SPECIALIZED TRAINING
Quality Control as the Driver of the ipcm® Academy Courses Monica Fumagalli ipcm®
Q
uality control is one of the most
to understand the principles behind
approach to provide future technicians with
delicate phases of the coating
the various types of checks and choose
both theoretical and practical foundations
process: checking the suitability of
the right approach to every problem.
and to give them a complete overview of
the substrate, the coating system, and its
Even though I work for a company that
the activities they will be carrying out.
application results is decisive in laying the
produces measuring instruments, I try
As far as my course is concerned, it would
foundations for a successful product that
to be as neutral as possible and avoid
be complicated and possibly unproductive
meets both customer and end user needs.
giving information with even the slightest
to offer only theoretical information without
Indeed, the courses organised by ipcm®
commercial purpose.
giving to the students the opportunity to use some instruments and try them out
Academy were launched in 2011 precisely in order to deal with these themes and
The courses organised by ipcm®
train QC professionals, the lack of whom
Academy have always been “hybrid”,
was a deeply felt issue in our industry back
with both a theoretical part and
How important was your university
then. Subsequently, the Academy’s training
practical tests. The same is true for
education in your personal
programme has expanded to include other
your lessons. Do you think this is the
development? Do you think it is
equally fundamental process steps; however,
ideal approach to train new coating
essential to attend the ipcm® Academy
knowledge of the regulations, the most
technicians?
courses, or can they be easily attended
suitable tools, and the tests to be carried
I certainly consider it the best possible
by both graduates and non-graduates?
directly on samples.
out to check a product’s compliance to
The ipcm® Academy courses are not
specifications remain among the topics that
© ipcm
conceived for university graduates only,
most interest our students. We talked about
but they are rather specially calibrated
why this happens with Pasquale Roberti, an
for an audience with an upper secondary
expert in quality control solutions for the
education.
appearance, colour, and physical properties
Very often, our participants are technicians
of paints and plastics and, since 2016, a
who already work in paintshops and carry
lecturer at ipcm® Academy.
out their tasks on a daily basis according to their established procedures.
You started collaborating with ipcm
Our aim is to qualify these resources, give
®
Academy in 2016, as an expert in
them the opportunity to expand their
quality control solutions. How do you
horizons, and help them look beyond
deal with this topic in a vocational
their everyday lives. Even those who do
training course?
not have a diploma can easily follow the
QC of liquid coatings and dry parts involves
courses because they are comprehensive,
a very wide range of tests and inspections,
well structured, and easy to understand.
from colour and appearance control to
The university background of the lecturers,
the verification of a variety of physical
including myself, is a further benefit that
properties. Therefore, the aim of the
can be useful when there is a need to go
course is to provide basic theoretical and
deeper into topics upon the students’
scientific information to enable participants
request. Pasquale Roberti.
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N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine
