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.
This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.
Application of knowledge of the materials, equipment and process sufficient to recognise material and equipment conditions which may lead to out of specification production.
Knowledge of organization procedures, quality requirements at each production stage and relevant regulatory requirements along with the ability to implement them within appropriate time constraints and work standards.
Skill to identify the range of possible causes of product faults.
Application of the knowledge of managing risks using the hierarchy of controls applied to the welding process. Application of approved hazard control and safety procedures and the use of PPE in relation to handling materials, equipment operation and cleanup.
Knowledge as a basis for solving processing and material problems including:
characteristics of materials and behaviour in relation to heat, pressure, flow rate and time in the welding process
different welding processes and their effect on the welded product
selection of appropriate welding processes for a particular application
function and operating principles of welding equipment, equipment components and ancillary equipment, including the heating and feeding mechanisms and material supporting/feeding mechanisms
impact of weld speed, temperature, pressure on product quality and production output
phases of the welding process and the effect of the key variables on product quality, in order to make appropriate adjustments to equipment settings.
processing behaviour of those polymers which are welded at the workplace
changes to materials at various stages of production
waste management and importance of non-conforming materials
impact of variations in raw materials and equipment operation in relation to final product.
polymer properties and their interactions with process conditions
relationships between polymer properties and process conditions
changes to polymer properties to better suit process requirements
product problems related to polymer properties
product problems related to process conditions
adjustments to process conditions to meet polymer and product requirements.
Competence also includes the ability to:
plan own work, including predicting consequences and identifying improvements
maintain output and product quality using appropriate instruments, controls, test information and readings
identify and describe own role and role of others involved directly in the welding process
identify factors which may affect product quality or production output and appropriate remedies
identify when the when assistance is required to solve problems.
Language, literacy and numeracy requirements
This unit requires the ability to read and interpret typical product specifications, job sheets and material labels as provided to operators.
Writing is required to the level of completing workplace forms.
Basic numeracy is also required to interpret specifications, make measurements and monitor and interpret process variables.
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 includes the processes required to weld plastic pipe, sheet and film materials to a required specification, including continuous production operations on specialised welding equipment, and often involves the use of ancillary equipment.
Materials may be from a range of thermoplastic materials in the form of pipeline systems and component parts, sheet where used in sequenced production operations including vinyl product fabrication, and film where associated with continuous production operations.
It includes the operation of hot plate (heated tool), extrusion, high frequency sound (ultrasonic), electrostatic (radio frequency) and thermal induction (heat) welding systems and production machinery designed for sequenced or continuous production operations, and all relevant ancillary equipment.
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 unit of competency includes use of equipment and tools such as:
welding equipment and machinery
hand tools as required
relevant personal protective equipment.
Hazards
Typical hazards include:
fumes from overheating or poor ventilation
cuts from sharp edges on components
burns from manual handling
eye injury
welding equipment, ancillary plant, parts and attachments.
Problems
'Anticipate and solve problems' means resolve a wide range of routine and non-routine problems, using product and process knowledge to develop solutions to problems which do not have a known solution/a solution recorded in the procedures.
Typical process and product problems may include:
component materials incompatible or not to specification
incorrect alignment or assembly in welding process
welding edge, joint, fillet, gusset or seam not suitable for welding
material feed systems not correctly sequenced (continuous production)
incorrect selection of welding process
surface moisture contacting welding or fusion points
misalignment of welding contacts or die components
sequencing problems, procedure too fast or too slow
incorrect materials selected
poor surface preparation
bonding problems, weld does not meet specification
surface and finish defects.
Variables
Key variables to be monitored include:
differences between actual and set temperatures
speeds (including feed speed for filler, speed of weld head)
colour and uniformity
surface finish/appearance
tolerance for weld/joint
consistency of weld
product output rate
product integrity and general conformance to specification and quality sample
mechanical strength of weld (eg tensile strength results).
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