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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Maintain routine pad printing process
   • Location of objects into fixtures is monitored and adjusted if necessary
   • Printing plate condition is monitored to ensure quality of printed product meets the approved proof standard
   • Printing pad condition is monitored and maintained to ensure quality of printed product meets the approved proof standard
   • Spatula and doctor blade are monitored and adjusted to ensure quality of printed product meets the approved proof standard
2. OR
   • Ink cup is monitored and adjusted to ensure quality of printed product meets the approved proof standard
   • Printing ink viscosity is monitored and adjusted to ensure quality of printed product meets the approved proof standard
3. Maintain manual pre- and post-treatments
   • Manual loading is monitored and adjusted to ensure quality of printed product meets the approved proof standard
   • Manual pre-treatment is monitored and adjusted to ensure quality of printed product meets the approved proof standard
   • Drying racks are monitored and adjusted to ensure quality of printed product meets the approved proof standard
4. Maintain routine production process
   • Production process is operated in association with fellow workers and according to company specifications and planned daily schedule
   • Production is maintained within work health and safety (WHS) requirements, and company and manufacturer’s specifications
   • Manual and/or automatic control is used as per specification
   • Performance is monitored and verified using the process control system according to enterprise procedures
   • Ink performance, colour, register and position of print are monitored and adjusted throughout production run
   • Production difficulties are anticipated and preventive action is taken to avoid disruption
   • Process adjustments to eliminate problems are reported according to enterprise procedures
   • Waste is sorted according to enterprise procedures
5. Identify and rectify faults
   • Problems in pad printing machine operation are identified and reported according to enterprise procedures
   • Adjustments or corrections are carried out according to specified procedures and consistent with operator’s skill level
   • Pad printing machine operation is checked to ensure correct operation
   • Faulty performance of equipment is identified and reported according to enterprise procedures
6. Conduct shutdown
   • Correct shutdown sequence is followed according to manufacturer’s specifications and enterprise procedures
   • Shutdown is conducted in association with fellow workers and in compliance with WHS requirements
   • Unused ink is correctly labelled and stored according to manufacturer/supplier specifications and enterprise procedures
   • Solid and liquid waste is removed from operating area and recycled or disposed of, where required, according to regulatory requirements and enterprise procedures
   • Product is removed from operating area
   • Machine faults requiring repair are identified and reported to designated person according to enterprise procedures
   • Repair/adjustment is verified prior to resumption of operations
7. Clean and wash printing machine at end of print run
   • Plates and pads are cleaned ready for next run
   • Inking system is washed up ready for next run, and liquid waste is disposed of according to company and regulatory requirements
   • Pre- and post-treatment units are cleaned ready for next run
   • Production records or other documentation are accurately completed, where required by enterprise procedures

Performance Evidence

Evidence of the ability to:

safely produce TWO basic pad printing jobs (if possible on different substrates) to meet job specifications, enterprise procedures and work health and safety (WHS) requirements

correctly shut down and clean pad printing machine and, if possible, rectify any production problems with minimum downtime.

Note: If a specific volume or frequency is not stated, then evidence must be provided at least once.

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Knowledge Evidence

To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must:

outline major WHS concerns of operating this machine

identify where the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are stored and what information they contain

explain different machine cycle modes and how colour density of a light image on a dark substrate can be improved

outline process for selecting the appropriate machine cycle mode to provide the highest production output for a particular product

explain correct ink viscosity during production

explain causes of unreleased ink remaining on the printing pad and how this issue is identified

explain the correct process for recognising a damaged pad and the correct method of cleaning a pad during production

outline pre- and post-treatment requirements and the simple pre-treatment commonly required for injection-moulded objects

identify how long ink on the job takes to cure before scratch and adhesion tests can be performed

describe common print problems, how they are identified, and how they can be rectified

describe visible effects in the image if ink viscosity is incorrect

outline the process for adjusting the machine to correct a shift in image position on the product

identify machine manuals, safety and other documentation relevant to this task, where they are kept and information they contain.

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