Marine Corps COOL Snapshot - Pneumatic Technician (PT)

The following Marine Corps Enlisted MOSs provide training and/or experience that contributes to attaining this credential:

Enlisted Occupation	Occupation Type	Related As	COOL$
6062 Aircraft Intermediate Level Hydraulic/Pneumatic Mechanic	MOS	Some	COOL Bucks
6092 Aircraft Intermediate Level Structures Mechanic	MOS	Other
61XX Aircraft Maintenance (Rotary-Wing)	MOS	Other
62XX Aircraft Maintenance (Fixed-Wing)	MOS	Some	COOL Bucks

The following civilian occupations are related to this credential:

	Civilian Job	Job Family	Bright Outlook	Registered Apprenticeship	Local Salary Info
	Industrial Machinery Mechanics	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair	Bright Outlook	Apprenticeship	find local salary

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Attainability:

Eligibility Requirements

Credential Prerequisite
Experience
Education
Training
Membership
Other
Fee

Note: This credential may have multiple options for a Service member to meet eligibility requirements. Requirements listed here are based on the minimum degree required.

Exam Requirements (View Details)

Exam
Written Exam
Oral Exam
Practical Exam
Performance Assessment

Exam Administration (View Details)

In-person exam
Remote proctored on-line exam
Third-party test vendor

RECERTIFICATION SUMMARY

Renewal Period: 5 years

Continuing Education
Exam
Continuing Education OR Exam
Fee
Other

AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

International Fluid Power Society (IFPS)

1930 East Marlton Pike, Suite A2
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003

Phone: (800) 308-6005

Fax: (856) 424-9248
Email: Askus@ifps.org

Written Exam

Pneumatic Symbols
- Identifies graphic symbols for pressure control and flow control valves
- Understands that port connections in directional control valve symbols count as ways or flow paths.
- Recognizes that blocked center, pressure center, and exhaust center are the most common center conditions for pneumatic control valves.
- Recognizes that blocked center, pressure center, and exhaust center are the most common center conditions for pneumatic control valves.
- Recognizes flow paths through pneumatic directional control valves in exhaust center three position directional control power valve symbols.
- Identifies symbols for directional control valves.
- Recognizes component operation from graphic symbol.
- Recognizes the purpose and function of its pneumatic excess flow control valve.
Gas Laws
- Converts temperature measurement between °F and °R.
- Converts pressure measurement between psi gauge and psia (absolute).
- Understands relationships given by Boyle’s Law.
- Calculates the inch drop from percent grade for an air line.
- Understands pressure, volume and temperature relationships given by the general gas law.
- Understands that the dew point of air is the temperature at which air is fully saturated with water.
- Determines the moisture content of air from pressure/temperature graphs.
- Understands the relationship between relative humidity, absolute humidity, and humidity at saturation.
- Understands the relationship between gauge pressure and compression ratio.
- Understands the relationship between height of a column of mercury and negative psi gauge reading.
- Determines the force and area relationships for vacuum pad applications.
Maintenance
- Knows that flexible couplings are used to isolate compressor vibration from the air piping system.
- Computes the cost of air leakage in a compressed air system.
- Calculates the inch drop from percent grade for an airline.
- Associates the methods of removing moisture from compressed air with operating costs.
Components
- Knows that compressor delivery is expressed in cfm at ambient conditions, or scfm at standard conditions of 14.7 psia, 68 °F, and relative humidity of 36% (0.0750 density)
  conditions, or scfm at standard conditions of 14.7 psia, 68 °F, and relative humidity of 36% (0.0750 density).
- Understands that compressor cfm is measured flow rate at the intake (ambient conditions), and the scfm is calculated from measured flow rate (to standard conditions from ambient conditions).
- Recognizes the rule of thumb that for constant demand systems (receiver capacity equals the cfm delivery from the compressor at working pressure and ambient conditions).
- Computes air receiver capacity from constant (K) cfm delivery from the compressor, working pressure, and ambient conditions.
- Predicts directional control valve operation from performance curves.
- Understands that the flow capacity of directional control valves is in direct proportion to the Cv factor.
- Calculates Cv and flow rates for pneumatic valves.
- Understands how pressure, air consumption rate, and time relate to air receiver size from the relationship.
- Calculates pressure drop in an air line.
- Understands pressure and area relationships as they affect cylinder output force.
- Computes the cfm required to power a double-acting air cylinder.
- Associates the type of pneumatic valve with the operation of the circuit.
- Understands that pneumatic signal output units (valves) must match working units (cylinders and motors).
- Recognizes that various signal output units (valves) can alter the operating characteristics of working units (actuators).
- Distinguishes between four-way and five-way plumbing of a four-way directional control valve.
Controls
- Identifies component malfunction in a pneumatic system.
- Recognizes that pneumatic limit valves signal the control system when an event has taken place.
- Identifies single-phase, single-phase two speed, and three-phase AC electric motor symbols.
- Recognizes that air logic systems control the sequence of operations.
- Recognizes various air logic circuits.
- Identifies logic controls with logic circuits.
- Identifies basic electrical symbols in ladder diagrams.
- Understands that electrical contacts have negligible electrical resistance, whereas output elements have appreciable electrical resistance.
- Understands the interaction between a ladder diagram and directional control valves.
- Recognizes logic statements that describe ladder diagrams.
- Identifies equivalent logic statements from a truth table.
- Matches cylinder motion sequences with motion diagrams.
- Determines cylinder operation sequence from motion diagram.
- Understands the function of the Graetz rectifier.
- Identifies function of electrical components in a circuit.
- Understands that solenoid coil hum is caused by alternating current and the bias spring.
- Understands that the shading ring in AC directional control valve solenoids minimizes hum by providing an induced current that lags the applied current.
- Understands the relationship given by Ohm’s law.
Basic Circuits
- Understands that the spongy nature of air causes “stick slip” when moving heavy loads at slow speeds with air cylinders.
- Recognizes basic air circuits from circuit schematics.
- Analyzes component operation in basic air circuits.
- Understands that resistive loads are controlled in pneumatic circuits by meter-in circuits
- Understands that tractive (overrunning) loads are controlled in pneumatic circuits by meter out circuits.
- Understands pneumatic speed regulation circuits.
- Understands switching circuits for pneumatic branching operations.
- Distinguishes between will, time, pressure, sequence, and programmed pneumatic circuit control systems.
Troubleshooting
- Understands that studying the circuit diagram is necessary to identify component function and sequence of operation.
- Associates slow air cylinder return with minimum (low) air pressure operating against the rod side of the piston.
- Associates the failure of an air cylinder to extend under load, but an ability to retract under load, with directional control valve failure, since the directional control valve is in the cylinder return position.
- Traces a fault backward from the working element (cylinder), to signal input pilot valves.
- Identifies component malfunction in a pneumatic system.
- Analyzes pneumatic circuits.

Practical Exam

Station # 1 Identify Fluid Power Symbols:

Identify 20 components by their symbolic representation on a schematic drawing. The schematic at this station will be either Mobile Hydraulic, Industrial Hydraulic, or Pneumatic depending upon your test. You will be required to give a written explanation for each component. This is not a multiple-choice station.

Station # 2 Identify Fasteners and Fittings:

This station has ten fasteners and ten fittings that require identification as to type, size, length, thread, and grade. Each item has five multiple-choice answers from which to choose.

Station # 3 Use of Multimeter:

This station is for testing the candidate in the use of a Multimeter. There are 14 questions for readings taken on a test circuit board. It is not multiple choice. The readings are for voltage, amperage, and resistance.

Station # 4 Measure a Pump Piston and Spool:

This station tests your ability to take measurements of a part that range from 1/16” to .0001” and requires using scales, calipers, and micrometers. A pump piston and a hydraulic valve spool are used for the measurements. This is not a multiple-choice station.

Station # 5 Fluid Conductors:

Requires identifying size, type, and pressure ratings of two steel tubes, two rubber hoses, one copper, and one nylon tube. Dial calipers and data sheets are provided to aid in this task. This station is not multiple choice.

Station # 6 Tube Bend and Flare:

Bend and flare a tube assembly to fit a fixture testing the skills of measuring, cutting, flaring, and assembly for compound bending to fit a fixture. All tubing, tools, and data sheets are provided.

Exam Preparation Resources

There are a number of resources available to help you prepare for the Pneumatic Technician (PT) examination:

Best Sources

General References
- IFPS - General Information and Fee Policies
- IFPS - Recertification

An additional resource is O'Reilly Learning Safari Books Online, a searchable digital library that provides online access to thousands of books, training videos and conference sessions. See the Educational Resources section on the Related Sites page here on COOL to learn how to get free access.

Testing Information

Exam Administration
Credential exams may be administered in-person at a testing site, proctored on-line remotely, or have options for both. If an exam is administered through a test vendor, the third-party test vendor box will be checked. The following test administration options apply to the Pneumatic Technician (PT) credential where checked:
- In-person exam
- Remote proctored on-line exam
- Third-party test vendor

For more information on the International Fluid Power Society (IFPS) testing process, visit the agency website.

RECERTIFICATION

Pneumatic Technician (PT)

Renewal Period: 5 years

The Pneumatic Technician (PT) credential has the following recertification information:

The PT certification is renewed every five years by completing 30 professional development points (PDPs) and paying a recertification fee. Additional information can be found on the IFPS website.

Note: Marine Corps COOL will only pay recertification fees for the current year, no arrears will be paid. Voucher requests for recertification fees must be submitted with proof of the current status of the certification (for example, a screen shot of your credentialing agency dashboard or a copy of a current fee receipt).