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

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to coordinate, monitor and maintain an engineering-related manufacturing operation, including purchasing, scheduling of materials and resources and priorities. This includes working individually and as part of a team and recognising and complying with normal organisation control procedures.

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

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

prepare production or project plan in consultation with relevant stakeholders to meet WHS, quality, demand and delivery requirements within capacity and budget constraints

apply procedures to ensure compliance of manufacturing operations with WHS, environmental and other regulatory requirements

review and monitor facilities and services, including:

plant, tooling and software

process layout

use of automation and automation safety

product manufacturability and asset maintainability

compliance requirements of WHS and regulations, codes of practice, standards, risk assessment and registration requirements for manufacturing plant.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit may be assessed on the job, off the job or a combination of both on and off the job. Where assessment occurs off the job, 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 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 not only able 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:

identifying equipment and process capacity from information supplied by designers and suppliers

developing production schedule demand forecast from information supplied by customers, distributors, and sales and marketing departments

preparing master production, schedule or project plan

detailed operations planning, scheduling, production control and contingency measures that take into account:

facilities

services

plant and tooling

enterprise resource planning (ERP) software

process layout

use of automation

product manufacturability

asset maintainability

preparing purchasing schedules and coordinating material supplies

complying with WHS and regulations, codes of practice, standards and risk assessment

coordinating manufacturing operation to be consistent with business plans and legal and regulatory requirements, and coordinating systems maintenance of manufacturing operation following improvement procedures

use of software, such as ERP, system control data acquisition (SCADA) and spreadsheets, where installed

coordinating manufacturing operations to schedule and priority

maintaining quality and process control procedures

coordinating problem solving and decision making, short-term planning and rescheduling to meet constraints and contingencies, as necessary

maintaining records, reporting and documenting in accordance with procedures

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes:

manufacturing management systems

forecasting, scheduling and production control procedures

production systems, including assembly and process layouts, material and product flows, automation and control systems

WHS requirements, codes of practice, regulations, standards, regulatory requirements, risk management, current safe work methods statements (SWMS), material safety data sheets (MSDS) and work permits

budgeting, costing and control measures

quality and process control measures

asset maintenance techniques and management options

continuous improvement procedures

problem solving and decision making, systems thinking, contingency and constraints management as applied to manufacturing

requirements for and functions of technical documentation, graphics and specifications

sustainability implications of manufacturing operations, products and processes, including social, environmental, resources and economic implications

reporting and documenting procedures used in manufacturing, including role of standard operating procedures, engineering drawings and process control charts

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.

Relevant stakeholders

Relevant stakeholders may include:

team

organisation functional groups

support professionals and licensed technicians

customers and suppliers

WHS, regulatory requirements and enterprise procedures

WHS, regulatory requirements and enterprise procedures may include:

WHS Acts and regulations

relevant standards

codes of practice from Australian and overseas engineering and technical associations and societies

risk assessments

registration requirements

safe work practices

state and territory regulatory requirements

Records

Records may include:

forecasts, schedules and budgets

records of operations, production quantities, quality and supply performance

process, resources and budget control measures

communications, graphics and specifications

tenders, contracts and schedules

personnel, resource allocations and financial management procedures

standard operating procedures, including maintenance procedures

records of procedures and legislative compliance

Appropriate licensed technical and professional assistance

Appropriate licensed technical and professional assistance may include:

technical support and advice relating to elements which have intrinsic dangers, such as:

high pressure

energised fluid vessels

high temperatures and heat energy capacity

wiring or devices with high current or voltages above extra low voltage

professional support for engineering research, calculations and technologies

professional services in non-engineering related areas, such as:

finance, accounts and tax

insurance and legal

training and human resources

Continuous improvement procedures

Continuous improvement procedures may relate to plant, products, processes, systems or services, including design, development, implementation or manufacture, commissioning, operation or delivery and maintenance.

Improvement processes may include techniques, such as:

balanced scorecard

current and future state mapping

measuring performance against benchmarks

process improvement, problem solving and decision making

data management, generation, recording, analysing, storing and use of software

training for improvement systems participation

technical training

Constraints and contingencies

Contingencies arising during operations or improvement projects will have constraints on possible solutions. These may be:

financial

organisation procedural or culture

physical constraints, such as limits to resources, limits to site access or logistical limitations

Systems thinking

Systems thinking refers to the conduct of engineering work in a manner that demonstrates knowledge of how the interaction of different technical systems on equipment, machinery or structures, as well as the skills and techniques of personnel, combine to perform or support engineering-related operations, processes or projects. It embraces determining or establishing how the function of each technical system or component, as well as the skills and techniques of personnel, effects or potentially may effect, outcomes. Systems should be interpreted broadly within the context of the organisation and depending on the project or operation can include equipment, related facilities, material, software, internal services and personnel, and other organisations in the value chain

Lean manufacturing

Lean manufacturing uses cost, capacity and responsiveness, quality, reliability and waste minimisation as drivers of the process and measures for process improvement. Lean manufacturing is the response of many organisations to local, regional, national and global market competitiveness

Software options

Software may be employed for forecasting, scheduling performance analysis/modelling and may include:

ERP

SCADA

spreadsheets

Sustainability

Sustainability is used to mean the entire sustainable performance of the organisation/plant, including:

meeting all regulatory requirements

conforming to all industry covenants, protocols and best practice guides

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 WHS impact on employees, community and customer