Assessor Resource

MSL965002A
Perform glass coating, grinding and finishing operations

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


This unit of competency is applicable to skilled and experienced scientific glassblowers. They will apply specialised technical knowledge and precise technical skills and considerable planning and judgement in their work.

Industry representatives have provided case studies to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting. These can be found at the end of this unit of competency under the section 'This competency in practice'.

This unit of competency covers the ability to perform glass coating, grinding and finishing operations for scientific glassware.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Prerequisites

MSL963001A

Operate basic handblowing equipment

MSL963002A

Repair glass apparatus using simple glassblowing equipment


Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.




Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

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

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

Assessors should ensure that candidates can:

apply appropriate techniques to clean and prepare glass surfaces

apply knowledge of chemical and physical science to glassblowing situations and make appropriate conclusions

metal coat glass surfaces or apply opaque treatments to industry standards

grind and hand lap glass to be used in fabrication and for precision fit

apply finishing techniques to complete job

identify atypical situations and take appropriate action

select appropriate grades of glass, coating materials, abrasives and finishing agents for job

optimise and use materials and equipment

communicate with customers/research team to meet timeline commitments

record and report work results

follow correct OHS and principles of GLP.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace environment.

This unit of competency may be assessed with:

MSL965001A Design and manufacture glass apparatus and glass systems

MSL965003A Construct, modify and maintain vacuum systems.

Resources may include:

access to scientific glassblowing facility, appropriate equipment, materials and procedures which will allow for appropriate and realistic simulation

access to more than one workplace or simulated learning environment if the primary workplace or learning environment is unable to provide a suitable range of equipment.

Method of assessment

It is strongly recommended that assessment is conducted through observation over time. The timeframe must allow for adequate assessment of operation under all normal and a range of abnormal conditions. Where this is not practical additional assessment techniques must be used.

The following assessment methods are suggested:

inspection of examples of glasswork and workplace documentation completed by the candidate

analysis of the candidate's work records over a period of time to ensure accurate and consistent work is obtained within required timelines

feedback from peers and supervisors

oral/written questioning.

In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly.

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.

The language, literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a work like environment.

This competency in practice

Industry representatives have provided the case study below to illustrate the practical application of this unit of competency and to show its relevance in a workplace setting.

Education

A request has been made for a non-standard, 30mm diameter optical cell with a 125mm path length that has a silvered evacuated jacket for insulation properties and stopcock for filling. The scientific glassblower completes a full scale drawing from the schematic sketch provided with the request and determines the type of glass to be used from the transmittance wavelength properties of the light source used. The two optical discs are then ground and polished and tested for flatness. The custom dimension stopcock is manufactured and stopcock barrel and key are ground on specialised mandrel tapers using carborundum slurries. The stopcock is then tested to British Standards to ensure compliance with leakage rates. The cell is then assembled by sealing the stopcock and optical discs to the insulated jacketed glass tube. Annealing protocols are followed and then the jacket is silvered, mindful of the safety issues related to the chemicals used. The jacket is emptied of the silver solution, dried, evacuated using a vacuum line and then sealed. The optical cell is then delivered for use.


Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)


Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Required skills

Required skills include:

following correct occupational health and safety (OHS) and principles of good laboratory practice (GLP)

applying knowledge of chemical and physical science to glassblowing situations and making appropriate conclusions

selecting appropriate grades of glass, coating materials, abrasives and finishing agents for the job

cleaning and preparing glass surfaces

metal coating glass surfaces and applying opaque treatments to industry standards

grinding and hand lapping glass to be used in fabrication and for precision fit

applying finishing techniques

optimising and using materials and equipment

identifying atypical situations and taking appropriate action

communicating with customers/research team to meet timeline commitments

recording and reporting work results

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes:

use of glassblowing materials, equipment, tools and techniques

chemistry of coating materials and coating process

theoretical and practical principles of materials and processes for glass coating, glass grinding and glass finishing

theory of equipment operation and use

common faults in coating, grinding and finishing operations and methods for control

safety procedures relevant to coating, grinding and finishing operations

waste disposal procedures

relevant health, safety and environment requirements

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.

Codes of practice

Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, it is expected the latest version will be used

Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements

Standards, codes, procedures and/or enterprise requirements may include

calibration and maintenance schedules

enterprise recording and reporting procedures

equipment manuals

equipment startup, operation and shutdown procedures

industry codes of practice

material safety data sheets (MSDS)

material, production and product specifications

national environment protection measures

occupational health and safety national standards and codes of practice

production and laboratory schedules

quality manuals

standard operating procedures (SOPs)

Tools and equipment

Tools and equipment may include:

coating solutions and baths

grinding tools and abrasives

bench, handlamp and ribbon burners

gas supplies and gas economisers

glass working lathes

annealing ovens

measuring and recording equipment

hand tools, such as carbon paddles and mandrels, range of forceps, glass tubing gauges, angle setting jigs, calipers, glass support rollers, brass shapers, carbon rods, glass knife, stainless steel gauze, vernier calipers and other measuring tools, and strain viewer

mechanical glass cutters and saws

mechanical glass grinding equipment

safety clothing and equipment

Glass coating

Glass coating may include:

cleaning and preparation of glass

preparing coating solutions

coating/strip coating and dedicated coating

protecting coated surfaces

electroplating

removal/partial removal of coating

Grinding

Grinding may include:

selection of abrasives and metal grinding tools

interpreting specifications for glass-ground joints

using grinding procedures

testing ground surfaces for leakage

preparing glass stopcocks

Finishing

Finishing may include:

cleaning, rinsing and drying

evacuating and sealing

metallising (if applicable)

flame and/or mechanical polishing

Hazards

Hazards may include:

sharps and broken glassware

residues on used glassware, such as mercury

heat sources, such as burners and ovens

fluids under pressure (acetylene and oxygen)

glass dust

cuts associated with glass grinders and cutters

manual handling of heavy equipment and containers

Safety practices

Safety practices may include:

use of personal protective equipment, such as heat resistant gloves, safety glasses, goggles, face guards, coveralls, respirators and safety boots

correct labelling of reagents and hazardous materials

handling, and storing hazardous materials and equipment in accordance with labels, MSDS, manufacturer's instructions, and enterprise procedures and regulations

regular cleaning and/or decontamination of equipment and work areas

Occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental management requirements

OHS and environmental management requirements:

all operations must comply with enterprise OHS and environmental management requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation - these requirements must not be compromised at any time

all operations assume the potentially hazardous nature of samples and require standard precautions to be applied

where relevant, users should access and apply current industry understanding of infection control issued by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and State and Territory Departments of Health

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Identify appropriate specifications and procedures, and discuss any issues or problems with customer and work team 
Identify hazards and enterprise safety requirements 
Record description of the job, compare with specification and plan work activities 
Prepare equipment in accordance with job requirements 
Identify, select and prepare appropriate grades of glass, coating materials, abrasives, solutions and finishing agents as appropriate for the job 
Clean and prepare glass as required for coating operation 
Perform glass coating operation according to standard procedure 
Perform post-coating procedures to maintain coated surface 
Perform coating removal processes 
Ensure appropriate disposal of all waste 
Identify and prepare grinding tools as required for procedure 
Select appropriate abrasives for grinding operations 
Perform grinding and repairing/re-grinding processes as appropriate 
Test ground surfaces to ensure they meet compliance requirements 
Identify and rectify problems that arise during operations 
Establish finishing requirements for the job 
Perform finishing procedures as required for job 
Use established safe work practices and personal protective equipment to ensure safety of self and other workers 
Minimise the generation of wastes 
Ensure the safe disposal of wastes 
Clean, care for and maintain work area, equipment and tools 
Report any hazards or incidents according to enterprise procedures 
Record data as per enterprise requirements 
Maintain glass apparatus and system equipment logs as per enterprise requirements 
Ensure security and confidentiality of enterprise information 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

MSL965002A - Perform glass coating, grinding and finishing operations
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:


Assessment Record Sheet

MSL965002A - Perform glass coating, grinding and finishing operations

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: