Elements and Performance Criteria

This competency applies to all sectors within the plastics, rubber and cablemaking industries which use dedicated production machines. It includes the operation of all relevant additional equipment where that equipment is integral to the production process.

Procedures means all relevant workplace procedures, work instructions, temporary instructions and relevant industry and government codes and standards.

This unit of competency may be designated for one of the following streams where workers use that unit substantially only in that stream area:
cablemaking
blow moulding
blown film
calendering
composites
compounding
extrusion
fabrication
injection moulding
polystyrene
expanded foam polyurethane
rotational moulding
thermoforming
belt splicing
rubber lining
tyre manufacture
tyre retreading
surface coating.

This competency includes equipment and tools such as:
hand carts and trolleys
hoists/lifting equipment not requiring any special permits or licences
hand tools used in the process
relevant personal protective equipment.

Typical hazards may include:
spills
dusts/vapours
slip and fall, particularly due to spilt polymer granules
temperature
hazardous materials
manual handling hazards
equipment operations.

Essential knowledge and enterprise requirements:
Knowledge of the enterprise's procedures and relevant regulatory requirements along with the ability to implement them within appropriate time constraints and work standards.

Competence includes the ability for the practical completion of the job to apply and explain:
machine construction
types of machines
component parts of machines, structure, function and general operating principles
machine safety interlocks and systems
limit switches, normally open/normally closed, overstroke control systems, hydraulic temperature control, material temperature control, machine guards, nozzle purge guard, mould protection systems, ejection limit switches
principles of operation
production cycle/process/sequence
function tools/components
variations to the cycle/process for different systems/products
machine controls, their identification and function
measuring instruments and their function:
levelling, temperature sensing devices, thermocouples and pyrometers, transducers, thermometers, pressure and vacuum gauges, flow meters
machine control systems: basic controls, open loop, closed loop, shot size and correction capacity, injection speed, screw position, injection pressure, clamp pressure, injection time, screw speed, screw back pressure, screw back time, melt decompress position, sprue break
differences between analogue controls, digital controls, microprocessor based process controls.

Critical aspects
It is essential that competence be demonstrated by taking a machine out of production for a temporary short-term shutdown of say twenty minutes, as well as for a long-term 'cold' shutdown, in a safe and efficient manner, to standard requirements.

Language, literacy and numeracy requirements
Literacy is required to the level of being able to read and interpret technical specifications and production schedules and specifications. An appreciation of numbers is also required to the extent needed to set and interpret numeric data. Verbal communication is required to the extent necessary to instruct the operator.

Assessment method and context
Competence in this unit may be assessed:
on an operating plant allowing for operation under all normal and a range of abnormal conditions
by use of a suitable simulation and/or a range of case studies/scenarios
by 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.

Resource implications
This section should be read in conjunction with the range of variables 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.