Instrument mechanics in engineering are tradesmen who specialize in installing, troubleshooting, and repairing instrumentation, automation and control systems.
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History
Instrumentation has existed for hundreds of years in one form or another. The oldest manometer was invented by Evangelista Torricelli in 1643. The thermometer has been credited to many scientists of about the same period. Over that time, small and large scale industrial plants have always had use for measurements. For the most part, these were passive measuring devices. If a process needed a control, they'd hire someone at a low wage to control the process manually.
World War II brought about a revolution in the use of instrumentation. Advanced processes requires tighter control than people could provide, and advanced instruments were required to provide measurements in modern processes. Also, the war left industry with a substantially reduced workforce. Industrial instrumentation solved both problems, leading to a rise in its use. Pipe fitters had to learn more about instrumentation and control theory, and a new trade was born.
Today, instrument mechanics have more to do with electricians than pipe fitters. Almost all new instrumentation is electronic, using either 4-20mA control signals or digital signalling standards.
Terminology
In Canada, journeyman tradesmen who work with instrumentation are called "Instrument Mechanics". In the United States, Australia and elsewhere, they can be called "Instrument fitters". The term may have originated from earlier instrument-qualified people being originally mechanically trained Machinists (also known as a fitter and turner) rather than electricians or "pure" instrument fitters (No secondary trade) as is now the norm.
Training and regulation of trade
In most countries, the job of an instrument mechanic is a regulated trade for safety reasons due to the many hazards of working with electricity, as well as the dangers posed by incorrectly installed or calibrated instrumentation, requiring testing, registration, or licensing. Licensing of instrument mechanics is controlled through government and/or professional societies.
The apprenticeship period has been reduced in some cases for Instrumentation Engineering Technologists, who can get their apprenticeship in 2 years rather than 4, depending on the college.
Canada
In Canada, the trade of Instrumentation and Control technician is included in the Red Seal inter-provincial journeyman program.
The trade itself is called different things in different provinces. The two most popular names are "Industrial Instrument Mechanic" and "Instrumentation and Control Technician", though Alberta and the Northwest Territories call the certification "Instrument Technician", and Saskatchewan and Nunavut call their certification "Industrial Instrument Technician".
The 1995 Agreement on Internal Trade, agreed upon by all provinces except Nunavut, states that each party to the agreement will provide automatic recognition and free access to all workers holding an inter-provincial standards (Red Seal) program qualification.
Although there is a federal agreement, each province implements the program with its own legislation: (Note that these are all Provincial Acts)
Recipients receive a "Certificate of Qualification".
Different provincial jurisdictions may have different regulations.
In Ontario, the Instrumentation and Control apprenticeship program does not contain any restricted skill sets as per Ontario Regulation 565/99, Restricted skill sets. This means that a worker does not need a certificate of apprenticeship or a certificate of qualification to practice the trade.
Training of instrument mechanics follows an apprenticeship model, taking four or five years to progress to fully qualified journeyman level. Typical apprenticeship programs emphasize hands-on work under the supervision of journeymen, but also include a substantial component of classroom training and testing. Training and licensing of instrument mechanics is by province, and some provinces don't have an instrument mechanic licensing program, but provinces recognize qualifications received in others.
Different provincial jurisdictions may have different regulations regarding certification. In Ontario, the On-The-Job training duration for apprentices is 8000 hours, and the in-school training duration is generally 720 hours. One person of journeyman or equivalent status must be working for every apprentice.
Prior to receiving their Journeyman designation, candidates seeking their certificate of qualification must complete a trade exam, testing knowledge of a number of essential skill sets:
The trade exam consists of a number of questions in each of these skill sets.
Australia
Australian instrument fitters are usually re-qualified electricians who complete a 2-year conversion course at an accredited technical college, such as a TAFE, or start as new apprentices with no prior qualifications and complete a 3 year course and a 4 year apprenticeship, in combination with workplace experience of material studied. The first year of the 3 is a basic electrical module, covering AC and DC principals, plus some workshop practicals. The 4th year generally consists of an apprentice choosing a post-trade qualification to study for.
As there is no journeyman accreditation in Australia, at the completion of their trade course, and collection of the required workplace experience, aspirant instrument fitters must pass a "capstone" test, which involves theoretical testing and practical exercises to determine competency. Qualification is recognised with a craft certificate, but not a license in any form.
Other names
Instrument mechanics are sometimes known as:
Fields of study
Instrument mechanics are required to study a large body of knowledge. This includes information on: