Elements and Performance Criteria

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. 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) may also be included.
Defined parameters
Defined parameters may include
target cost
target outgoing quality levels and warranty costs
production rates
stock levels and availability to customer order
productivity
working capital
plant utilisation
Context of manufacturing processes
The context of manufacturing operations includes:
customer requirements
market considerations
product and process sustainability
lean systems
product manufacturability
system maintainability
facilities, services, plant and tooling requirements
supply chains
material and product flow
transfer operations
process control
labour requirements and skills distribution
information flow
systems thinking
continuous improvement and constraint and contingency management
WHS and regulatory requirements and risk management
Automation safety
Automation safety refers to the reliance on emergency stop, failsafe design, redundancy, interlocks and data integrity. Standards apply to general plant design and use as well as the functional safety of safety-related electrical, electronic and programmable electronic control systems
Appropriate technical and professional assistance
Appropriate technical and professional assistance may include:
technical support and advice relating to elements which have intrinsic dangers, such as:
high pressure
energised fluid vessels
high temperatures and heat energy capacity
wiring with high current control voltages above extra low voltage
professional support for technologies, such as:
specialist electric motor drives and controllers
specialist materials, plastics, metal alloys and nano materials
special processes, foundry, alloy welding, heat treatment, sealing and fastening
WHS, regulatory requirements, codes of practice and enterprise procedures

WHS, regulatory requirements and enterprise procedures may include:
WHS Acts and regulations
relevant standards
codes of practice from Australian and overseas engineering and technical associations and societies
risk assessments
registration requirements
safe work practices
state and territory regulatory requirements applying to electrical work
Standards and codes
Standards and codes refer to all relevant Australian and international standards and codes applicable to a particular manufacturing process
Sustainability
Sustainability is used to mean the entire sustainable performance of the organisation/plant including:
meeting all regulatory requirements
conforming to all industry covenants, protocols and best practice guides
minimising ecological and environmental footprint of process, plant and product
maximising economic benefit of process plant and product to the organisation and the community
minimising the negative WHS impact on employees, community and customer
Continuous improvement implementation
Continuous improvement of manufacturing processes may result in changes to plant, facilities, services, layout, materials flows, handling and logistics. It may include techniques, such as:
balanced scorecard
current and future state mapping
measuring performance against benchmarks
process improvement, problem solving and decision making
data management, generation, recording, analysing, storing and use of software
training for improvement systems participation
technical training
systems thinking
constraints and contingency management
Lean systems and techniques

Lean systems and techniques used in evaluations can vary according the type of production and product and may include:
performance indicators based on customer value
continuous improvement, including kaizen
just-in-time (JIT) and kanban
pull system for production and services
elimination and/or limitation of waste, where waste is defined as effort and resources not contributing to customer value
mistake proofing
standardisation of work
quick changeover
planning benchmarks and techniques:
cycle time
takt time
pack out
pitch
line balancing
overall equipment effectiveness (availability x performance efficiency x quality rate)
problem solving and decision making tools:
total quality management (TQM) tools
root cause analysis (RCA)
failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA)
design review based on failure mode (DRBFM)
constraints and contingencies management
total productive maintenance
value stream analysis
visual factory techniques
Automation
Automation options range from manual operations with manual information generation, handling, analysis and storage to islands of automation supported by manual interfaces with some electronic information processing to systems with major automation and networked data handling
Information flow requirements
Information flow may include:
SPC and QA data
production planning and maintenance systems information
visual information feedback to stakeholders
Information processing may include:
software and networks for automated data handling, analysis, display and storage

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to evaluate plant, facilities, services and processes against defined process performance parameters. This includes working individually and as part of a team in accordance with organisational procedures.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Assessors must be satisfied that the candidate can competently and consistently:
determine features and functions of manufacturing processes, including manufacturing principles and techniques used and relevant internal and external context of manufacturing processes
identify relevant lean systems and techniques and apply in evaluation of manufacturing processes
evaluate WHS, regulatory, automation safety and risk management compliance
investigate sustainability implications of manufacturing processes
evaluate software, facilities, services, plant and equipment tooling, process layout, automation and process control
identify appropriateness of materials and product flow and transfer operations, buffer and emergency stocks, warehousing, stores and compatibility of maintenance management system
report and document results.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
This unit may be assessed on the job, off the job or a combination of both on and off the job. Where assessment occurs off the job, then a simulated working environment must be used where the range of conditions reflects realistic workplace situations.
The competencies covered by this unit would be demonstrated by an individual working alone or as part of a team.
Where applicable, reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity, age, gender, demographics and disability.
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.
Method of assessment
Assessment must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the MEM05 Metal and Engineering Training Package.
Assessment methods must confirm consistency and accuracy of performance (over time and in a range of workplace relevant contexts) together with application of underpinning knowledge.
Assessment methods must be by direct observation of tasks and include questioning on underpinning knowledge to ensure correct interpretation and application.
Assessment may be applied under project-related conditions (real or simulated) and require evidence of process.
Assessment must confirm a reasonable inference that competency is not only able to be satisfied under the particular circumstance, but is able to be transferred to other circumstances.
Assessment may be in conjunction with assessment of other units of competency where required.
Guidance information for assessment
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.