Our IKDU classes have been popular since their launch in 2012. A good balance of classroom time, hands-on labs and Louisvillian hospitality has ushered in new and repeat customers throughout the years.

We carefully select the curriculum and re-evaluate several times as the year progresses, considering customer satisfaction surveys and the feedback of our own employees. We take improvement seriously and are continually looking for ways to enrich the classroom environment for you, our customer.

An opportunity that Covid-19 brought forth was a generous amount of time without classes for us consider a big, impactful change to our training content that would greatly benefit both those attending our classes and their managers. We created in 2020 and then implemented during this past October IKDU class, our Certification Program. The Certification Program is aimed at individuals who are interested in taking their training to the next level and stepping into a more committed responsibility toward their rotary equipment. It builds upon IKDU training by requiring a proof of skill not only at the conclusion of class, but also within their own plant, working on their own equipment under the supervision of one of our IKDU Instructors. Additionally, each attendee who participates in the Certification Program and passes the initial testing will be required to retest every 18 months.

The benefit to the IKDU attendee who enrolls in the optional Certification Program is the ability to effectively apply and demonstrate the knowledge and skill gained during the training program.  The additional element of being required to apply your understanding of the rotary maintenance principles provided during training forces the student to fully invest themselves into learning and proving these skills. Steps to Certification include:

During / at completion of class:

• Attending all class Lectures and Labs
• Completing a written exam – 75%+ grade required for passing

On-site utilizing your own rotary equipment at a later date:

• Successfully perform a “Float” or “Move” supervised by an authorized IKD Technician

Once Certification is achieved the student has now gained the confidence to continue using the acquired understanding to implement a solid routine and preventative maintenance program within their plant. Furthermore, with retesting on the horizon 18 months later, the incentive to keep perfecting the newfound expertise is high and should fit well with your Continuous Improvement Programs

Those being certified are not the only ones that are happy with this program. Managers who budget to send their employees to training are grateful for the chance to see that the skills acquired during training and maintained to hold the certification. At the completion of the certification, the student has passed all requirements associated with understanding Dryer/Kiln Adjustment Theory, as well as demonstrating the ability to physically make correct adjustments. This mastery brings basic rotary maintenance that may have been contracted out back into the hands of the plant, giving more understanding and control over the rotary equipment. This control saves time through better planning and saves money by not only reducing the amount of contracted work, but also by reducing unnecessary downtime and wear on rotary components by the watchful eye and planning of an in-house trained Rotary Technician Specialist.

IKDU and the optional Certification Program are available through our scheduled training in Louisville, KY where we adhere to guidelines concerning Covid-19 to keep participants and staff safe as well as through custom, on-site training in your plant. For more details on what the Certification Program entails or to sign up, contact your Key Account Specialist by calling 877.316.6140 or by visiting: https://industrialkiln.com/ikd-university