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Key Facts: BTS CRSA Exam

Level 5 (Bac+2)

RNCP and EQF national qualification level

France compétences RNCP37115

10/20

Overall passing weighted average

Règlement général du BTS

Total examination coefficients across units E1-E6

Arrêté du 23 juin 2011, annexe II

120 ECTS

European academic credits awarded

Arrêté du 23 juin 2011

Coef 6

Weight of U62 Conduite et réalisation d'un projet (oral 50 min)

Arrêté du 23 juin 2011, annexe 2.c

31-08-2027

RNCP registration expiry date

France compétences RNCP37115

BTS CRSA is a French national level 5 qualification (Bac+2, 120 ECTS) certified by the Ministry of Higher Education and examined by the académies. Under the arrêté du 23 juin 2011, the examination comprises six compulsory units totalling 26 coefficients: written papers in preliminary design (E4 coef 3, 4 h), detailed automated design (E5 coef 6), major project execution and defence (E6.2 coef 6), and general subjects. Candidates require an overall weighted average of at least 10/20 and register free of charge via Cyclades. The official examination is conducted in French; OpenExamPrep provides a 100-question English-language MCQ study adaptation covering PLCs, pneumatics, mechanism sizing, robotics, and safety.

Sample BTS CRSA Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the BTS CRSA exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In a pneumatic automation circuit operating at a gauge pressure of p = 6.0 bar (0.60 MPa), a double-acting cylinder has a bore diameter D = 63 mm and a rod diameter d = 20 mm. What is the theoretical extension force (force de poussée F_p) and theoretical retraction force (force de traction F_t)?

A.F_p = 1,870 N and F_t = 1,870 N

B.F_p = 935 N and F_t = 841 N

C.F_p = 1,870 N and F_t = 1,682 N

D.F_p = 2,350 N and F_t = 2,100 N

Explanation: Full bore piston area is A_p = pi * D² / 4 = pi * (6.3 cm)² / 4 = 31.17 cm² = 3.117 * 10⁻³ m². Extension force at 6.0 bar (600,000 Pa) is F_p = p * A_p = 600,000 * 3.117 * 10⁻³ = 1,870.3 N ≈ 1,870 N. For retraction, the rod area A_rod = pi * (2.0 cm)² / 4 = 3.14 cm² is subtracted: A_annular = 31.17 - 3.14 = 28.03 cm² = 2.803 * 10⁻³ m². Retraction force is F_t = p * A_annular = 600,000 * 2.803 * 10⁻³ = 1,681.8 N ≈ 1,682 N.

2Why is the speed of a pneumatic cylinder piston almost universally controlled by meter-out flow control valves (étranglement à l'échappement) rather than meter-in valves (étranglement à l'admission)?

A.Meter-out creates a pressurized air cushion in the discharging chamber that opposes the driving pressure, preventing jerky stick-slip motion and uncontrolled piston lurching when opposing loads change

B.Meter-in flow control valves cause compressed air to freeze into ice

C.Meter-out uses zero compressed air and saves 100% electrical energy

D.Meter-in valves can only be connected to hydraulic oil systems

Explanation: Because air is highly compressible, throttling incoming air (meter-in) allows pressure to build up slowly behind the piston until it overcomes static friction; once breakaway occurs, the piston lunges violently forward with severe chatter and lurching. Meter-out maintains full supply pressure in the driving chamber while throttling exhausting air, creating a stable pneumatic backpressure cushion that ensures smooth, predictable linear motion.

3In a pneumatic circuit, what is the designation and function of a 5/2-way directional control valve (distributeur 5/2)?

A.5 switching positions and 2 ports, used to regulate air pressure in 5 discrete steps

B.A valve that mixes 5 distinct gases into 2 cylinders simultaneously

C.A safety relief valve that triggers at 5.2 bar

D.5 ports (1 supply, 2 working ports, 2 exhaust ports) and 2 switching positions, used to control the extend and retract movements of a double-acting cylinder

Explanation: Standard ISO 1219 port numbering defines a 5/2 valve as having 5 main pneumatic ports: Port 1 (pressure supply), Ports 2 and 4 (working lines to cylinder front/rear chambers), Ports 3 and 5 (exhaust vents from chambers 2 and 4), and 2 distinct spool positions. Switching the valve directs supply air to one cylinder chamber while venting the opposite chamber to atmosphere.

4What is the difference between a monostable and a bistable pneumatic directional control valve in an automated machine?

A.A monostable valve operates with 1 bar, while a bistable valve requires 200 bar

B.A monostable valve returns automatically to its home resting position via an internal mechanical spring when electrical pilot power is removed; a bistable valve has two pilot solenoids and maintains its switched position indefinitely after a momentary pulse until an opposite command is received

C.A monostable valve can only be operated manually by hand, while bistable valves are wireless

D.A monostable valve controls linear cylinders, while bistable valves can only control rotary motors

Explanation: A monostable (spring return) valve has one stable rest position held by a mechanical return spring. When the solenoid is de-energized (or upon power loss), the valve immediately snaps back to its rest state (Fail-Safe behavior). A bistable (double solenoid / memory) valve has two stable positions maintained by detents or friction, retaining its current state even during power failure until the opposing coil receives an electric pulse.

5What is the operating principle of a vacuum ejector (générateur de vide à effet Venturi) used for robotic vacuum gripper pick-and-place handling?

A.Compressed air flows through a converging-diverging Laval nozzle at supersonic speed, creating a localized static pressure drop below atmospheric pressure that evacuates the suction cup port via the Venturi effect

B.An electric vacuum vane pump continuously evacuates an external 500-liter vacuum reservoir

C.Liquid water is pumped through the gripper to dissolve trapped air bubbles

D.Permanent electromagnets attract non-metallic plastic boxes

Explanation: A pneumatic vacuum ejector relies on the Bernoulli / Venturi principle: motive compressed air expands through a converging-diverging supersonic nozzle. The dramatic increase in velocity produces a severe drop in static pressure below ambient (down to -85 kPa / 150 mbar absolute). Ambient air from the suction cup is entrained into the high-speed air stream and discharged through an exhaust silencer.

6A robotic end-effector uses four flat circular suction cups of diameter d = 40 mm to lift a glass panel vertically with a vacuum level of -0.70 bar (Delta_p = 70 kPa). Taking acceleration due to gravity g = 9.81 m/s² and applying a safety factor s = 2.0 against slipping/release, what is the maximum allowable payload mass (m)?

A.35.8 kg

B.8.9 kg

C.17.9 kg

D.71.6 kg

Explanation: Area of one suction cup is A = pi * d² / 4 = pi * (0.040 m)² / 4 = 1.2566 * 10⁻³ m². Total area for 4 cups is A_tot = 4 * 1.2566 * 10⁻³ = 5.0265 * 10⁻³ m². The total holding force is F = Delta_p * A_tot = 70,000 Pa * 5.0265 * 10⁻³ m² = 351.86 N. With a safety factor of 2.0: F_allowable = 351.86 N / 2.0 = 175.93 N. The maximum allowable mass is m = F_allowable / g = 175.93 / 9.81 ≈ 17.93 kg ≈ 17.9 kg.

7Under the GEMMA guide (Guide d'Étude des Modes de Marches et d'Arrêts) for industrial automated machines, what does operational state 'F1' designate?

A.Arrêt d'urgence (Emergency stop condition with de-energized actuators)

B.Production normale (Normal production in automatic mode executing the intended manufacturing task)

C.Marches de vérification dans le désordre (Manual step-by-step jog mode without safety interlocks)

D.Arrêt dans l'état initial (Machine stopped in home reference state waiting for cycle start)

Explanation: GEMMA organizes automated machine states into three main families: Family A (Procédures d'arrêt / Arrêts), Family F (Procédures de fonctionnement / Marches), and Family D (Procédures en défaillance / Défaillances). State F1 is the core state of the machine: 'Production normale', where the automated system runs automatically to manufacture parts or execute its standard duty cycle.

8In the GEMMA methodology, how is the transition from emergency stop recovery (state D1/D2) back to normal automatic production (state F1) typically routed through Family A?

A.Direct jump from D1 to F1 without any actuator homing or human intervention

B.Via permanent machine scrap state A0

C.By rebooting the 24 V DC power supply in state F4

D.Via state D3 (diagnostic/clearing) -> state A5 (preparation for restart / homing) -> state A1 (stopped in initial state) -> state F1 (normal production upon start command)

Explanation: After an emergency stop (D1), personnel investigate and clear the physical fault (D3: production de rebuts or clearing). The machine cannot safely jump straight into automatic cycling. It transitions into Family A: first state A5 (Remise en route / reprise dans l'état initial), where actuators slowly seek home positions. Once all cylinders/axes confirm home sensors, it reaches state A1 (Arrêt dans l'état initial). A valid 'Start' command then initiates F1.

9In a GRAFCET sequence conforming to IEC 60848, what is a 'macro-step' (macro-étape M_i), and what are its entry and exit rules?

A.A step that runs continuously for 24 hours regardless of transitions

B.A step that directly switches 400 V AC three-phase power without a contactor

C.A symbolic representation of a sub-sequence with exactly one entry step (E_i) and one exit step (S_i); activating M_i activates E_i, and clearing the macro-step transition requires S_i to be active

D.A step that contains 10 parallel PLC microprocessors

Explanation: A macro-step (M_i) expands a complex functional sub-sequence to keep the main GRAFCET readable. By standard IEC 60848 definition, a macro-step expansion possesses exactly one entry step (étape d'entrée E_i) and exactly one exit step (étape de sortie S_i). When the transition preceding M_i is cleared, E_i becomes active. The transition following M_i is validated if and only if S_i is active.

10In GRAFCET syntax (IEC 60848), how is a time-delayed receptivity written to indicate that transition condition becomes TRUE 5.0 seconds after step 12 becomes active?

A.5 s / X12

B.X12 + 5 s

C.TON(X12, 5s)

D.DELAY(12, 5)

Explanation: In normalized IEC 60848 GRAFCET notation, a time delay condition associated with an active step is written as: 't / X_i' or 't / X_i / t2', where 't / X_i' evaluates to TRUE when elapsed time since the most recent activation of step X_i equals or exceeds duration t. For a 5-second delay on step 12, the standard receptivity string is '5 s / X12' (or '5s/X12').

About the BTS CRSA Exam

The BTS CRSA is France's premier two-year national qualification (Bac+2, RNCP level 5, 120 ECTS) for automation engineers, robotic cell integrators, and automated machinery designers. Established by the arrêté du 23 juin 2011 (modifié par arrêté du 10 octobre 2011), it succeeded the former BTS MAI (Mécanique et Automatismes Industriels). The curriculum equips technicians to design, program, simulate, commission, and maintain automated production equipment, industrial robots, and automated handling systems. Core competencies include GRAFCET/SFC and PLC ladder logic, pneumatic and electro-hydraulic actuation, mechanical kinematic sizing, robot cell integration, industrial networking (Profinet, IO-Link), and machine safety under ISO 13849-1. This OpenExamPrep bank provides an English-language multiple-choice study adaptation of the complete technical syllabus.

Exam sponsor: Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche (certifier); examination organised by the académies. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Six épreuves covering nine units totalling 26 coefficients, defined by the arrêté du 23 juin 2011 modifié (JORF du 9 juillet 2011): E1 Culture générale et expression (U1, coef 3, written 4 h), E2 Langue vivante étrangère - Anglais (U2, coef 2; ponctuelle oral), E3 Mathématiques - Sciences physiques et chimiques appliquées (U31 Mathématiques, coef 2, written 2 h; U32 Sciences physiques et chimiques appliquées, coef 2, written 2 h), E4 Conception préliminaire d'un système automatique (U4, coef 3, written 4 h 30), E5 Conception détaillée (U51 Conception détaillée d'une chaîne fonctionnelle, coef 3, written 4 h; U52 Conception détaillée d'un système automatique, coef 3, written 4 h), and E6 Épreuve professionnelle de synthèse (U61 Rapport d'activité en entreprise, coef 2, oral; U62 Conduite et réalisation d'un projet, coef 6, oral 50 min). An optional second modern language (EF1) is available.

Time Limit

About 21 hours of written papers and oral project assessment for candidates sitting all units in ponctuelle form

Passing Score

10/20 overall weighted average across all units

Exam / Certification Fees

No examination registration fee is published by the académies; registration is made through the national Cyclades portal. Preparation and tuition costs are separate.

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

25 of 100 questions

Industrial Automation & PLC Programming (GRAFCET)

GRAFCET / SFC sequence rules, divergence/convergence in AND and OR, macro-steps, IEC 61131-3 languages (Ladder, FBD, ST), PLC memory organization, timers, counters, and cycle safety logic

20 of 100 questions

Industrial Pneumatics, Hydraulics & Electrical Actuators

Pneumatic cylinder force and airflow sizing, 5/2 and 5/3 directional valves, flow restrictors, proportional hydraulics, AC servo drives, stepper motors, and VFD speed control

20 of 100 questions

Mechanics, Kinematics & Mechanism Sizing

Planar mechanisms, kinematic velocity diagrams, ball screws, timing belts, rack-and-pinion drives, gripper force calculation, torque sizing, and load inertia reflection to the motor shaft

15 of 100 questions

Industrial Robotics & Automated Cell Integration

Articulated and SCARA robot kinematics, Cartesian gantries, coordinate frames, payload inertia limits, trajectory interpolation, cycle time optimization, and robot safety standards (ISO 10218)

20 of 100 questions

Industrial Communication, Sensors & Machine Safety

Inductive and optical sensing, IO-Link architecture, Profinet and EtherCAT fieldbuses, European Machinery Directive, ISO 13849-1 Performance Level calculations, and safety light curtains

Preparing for the BTS CRSA Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 10/20 overall weighted average across all units
Assessment: Six épreuves covering nine units totalling 26 coefficients, defined by the arrêté du 23 juin 2011 modifié (JORF du 9 juillet 2011): E1 Culture générale et expression (U1, coef 3, written 4 h), E2 Langue vivante étrangère - Anglais (U2, coef 2; ponctuelle oral), E3 Mathématiques - Sciences physiques et chimiques appliquées (U31 Mathématiques, coef 2, written 2 h; U32 Sciences physiques et chimiques appliquées, coef 2, written 2 h), E4 Conception préliminaire d'un système automatique (U4, coef 3, written 4 h 30), E5 Conception détaillée (U51 Conception détaillée d'une chaîne fonctionnelle, coef 3, written 4 h; U52 Conception détaillée d'un système automatique, coef 3, written 4 h), and E6 Épreuve professionnelle de synthèse (U61 Rapport d'activité en entreprise, coef 2, oral; U62 Conduite et réalisation d'un projet, coef 6, oral 50 min). An optional second modern language (EF1) is available.
Time limit: About 21 hours of written papers and oral project assessment for candidates sitting all units in ponctuelle form
Exam / certification fees: No examination registration fee is published by the académies; registration is made through the national Cyclades portal. Preparation and tuition costs are separate. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

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BTS CRSA: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master the fundamental rules of GRAFCET syntax (IEC 60848): transitions cannot be linked directly without an intermediate step, and simultaneous branch transitions must clear together

2Practice pneumatic cylinder sizing: calculate required piston area using A = F / (p * eta), where p is effective operating pressure (typically 6 bar) and eta is mechanical efficiency

3Review the reflected moment of inertia formula: J_reflected = J_load / (i^2 * eta), where i is the gear reduction ratio and eta is gearbox efficiency

4Understand ISO 13849-1 Performance Level determination: calculate Category (B, 1, 2, 3, 4), Mean Time to Dangerous Failure (MTTFd), and Diagnostic Coverage (DC) to verify required PLr

5Familiarize yourself with robot coordinate reference transformations: understand how tool center point (TCP) definition affects Cartesian velocity and reach envelope

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the BTS CRSA qualification in France?

The Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS) Conception et Réalisation de Systèmes Automatiques (CRSA) is a French national higher technical qualification at level 5 of the RNCP (Bac+2, 120 ECTS). It trains automation specialists to conceptualize, design, assemble, program, and commission custom automated production machinery, industrial robots, and automated assembly cells.

How is the BTS CRSA examination organized?

Under the arrêté du 23 juin 2011 modifié par arrêté du 10 octobre 2011, the examination comprises six compulsory units totalling 26 coefficients: E1 Culture générale et expression (coef 3, written 4 h), E2 Anglais (coef 2, oral), E3 Mathématiques et sciences physiques appliquées (coef 4: Maths coef 2, Sciences physiques coef 2), E4 Conception préliminaire d'un système automatique (coef 3, written 4 h), E5 Conception détaillée d'un système automatique (coef 6: U51 Chaîne fonctionnelle coef 3, U52 Système automatique coef 3), and E6 Épreuve professionnelle de synthèse (coef 8: U61 Rapport d'activité de stage coef 2, U62 Conduite et réalisation de projet coef 6).

What is the passing score for BTS CRSA?

Candidates must achieve an overall weighted average of at least 10/20 across all compulsory examination units. There is no minimum elimination score on individual subjects. Marks of 10/20 or higher can be carried over for up to five consecutive examination sessions.

How much does it cost to register for the BTS CRSA exam?

Registration for the state examination through the French national Cyclades portal is free of examination fees. Candidates need only cover their own study materials, textbooks, or tuition if enrolled in private training institutes.

In what language is the official examination conducted?

The official national examination is delivered in French, with unit E2 evaluating technical English oral communication. OpenExamPrep provides a 100-question English-language multiple-choice adaptation designed to assist bilingual technicians and international learners preparing for the technical and regulatory subjects.

What practical training or internship is required for BTS CRSA?

Candidates in the initial school track must complete a mandatory 6-week industrial internship in an automation firm, machine builder, or industrial production plant. Apprentices fulfill this requirement through their dual-training work contract. The internship activities are defended orally as part of unit E6.1.

What key automation and machine safety standards are tested on the exam?

The curriculum strongly emphasizes international automation and safety standards including IEC 60848 for GRAFCET specification, IEC 61131-3 for PLC programming languages, ISO 13849-1 for safety-related parts of control systems (Performance Levels PL a to e), ISO 12100 for risk assessment, ISO 10218-1/2 for industrial robot safety, and standard fieldbus protocols (Profinet, EtherNet/IP, IO-Link).