Equipping a technical training centre can be a very cost intensive project. Looking at all the machines and devices required, the spending can easily reach a sum, which can hardly be financed by any training tuition. Therefore it was a top priority for MFN to work closely together with the industry. Doing so, it is possible to offer the participants state of the art education means.

When MFN opened its training centre in Altena, Germany, in 2004, it was a classroom mostly designed to host theoretical shot and flap peening education. In the meantime, the success of these different FAA accepted peening classes has been so great, that it was worthwhile gradually taking it step by step further. The carefully observed feedback from the students showed, that a combination of practical and theoretical training, is what seems to be most required and appealing. At this particular training center, there is access to the following technologies and devices:

-Wheel Peening Machine
-Photo Optical Particle Size Analysis
-Size Analysis with Sieve Shakers
-Digital Almen Gages
-Durability Tester
-Flap Peening Kits
-Almen Curve Program
-Almen Holder and Strips
-Inspection Camera for Coverage

The facility has space for about 30 people. Some of the practical training can not be done in the classroom. In this case there is an individual test laboratory available in which the heavier equipment such as the wheel peening machine and the durability tester is placed. While there is standard training available, MFN is also able, depending on the number of participants, to offer customized lessons.
Over the years, hundreds of people have been trained in Altena. Worldwide, the organization has a total of 3 training facilities. The other two are in Holland and Brazil. Further training centres are in preparation. To maximise synergies, MFN is always looking for partnerships. MFN is a partner in education in Nadcap and also the official sponsor of FEMS, the Federation of European Material Societies.

Such a state of the art training centre  would have not been possible without the help of the industry. Therefore MFN would especially like to thank the following companies:

HAVER & BOECKER  for a photo optical particle size analyzer
TYLER for a sieve shaker and test sieves
SUHNER for a high end motor for flap peening
PEENING ACCESSORIES for Almen gages, holders, strips and saturation curve software
FROHN for the Ervin Tester
SHOCKFORM for an inspection camera to check coverage

It is especially remarkable that there seems to be a common understanding in the industry that education in a particular field will contribute on a long term to its industry.

For Information:  Metal Finishing News (MFN)
Tel. +41.44.8312644
E-mail: info@mfn.li, www.mfn.li