Elements and Performance Criteria

This unit of competency includes all such items of equipment and unit operations which form part of the kiln system.

For your plant this may include (select relevant items):
Kilns - batch, tunnel, top-hat, shuttle and roller hearth
Kilns - oil, gas, electric, coal and wood fired
optical and thermocouple pyrometers
PLCs, control panels, control computers.

Typical problems for your plant may include :
ensuring moisture content of product prior to firing is within specification
furnace temperature profile variations
distribution of product in kiln or on
correct transition through quartz inversion, as appropriate
distortion of refractories or mechanical failures.
This unit was developed for larger production contexts but it may also be relevant to craft practitioners producing ceramic work.

OHS
The identification and control of hazards and the application of OHS are to be in accordance with current, applicable legislation and regulations, and company

Assessment context and methods
Assessment for this unit of competency will be on an operating plant. The unit will be assessed in as holistic a manner as is practical and may be integrated with the assessment of other relevant units of competency. Assessment will occur over a range of situations which will include disruptions to normal, smooth operation.
Simulation may be required to allow for timely assessment of parts of this unit of competency (eg, elements 1 to 4). Simulation should be based on the actual plant and will include 'walk-throughs' of the relevant competency components. Simulations may also include the use of case studies/scenarios and role plays.
This unit of competency requires a significant body of knowledge which will be assessed through questioning and the use of 'what if' scenarios both on the plant (during demonstration of normal operations and walk-throughs of abnormal operations) and off the plant.

Critical aspects
It is essential that the equipment be understood and that the importance of critical material properties, settings and readings is known. Competence must be demonstrated in the ability to recognise and analyse potential situations requiring action and then in implementing appropriate corrective action.
Consistent performance should be demonstrated. In particular look to see that -
kiln or
kiln firing is to requirements
temperature rise/fall rates are to specification.
Competence must be demonstrated in the operation of all ancillary equipment to the level required for this competency unit. These aspects may be best assessed using a range of scenarios/case studies/what ifs as the stimulus with a walk-through forming part of the response. These assessment activities should include responding to a range of problems

Resource implications
Assessment will require access to an operating plant over an extended period of time, or a suitable method of gathering evidence of operating ability over a range of situations. A bank of scenarios/case studies/what ifs will be required as will a bank of questions which will be used to probe the reasoning behind the observable actions.

Other assessment advice
In all plants it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with relevant teamwork and communication units.
Individual enterprises may choose to add prerequisites and corequisites relevant to their processes.

Essential knowledge
Knowledge and understanding of the firing equipment sufficient to recognise conditions which will lead to out of specification product.
Knowledge of the enterprise's standard procedures and work instructions and relevant regulatory requirements along with the ability to implement them within time constraints and in a manner relevant to the operation of the firing equipment.

Competence includes the ability to :

apply and/or describe -
stages and critical transitions during the firing process
kiln temperature profile and deviations allowed
importance of stacking pattern
consequences of variations in the firing process
distinguish between causes of faults such as -
firing/temperature profile
drying
materials
stacking or distribution of product in kiln
as is relevant to the practical operation of the equipment.

Communicating ideas and information
(1)

Collecting analysing and organising information
(2)

Planning and organising activities
(1)

Working with others and in teams
(2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
(1)

Solving problems
(2)

Using technology
(2)