A/C Processing & Testing Training Course Description
This "Alliance" course will be presented at the VTI facility
in Oak Ridge Tennessee.

VTI and PCU have a long and established history of addressing the challenges of product processing and testing in the A/C production environment. The VTI/PCU alliance provides a unique and comprehensive ability to address production test needs with a uniquely broad view gained from working with all of the major air conditioning manufacturers in the industry.

From component level to assembled product leak testing, from product evacuation, vacuum analysis and charging to gas recovery and run test and from a plant wide information management system to product tracking for quality purposes, the Alliance can answer the fundamental questions. This "Alliance Course" addresses the issues affecting production processing and testing in one training seminar.

Sterling PCU – Vacuum Technology, Inc.
Course location: VTI Facility, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

• Today's Available Technologies

• Visual and Tactile Real World    
• Demos of Leaks and Leak Rates

• Vacuum Analysis and Charging

• Information Management

• Quality Tracking

For more information call PCU at 937-299-5594 or VTI at 865-481-3342.

A/C Processing & Testing - Course Description

The Alliance’s A/C Unit Processing and Testing Training Course will review the essential production processes and quality verification tests that are immediately downstream of the actual mechanical assembly of mobile air conditioning systems, condensing units, air handlers, and heat exchangers (coils). VTI and PCU staff have many years of combined experience in the areas of Proof Testing, Leak Testing, Evacuation, Charging, and Run Testing. That experience spans all of the major air conditioning manufacturers and their current processes. This experience in building equipment for our customers has allowed the Alliance to evaluate their varied methods and subsequently determine the optimum techniques for efficiently producing high quality products.

The course utilizes a combination of classroom sessions and hardware demonstrations on the shop floor providing participants with detailed insights into the various processing steps and testing methods. The course is a technical review that will concentrate on solutions to issues that plague the HVAC industry. Interactive exchange of information will be a key component of the course content. The individual sessions described below will be covered in the order in which they are typically used in the manufacturing process.

Sterling PCU – Vacuum Technology, Inc.
Course location: VTI Facility, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

• Today's Available Technologies

• Visual and Tactile Real World    
• Demos of Leaks and Leak Rates

• Vacuum Analysis and Charging

• Information Management

• Quality Tracking

Find Out More

For more information call PCU at 937-299-5594 or VTI at 865-481-3342.

April HVAC-II a Success

A/C Unit Processing and Testing
Training Course

The PCU-VTI Alliance held the second HVAC industry training course April 19, 20 & 21, 2004 at VTI’s facility. Representatives from Goodman, Allied Air, Trane, DRI, Rheem, Heatcraft, Carrier & General Motors were in attendance supporting nine HVAC manufacturing locations and multiple automotive assembly plants.

Attendee feedback was very positive as indicated by the following statements: “The evacuate & charge simulation demo was impressive!” “On helium supply & recovery, I liked the fact of cost savings
evaluation performed.” “On refrigerant handling & charging, a very technical presentation.”

The class-room experience was enhanced with live factory floor working demonstrations of many technologies covered in the technical presentations. Question & Answer periods were significant both in the classroom and on the factory floor.

Upcoming training sessions in both the HVAC industry and the Transportation industry will be announced on our web-sites in the coming months.

- Christopher Edwards

VTI’s & PCU’s September Training

The Sterling PCU-VTI Alliance training course "A/C Unit Processing & Testing" was, by all accounts, a solid success according to the HVAC manufacturers in attendance. The technical training course was held at VTI's Oak Ridge Tennessee facility, September 8, 9 & 10, 2003. 31 attendees from 9 manufacturers covering 14 manufacturing locations were in attendance for the initial alliance offering of technical training. The focus of the training was specific to the HVAC industry as available technologies and processes, to each manufacturer, were reviewed. The advantages and disadvantages of each technology were highlighted both in the classroom and on the manufacturing floor with "real-world" demonstrations & experiments designed to quantify the classroom materials. Case in point, what does a 2 Gram Annual Leak look and feel like? A visual and tactile demonstration of various leaks (leak rates) was available for each attendees review and consideration.

Each attendee provided constructive feedback via the "Course Evaluation Form."

Examples of feedback received:
"When is the next course? I want to send all my staff. (V.P. Mfg.)"

"...different leak rates demo, nice reality check."

"This is something the industry has needed for years. (Engineering, R&D)"

"I've got my work cut out for me now that I see where we can improve."

"Good demo, really shows the VTI/PCU alliance."
"...unbelievable until you see it."

The next Alliance Training session (HVAC II) is tentatively scheduled for March 2004. The constructive feedback received from the course attendees has been very helpful in refining the offerings and understanding which modules to expand upon and which modules to contract. Plans are underway to make available (for a fee) the course workbook as a PDF file and DVD of the floor demonstrations via the Web-Store. Visit SterlingPCU.com or VacuumTechnology.com to learn more on upcoming alliance
training sessions.

I would like to take this opportunity to THANK everyone who contributed to this initial alliance training event as it was a monumental undertaking at the outset. VTI and PCU worked closely together and diligently, with the end product in mind, creating a truly technical 2 day training session for the HVAC industry.

VTI's hosting skills combined with the plant floor demonstrations of the alliance technologies made for a potent reinforcement of classroom principles.
Congratulations on a job well done as we look forward to enhancing our technical offerings at the next session, HVAC II.

-Christopher Edwards