Program Overview
Every control loop begins at a field instrument. This Level 1 program builds the core literacy that instrument technicians and junior engineers need on process plants: how pressure, level, flow and temperature are measured, how instruments are represented on drawings, and how they are installed and inspected so that the data reaching the control system can be trusted.
The program combines measurement theory with practical work on transmitters, gauges, switches and control valves. Participants learn to navigate PFDs, P&IDs and installation isometrics, apply ISA-5.1 tagging conventions, and carry out receiving, in-process and final inspections against datasheets and material specifications. It is the entry point to the ASEEE Instrumentation and Control pathway and prepares participants for Level 2 commissioning work.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify instrument types, control valve styles and their applications from ISA-5.1 symbols and tag numbers
- Interpret PFDs, P&IDs, hook-ups and isometric drawings for instrument installation
- Explain the operating principles of common pressure, level, flow and temperature sensors
- Install and test field instruments using correct impulse line, mounting and wiring practice
- Conduct receiving, in-process and final inspections against datasheets and material specifications
- Evaluate basic system design choices for range, accuracy and process compatibility
Program Modules
- International Codes and Standards — the role of ISA, API, ISO and IEC documents in instrumentation projects
- Instrument Symbols, Instrument Types and Control Valves — ISA-5.1 identification, functional letters, and globe, ball and butterfly valve characteristics
- PFDs, P&IDs and Isometric Drawings — reading process documentation and tracing instruments from drawing to field
- Pressure and Level Measurement — gauges, DP transmitters, diaphragm seals, displacers, radar and guided-wave radar
- Flow and Temperature Measurement — orifice plates, magnetic, Coriolis, vortex and ultrasonic meters, thermocouples and RTDs
- Instrument Installation and Testing — mounting, impulse lines, tubing, cable termination and bench verification
- Inspection and Material Specifications — receiving, in-process and final inspection, wetted materials and nameplate checks
- System Design and Evaluation — range selection, accuracy budgets and basic loop architecture
Who Should Attend
- Instrument technicians and apprentices
- Graduate and junior instrumentation engineers
- Electrical technicians moving into instrumentation
- Process operators who need deeper instrument knowledge
- QA/QC inspectors on instrumentation packages
Standards & Codes Referenced
- ANSI/ISA-5.1 (Instrumentation Symbols and Identification)
- ISO 3511-1 to 3511-4 (Process measurement control functions and instrumentation, symbolic representation)
- ISO 10012 (Measurement management systems)
- API RP 551 (Process Measurement)
- API RP 552 (Transmission Systems)
- API RP 554 (Process Control Systems)
- IEC 61508-1 to -7 (Functional safety of E/E/PE safety-related systems)
Assessment & Certification
Competence is confirmed through a written examination on measurement principles, symbology and inspection criteria and a practical assessment on instrument installation, drawing interpretation and bench testing of transmitters. Practical sessions take place at ASEEE-approved training centers under the supervision of a qualified assessor.
Successful candidates receive the ASEEE competency certificate, which carries a unique ID that employers and clients can verify online through Certificate Check. Recertification is recommended every 3 years, or progression to the Level 2 program.
