Common Occupational Skills
19%of exam
Rigging, Hoisting, Moving
13%of exam
Mechanical Power Transmission
23%of exam
Material Handling, Process Systems
18%of exam
Fluid Power Systems
15%of exam
Maintenance and Commissioning
12%of exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- Industrial Mechanic (Millwright)
- Questions
- 135 multiple-choice
- Time
- 4 hours
- Pass
- 70%
- Options
- Four, one correct
- Sections
- Six major work activities
- Blueprint
- 2017 standard, current exams
- Fee
- Set by province
- Delivered by
- Provincial apprenticeship authority
- Provided
- Formulas and acronyms
Six Exam Sections
Common, Rigging, Power, Material, Fluid, Maintenance
A: 25 questionsB: 17 questionsC: 32 questionsD: 24 questionsE: 21 questionsF: 16 questions
Common Core vs Not
Common core
- 70% of jurisdictions perform
- Testable on exam
- Study every sub-task
Not common core
- Under 70% of jurisdictions
- Never tested
- GTAW welding here
Tested vs not tested
Exam Breakdown
- A Common occupational skills
- 25 questions, 19%MWA A
- B Rigging and hoisting
- 17 questions, 13%MWA B
- C Power transmission
- 32 questions, 23%MWA C
- D Material handling, process
- 24 questions, 18%MWA D
- E Fluid power
- 21 questions, 15%MWA E
- F Maintenance, commissioning
- 16 questions, 12%MWA F
Question Types
- Knowledge and recall
- 30-40% of questions
- Procedural and application
- 40-50% of questions
- Critical thinking
- 20-30% of questions
- Answer options
- Four, one correct
- Trick questions
- None on Red Seal
- Question value
- One mark each
- Guessing
- Answer every question
Formulas Provided
- Force
- Pressure x area
- Area of circle
- pi x radius squared
- Volume of cylinder
- height x pi x radius squared
- Surface speed
- rpm x pi x diameter
- Gear pass frequency
- rpm x number of teeth
- Thermal expansion
- temp change x length x coefficient
- Shim at point X
- G x A/B
- Steel weight
- 490 lb per cubic foot
- Steel weight, metric
- 7 849 kg per cubic metre
- Pythagorean theorem
- Right triangle side lengths
Exam Acronyms
- CMMS
- Computerized maintenance management system
- FLRA
- Field level risk assessment
- FMEA
- Failure modes and effects analysis
- NLGI
- National Lubricating Grease Institute
- NDT
- Non-destructive testing
- SCBA
- Self-contained breathing apparatus
- SDS
- Safety data sheet
- WHMIS
- Workplace hazardous materials information system
- SWP
- Safe work procedure
- SMAW
- Shielded metal arc welding
- sfpm
- Surface feet per minute
- tpi
- Teeth per inch
- TDC, BDC
- Top, bottom dead centre
- OEM
- Original equipment manufacturer
Safety and Tools
- PPE
- Personal protective equipment
- LOTO
- Lock-out/tag-out, zero energy
- Stored energy
- Accumulators, springs, suspended loads
- Hand tools
- Wrenches, hammers, pry bars
- Portable power tools
- Grinders, saws, drills
- Precision measuring tools
- Micrometers, calipers, dial indicators
- Lubricant types
- Oil, grease, dry solid
- Lubricant properties
- Viscosity, flash point, additives
- Cutting and welding
- Oxy-fuel, plasma arc, SMAW
- Safety devices
- Light curtains, e-stops, guards
Plan Every Lift
Weight, gear, area, signals
Weight: include hardwareGear: inspect and certifyArea: secure itSignals: agree first
Working Load vs Breaking
Working load limit
- Rated safe capacity
- Design factor applied
- Shown on sling tag
Breaking strength
- Load at failure
- Never a work rating
- Testing value only
Rated vs failure
Rigging Decision Picker
- Load weight unknown→Calculate before lifting(Add hardware weight)
- Long or flexible load→Spreader beam
- Rope must change direction→Snatch block
- Load may swing→Tag line
- Crane out of sight→Radio or hand signals
- Sling damaged or untagged→Remove from service(Tag and report)
- Unusual lift beyond practice→Engineered lift(Engineer-approved design)
- Wire rope clips needed→3 x diameter + 1(Rope to 7/8 in.)
Rigging Numbers
- Sling stress
- Length/height x weight per leg
- Sling legs counted
- Maximum three legs
- Clips, rope to 7/8 in.
- 3 x diameter + 1
- Clips, rope 1 in. larger
- 3 x diameter + 2
- Clip spacing
- 6 x rope diameter
- 6x19 rope WLL
- diameter squared x 8
Rigging Hardware
- Shackle
- Connects sling to load
- Spreader beam
- Separates lift points
- Snatch block
- Redirects wire rope
- Tag line
- Controls load swing
- Eye bolt
- Threaded lifting point
- Safety latch
- Keeps sling in hook
- Grip hoist, tirfor
- Manual wire rope puller
- Lever chain hoist
- Manual lift and pull
- IWRC
- Independent wire rope core
Alignment Order
Rough first, then dial or laser
Rough: straight edgeDial: rim-and-faceReverse: long spansLaser: fastest precise
Plain vs Rolling Bearings
Plain (friction)
- Sliding surfaces
- Babbitt lining common
- Plasti-gauge checks clearance
Anti-friction
- Rolling elements
- Heat or press fit
- Induction heater, oil bath
Slides vs rolls
Alignment Method Picker
- Rough positioning only→Straight edge, feeler gauge(Rough alignment)
- Machine rocks on base→Correct soft foot first(Before dialing)
- Piping distorts the casing→Relieve pipe strain
- Precision, short coupling→Rim-and-face dial(One indicator set)
- Long span or sag→Reverse dial method(Two indicators)
- Fast precise alignment→Laser alignment
- Machine runs hot→Set cold offsets(Thermal growth)
- Shims must be calculated→G x A/B(Provided formula)
Bearings and Seals
- Bearing
- Lets parts rotate together
- Bearing types
- Plain friction, anti-friction rolling
- Babbitt
- Plain bearing lining material
- Seal types
- Static, dynamic, mechanical, non-contacting
- Non-contacting seal
- Labyrinth or annulus
- Shaft types
- Drive, counter, jack, hollow
- Shaft accessories
- Keys, pins, taper bushings
- Plain bearing fit tools
- Plasti-gauge, lead wire, bluing
- Rolling bearing mounting
- Induction heater, oil bath
- Fit specifications
- Loads, temperature, pressure, rpm
Pre-Alignment Checks
Soft foot, pipe strain, run-out, float
Soft foot: rocking basePipe strain: piping pullsRun-out: bent shaftEnd float: axial play
Rim-and-Face vs Reverse Dial
Rim-and-face
- One indicator setup
- Face reads angular
- Short coupling spans
Reverse dial
- Two indicators, both rims
- Sag compensated
- Long coupling spans
Face reading vs rims
Shaft Alignment
- Alignment methods
- Rough, dial, laser, optical
- Dial methods
- Rim-and-face, reverse, cross
- Rough alignment tools
- Straight edge, feeler gauge
- Pre-alignment defects
- Soft foot, pipe strain
- Soft foot
- Machine foot not seated
- Pipe strain
- Piping pulls machine casing
- Shaft run-out
- Bent or eccentric shaft
- End float
- Axial shaft movement
- Bar sag
- Bracket droop skews readings
- Thermal growth
- Cold offset for heat
- Shim formula
- G x A/B
Drives, Gears, Couplings
- Chain drives
- Roller, silent, composite, lube-free
- Belt drives
- V-belt, cog, timing, flat
- Gear types
- Spur, bevel, spiral, herringbone, helical
- Worm gear
- Right-angle, high reduction
- Hypoid gear
- Shafts intersect different plane
- Backlash
- Clearance between mating teeth
- Tooth contact
- Engagement pattern of teeth
- Couplings
- Rigid, elastomeric, grid, fluid
- Clutches
- Overrunning, friction, positive, electromagnetic
- Brakes
- Friction, wet disc, electromagnetic
- Arc of contact
- Belt wrap on sheave
- Lubricant systems
- Oil bath, drip, pressurized
Centrifugal vs Positive
Centrifugal
- Non-positive displacement
- Flow varies with head
- Impeller adds velocity
Positive displacement
- Fixed volume per cycle
- Needs relief valve
- Handles viscous fluid
Varying vs fixed flow
Pump and Compressor Picker
- High flow, low head→Centrifugal pump(Non-positive)
- Constant volume required→Positive displacement pump
- Viscous fluid to move→Positive displacement pump
- Move air, low pressure→Fan or blower
- High pressure compressed air→Reciprocating compressor(Positive displacement)
- Continuous large airflow→Centrifugal compressor(Dynamic type)
- Bulk solids to move→Belt or screw conveyor
Pumps and Compressors
- Pump families
- Non-positive centrifugal, positive displacement
- Positive displacement
- Fixed volume, no slip
- Axial flow
- Flow along the axis
- Centrifugal flow
- Flow 90 degrees outward
- Compressor families
- Dynamic centrifugal, positive displacement
- Displacement compressors
- Reciprocating, radial, screw, vane
- Pump seals
- Packing, O-ring, mechanical, V-ring
- Fan
- Creates air movement
- Blower
- Moves air, higher pressure
- Agitator
- Keeps tank material moving
Conveying and Process
- Conveying system
- Moves solid material along
- Conveyor types
- Belt, roller, chain, screw
- More conveyor types
- Bucket, pneumatic, flume water
- Dust filters
- Cyclones, bag shakers, screens
- Process piping scope
- Piping, tanks, containers
- Conditions monitored
- Temperature, vibration, pressure, flow
- Robotics questions
- One of 135
Fluid Power Three
Hydraulic, pneumatic, vacuum
Hydraulic: 12 questionsPneumatic/vacuum: 9 questionsSection total: 21 questions
Hydraulic vs Pneumatic
Hydraulic
- Liquid, nearly incompressible
- High force, precise control
- 12 of 135 questions
Pneumatic and vacuum
- Compressed air, compressible
- Faster and cleaner
- 9 of 135 questions
Force vs speed
Fluid Power Basics
- Fluid power
- Hydraulic, pneumatic, vacuum
- Fluid
- Liquid or gas that flows
- Core components
- Pumps, motors, actuators, valves
- More components
- Accumulators, filters, strainers, conductors
- DCV
- Directional control valve
- FRL
- Filter regulator lubricator
- Cylinder force
- Pressure x area
- Hydraulic questions
- 12 of 135
- Pneumatic, vacuum questions
- 9 of 135
Pressure and Flow Units
- psi
- Pounds per square inch
- psig
- Pounds per square inch gauge
- psia
- Pounds per square inch absolute
- kPa
- Kilopascal, metric pressure
- Hg
- Mercury, vacuum measurement
- gpm
- Gallons per minute
- N
- Newton, force unit
- hp
- Horsepower
- rpm
- Revolutions per minute
Sensory Inspection
Look, listen, feel, smell
Look: leaks, wearListen: noiseFeel: heat, vibrationSmell: burning
Preventive vs Predictive
Preventive
- Scheduled, periodic
- Based on past experience
- Time or run hours
Predictive
- Condition data driven
- Proactive monitoring
- Vibration, oil, thermography
Calendar vs condition
Monitoring Method Picker
- Bearing wear suspected→Vibration analysis
- Hot spots suspected→Thermography
- Oil condition unknown→Fluid analysis(Ferrography for wear)
- Surface cracks suspected→Dye penetrant
- Cracks in ferrous steel→Magnetic particle(Ferrous only)
- Internal weld flaws→Radiography or ultrasonic
- Leak check needed→Air or water pressure
- Nothing visible or audible→Condition-based monitoring
Maintenance Methods
- Preventive maintenance
- Scheduled, periodic inspections
- Predictive maintenance
- Uses performance data proactively
- Condition-based monitoring
- Finds faults beyond senses
- Monitoring methods
- Vibration, fluid analysis, thermography
- More monitoring methods
- Ultrasonic, tribology, speed monitoring
- Tribology
- Friction, wear, lubrication study
- Ferrography
- Wear particles in oil
- Sensory inspection
- Sight, sound, smell, touch
- Baseline readings
- Vibration, temperature, fluid, ultrasound
- Commissioning scope
- Bring equipment into service
- Decommissioning scope
- Disassembly, removal of machines
Commission vs Decommission
Commissioning
- Bring system into service
- Verify against specification
- Record baseline readings
Decommissioning
- Take system out
- Disassembly and removal
- Decontamination and records
Start up vs remove
NDT and Vibration
- NDT methods
- Dye penetrant, magnetic particle
- More NDT methods
- Radiography, ultrasonic, visual, thermography
- Pressure testing
- Air or water pressure
- Eddy current
- Electromagnetic surface flaw check
- Vibration analysis
- Monitors condition, diagnoses faults
- Vibration causes
- Imbalance, misalignment, looseness, eccentricity
- More vibration causes
- Shaft faults, natural frequencies
- Vibration tools
- Data collector, probes, strobe
- Multi-plane balancing
- Balancing over two planes
- Thermographic equipment
- Shows temperature via infrared
Common Traps
Preventive vs predictive
Preventive follows schedule ≠ Predictive follows condition
Bearing families
Plain bearings slide ≠ Rolling bearings roll
Pump families
Centrifugal is non-positive ≠ Displacement pumps are fixed
Alignment sequence
Soft foot corrected first ≠ Dial readings come after
Section size
Power transmission is 32 ≠ Maintenance is only 16
Common core rule
Common core is tested ≠ Non-core is never tested
Standard versions
Current exams use 2017 ≠ New 2026 exams pending
Who sets what
Red Seal sets exam ≠ Provinces set fees
Sling angle
Flatter slings raise tension ≠ Vertical legs carry least
Last Minute
- 1.135 questions, 70% to pass
- 2.Four hours, four options each
- 3.Power transmission largest: 32 questions
- 4.Common skills next: 25 questions
- 5.Material handling: 24 questions
- 6.Fluid power: hydraulic 12, pneumatic 9
- 7.Rigging and hoisting: 17 questions
- 8.Maintenance smallest: 16 questions
- 9.Alignment order: rough, dial, laser
- 10.Plain bearings slide, rolling roll
- 11.Preventive scheduled, predictive condition-based
- 12.Wire rope clip spacing: 6 diameters
- 13.Add rigging hardware to load
- 14.Calculator and formulas are provided
- 15.Current exams follow 2017 standard
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