanced class in Troubke Shooting.

I taught several of these classes and found the Electricl Apprentices were quicker to pick up the basics and schematic reading since their only work is on Electrical equipment and schematics reading is required. Without schematic reading skills and a thorough understanding of Electrical functions and equipment their life expectancy is short.

However, Mechanical Maintenance pesons could only spend 128 Hours on Fluid Power, in fact the course title is actually "Hydraulics", since their work covers so many other disciplines.

The course you went through is close to what a Fluid Power Maintenance Tech should have to be proficient at working on hydraulic and pneumatic circuits.

The problem I find with any program that covers so amny areas is the students get in the work force and hardly ever do any work on Fluid Power circuits. The old saying of "Use It or Lose It" takes effect and by the time most come across a problem on a Fluid Power system they don't remember enough to do anything but wht the Lead Mechanic tells them to do. Try that setup with Electrical types and see what happens.

Actually, I'm enrolling in that course this fall; I haven't already taken it yet. My training has been work provided (140 hours so far), as well as self-taught.

Josh;

The other reason there are few answers to your Poll is the few Members and the even FEWER POSTER'S on this and the other Flud Power Forums.

And take a look at the Member List and notice how many have never made a Post or Reply.

You have chosen, or Fell Into, a wide open field of endeavor. So don't be surprised if you are assisting persons with a lot higher education but LITTLE TRAINING when it comes to applying or working on Flud Power systems.

Been there and done that for 40+ years.
Ought not be that way but that is te true world of Fluid Power.

I can take the bad with the good. I understand that the industry is fundamentally underdeveloped, but it also means I'll always be in demand. You wouldn't believe how many time I have to answer the question, "How many tons will this pump lift?" in a work week.

quote:

You wouldn't believe how many time I have to answer the question, "How many tons will this pump lift?"

Josh, I always answer this one with "How many Tons do you want it to lif?' and follow it up with "How fast do you want the Lift to move?"

Peter, How do you like that. 3 Engineers all said they were "Self Taught." What does that tell you about the state of Fluid Power Education???????????????????? How phenominal!!!!

Try the same question on an Electrical or Mechanical Enginneers Forum and see the response.

I still say it ought not be so, especially in a Nation so far advanced in all the other aspects of Egineering.

But why does this two year Tool Design Tech School person, who fell into Fluid Power Sales by default, think he knows anything about TRAINING??????????????

I just work here.

So I say, us three start our own, dedicated hydraulic engineering program. You two come up with the initial investment funds and design the cericulum, and I'll share the profits with you.

Josh, at 75 and taking care of my wife of 55 Years, I don't do any outside activities that she can't attend. I still snjoy the Forum's, especially bantering with Peter and GLK.

I will continue to answer questions the way I understand the field I fell into 40+ years back and maybe sell some books if there is any interest.

I will also keep pushing for TRAINED/DEDICATED Fluid Power persons until I hear a viable reason not to or when I get to start Real Life after this one is finished.

I may never see the day when Fluid Power is a recognized ield of endeavor but it won't be from lack of trying. I'm just too stubborn to give it up.

I'm sure I share the view of Peter and GLK when I say, "their loss is our gain."