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.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Assessors must be satisfied that the candidate can competently and consistently:

interpret features of plant and equipment and parameters to the brief or contract

advise client based on discipline knowledge and OHS and regulatory standards

research sustainability implications and current industrial design techniques

determine OHS, regulatory and risk management requirements

investigate and measure

model and calculate using appropriate software and validation techniques

generate and evaluate a range of solutions for feasibility against design criteria

design CIM system solution

communicate, negotiate and review with stakeholders and client throughout process to obtain agreement on proposal and sign-off on design

document design with drawings, specifications and instructions.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit may be assessed on the job, a combination of both on and off the job, or off the job if suitable design and simulation facilities to test the design are available. Where assessment occurs off the job, that is, the candidate is not in productive work, 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 its 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 able not only 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.

Required skills

Required skills include:

determining features of CIM system, including OHS, regulatory and risk management requirements

interpreting parameters to the brief or contract

researching latest trends and techniques in CIM practices, including:

machine and equipment design

reverse engineering

sustainability issues and implications for machine and equipment design

assembly, fabrication and construction techniques

purchasing and inventory control systems

lean and other quality techniques

latest relevant modelling and other software

investigating and presenting options

investigating faults in existing designs and arriving at solutions

selecting and using software and validation techniques

creating design solutions to match client expectations of innovation as well as fitness for purpose

designing for servicing, maintainability, cost, manufacturability and assembly, and ease of operation

evaluating solutions for feasibility against design criteria, including relevant engineering and financial calculations and analysis

communicating, negotiating and reviewing with stakeholders and client throughout process to obtain agreement on proposal and sign-off on design

documenting design with drawings, specifications and instructions

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes:

current CIM design knowledge, skills and techniques, including mechanical, electrical, fluid, electronic and information technologies, sensor/transducers, controllers, interfacing and signal conditioning, networking, software, data sharing and control functions

techniques for:

continuous improvement

problem solving and decision making

root cause analysis (RCA) or failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) or design review based on failure mode (DRBFM), and Pareto analysis

features and capability of plant, equipment, controllers, software, network and communication systems

OHS and regulatory requirements, codes of practice, standards, risk management and registration requirements

engineering design software options

contemporary engineering design methods

software options for control and data sharing

hardware options and capabilities to suit processes and products

programming and use of CIM software

documentation, drawings, specifications, instructions required, process information and programming

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.

Parameters of the brief or contract

The design brief may include the design of new equipment or fault analysis, rectification or modification to an existing design. Parameters to the design brief may include:

design cost and system capital cost

maintainability and product life cycle cost

durability, function, performance and aesthetics

energy and environmental sustainability and social issues

equipment availability and worksite restrictions

other special features and limits in the design brief

CIM

CIM is a method of manufacturing in which the production process is controlled by computer. It may include:

computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM)

computer-aided process planning (CAPP)

computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools

direct numerical control (DNC) machine tools

flexible machining systems (FMS)

automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS)

automated guided vehicles (AGV)

use of robotics and automated conveyance

computerised scheduling

production and inventory control

a business system integrated by a common database

Range of solutions

Range of solutions for CIM systems may include:

hardware options, such as:

processing machinery

transfer devices, robots, conveyors, and other automated pick and place devices

materials handling equipment

AGVs

programmable logic controllers (PLCs)

remote terminal units (RTUs)

human, machine interfaces (HMIs), e.g. touch screens

wired and wireless networking systems

software options and systems, such as:

CAD/CAM

CAPP

system control and data acquisition (SCADA)

distributed control systems (DCS)

ASRS

enterprise resource planning (ERP)

quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) systems

local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) network communications

OHS, regulatory, sustainability and environmental issues

OHS, regulatory, sustainability and environmental issues may include:

OHS Acts and regulations

relevant standards

industry codes of practice

risk assessments

registration requirements

safe work practices

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 OHS impact on employees, community and customer

state and territory regulatory requirements

Standards and codes

Standards and codes refer to all relevant Australian and international standards and codes applicable to a particular design task

Appropriate software and validation techniques

Software may be employed for:

performance analysis/modelling. Underpinning program techniques and algorithms should be understood, such as the use of FEA and numerical methods within object oriented modelling techniques

Validation techniques include:

comparison of traditional solutions for simple design problems with software solutions to the same design problems

review of previously implemented design challenges which were completed using the software

Network topology

Network topology refers to the arrangement of connected hardware. These include:

bus, ring, star, tree, mesh and in-line (2 way comms.) arrangements

wired and wireless options

Communications protocols

Communications protocols refer to the set of standardised rules for data and signal syntax, checking and error detection. Hardware and software generate data in accordance with a protocol that allows generators and receivers to understand or translate the data as information, control signals integrity and error checks. These include:

layered communications and networking protocols

OSI Model – Open Systems Interconnection Model – 7 layers

TCP/IP Internet Protocol Suite {Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the Internet Protocol (IP)} – 4 or 5 layers

IEEE 802 LAN/MAN group of standards, including IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standard, IEEE 802.11 Wireless Networking standard

interface standards, such as RS232 and RS485, Fieldbus, Modbus and DNP3.0

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.