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Education |
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Production & Quality School (PQS)
The Production & Quality School is NPCA’s
baseline educational course offering. It is a two full-day
course thoroughly covering the basic body of knowledge that
all employees at a precast concrete plant should have.
This course is offered throughout the year
at different locations throughout North America.
Upcoming PQS Courses:
PQS I
With an optional prestress component |
Albany, NY |
June 17 - 18, 2008 |
|
Albany, NY |
June 19 - 20, 2008 |
Click here to register online
The course is taught by industry professionals
who have many years of experience in their field. Current
topics covered include:
- Concrete Materials
- Reinforcement
- Concrete Mixes
- Batching/Mixing
- Pre-Pour Operations
- Production Practices
- Post-Pour Operations
- Metric (as needed)
- Quality Control
PQS concludes with an exam, which the student
is required to pass in order to obtain a certificate of course
completion.
All NPCA certified plants are required to
have appropriately trained quality control personnel and PQS
is the perfect course to fulfill that requirement. Click
here for more information about the NPCA Plant
Certification Program.
WHAT IS THE PQS LEVEL I COURSE?
NPCA’s Production & Quality School (PQS) is a comprehensive, two-day program devoted to addressing the key fundamentals of quality precasting. Taught by veteran industry experts, the PQS Level I course covers each critical step of the concrete production process from start to finish.
Course participants will discuss:
• Batching and mixing – The fundamental components needed to ensure a durable, watertight and strong finished product
• Reinforcement – The role of reinforcement and its impact on handling and placement
• Production Practices – An overview of the entire production process from pre-pour to post-pour operations
• Quality Control – A discussion of the top priorities identified by QC Inspectors as well as the importance quality control processes play in your company’s success
Add-on Option:
PQS Level I participants are invited to stay for PQS Prestress Level I following the PQS exam. This two hour session is an introduction to prestressing. Topics include: prestressing terminology, stressing procedures, equipment, industry standards and quality control.
Click here to register online
WHAT IS PQS II – TECHNICAL?
Created to build upon the essentials covered during PQS I, this two-day course explores the technical aspects of the manufactured concrete production process.
PQS II participants will focus on five key areas:
• Basic Mechanics – The fundamental aspects related to stress, strain and stiffness
• Basics of Design Theory for Concrete Elements – A discussion of the mechanical properties of concrete and steel, complete with demonstrations
• Proper Lifting of Concrete Elements – The essentials to prevent unexpected movements or failures
• Reading and Understanding Blueprints – An overview of the basics of blueprint reading and reinforcement as it relates to plans
• Standards – A discussion of the process used to determine specifications, the development of standards and the requirements to obtain them
The PQS II –Technical course curriculum has been developed to decode technical industry jargon and to provide attendees with a better understanding of the entire precasting process.
*Please note successful completion of the standard PQS Level I course or the PQS Level I Online course since 2000 is a prerequisite to participate in the PQS Level II – Technical course.
Click here to register online
Mix Design
Taught by industry experts,
the Mix Design course provides those who have mastered the
precasting basics with an in-depth look at how to achieve
maximum product performance.
Session material will focus
on:
- how each step in the proportioning
of a mixture relates to the properties of fresh and hardened
concrete
- creating the perfect mix for each job
- the role specific admixtures
play in improving performance
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