Abstract
In the field of thermal spraying a lot of things have been and still are happening concerning education and training of personnel. The education and training of thermal sprayers according EWF-Guideline is required frequently in combination of the international standard DIN EN ISO 14918 “Approval Testing of Thermal Sprayers” - especially in the German-language countries. Meanwhile about 13 ETS courses were held at the German Welding Institute. Also interested in the education and training of thermal sprayers are countries like Poland and China. In France thermal spray personnel was educated and trained in a company internal course. Sweden and Norway run ETS courses in cooperation. The EWF education and training course of the ETSS European Thermal Spraying Specialist will be offered by the German Welding Institute in Munich - SLV München - for the nineth time in October 2005. Since about 1993 European Committees of EWF (European Federation of Welding, Joining and Cutting) and CEN (European Committee or Standardization) worked out education and training guidelines and qualification standards of thermal spray supervising personnel and sprayers and established them step by step. The meanwhile created and internationally accepted EWF-education and training guidelines of supervising personnel and thermal spray workers involve also the new ISO standards of the Thermal Spraying Co-ordinator and the Approval Testing of Thermal Sprayers. The ISO personnel qualification and quality management standards result together with the EWF education and training guidelines in a sound QM-system, which meets the increased demands of trade and industry of high quality sprayed coating. Experiences in applying these guidelines and standards are introduced.