Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.
Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, the latest version must be used.
Context
This competency applies to all blow moulding within the plastics and rubber industries. It includes the operation of all relevant additional equipment where that equipment is integral to the blow moulding process.
Procedures
All operations are performed in accordance with procedures.
Procedures include all relevant workplace procedures, work instructions, temporary instructions and relevant industry and government codes and standards.
Tools and equipment
This competency includes use of equipment and tools such as:
bottom blow, top blow, needle blow, tail to tail blow, parison pre-blow and pre-squeeze, parison stretching and parison orientation type machines
additional equipment, including chillers/cooling towers, die heating equipment, hopper driers, mixing hoppers, dehumidifying driers, air compressors, dosing machines, colour blending equipment and conveyors
hand tools as required
material loading equipment for raw materials
relevant personal protective equipment.
Hazards
Typical hazards include:
spills
dusts/vapours
slip and fall, particularly due to spilt granules
temperature
hazardous materials
manual handling hazards
equipment operations.
Problems
Respond to/rectify 'non-routine problems' means 'apply known solutions to a variety of predictable problems'. Typical process and product problems may include:
equipment malfunction
variations in temperature, pressure, speed, inflation
variations in materials or contamination of materials
mould damage
routine blow moulding faults - wall thinning, holes, poor surface finish, warping, poor colour dispersion, ejection damage, colour contamination, black spots and other defects
machine malfunction
mould/tooling problems.
Variables
Key variables to be monitored include:
operating temperatures
speed
cycle time
output rate
concentration or dispersion of colour
product weight
product wall thickness
product integrity and general conformance to specification/sample.

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the assessment guidelines for this training package.
Overview of assessment
A holistic approach should be taken to the assessment.
Assessors must be satisfied that the person can consistently perform the unit as a whole, as defined by the Elements, Performance Criteria and skills and knowledge.
Where the assessee does not currently posses evidence of competency in PMBPROD211B Operate blow moulding equipment, it may be co-assessed with this unit.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
It is essential that competence is demonstrated in the knowledge and skills defined in this unit. These may include the ability to:
identify critical materials properties and blow moulding process characteristics in relation to the process requirements and the end product
plan own work process within workplace procedures and explain the reasons for the steps in the process
take appropriate action to observe equipment, materials and products for out of specification results, make adjustments and identify problems to be reported.
Consistent performance should be demonstrated. For example, look to see that:
production quality and output standards are met consistently
problems are anticipated from process observations
problems are efficiently resolved
the process runs consistently and smoothly.
Assessment method and context
It is preferred that assessment takes place on an industrial blow moulding machine in a work-like environment.
Competence in this unit may be assessed:
on a processing plant, allowing for operation under all normal and a range of abnormal conditions
in a situation allowing for the generation of evidence of the ability to respond to problems
by using a suitable simulation and/or a range of case studies/scenarios
through a combination of these techniques.
In all cases it is expected that practical assessment will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge and theoretical assessment will be combined with appropriate practical/simulation or similar assessment. Assessors need to be aware of any cultural issues that may affect responses to questions.
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy capacity of the assessee and the work being performed.
Specific resources for assessment
This section should be read in conjunction with the Range Statement for this unit of competency. Resources required include suitable access to an operating plant or equipment that allows for appropriate and realistic simulation. A bank of case studies/scenarios and questions will also be required to the extent that they form part of the assessment method. Questioning may take place either in the workplace, or in an adjacent, quiet facility such as an office or lunchroom. No other special resources are required.
Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required. Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities.