This unit of competency covers the ability to operate handblowing equipment to perform basic glasswork. Personnel may be less experienced workers working under the guidance of an experienced scientific glassblower.

This unit of competency is applicable to personnel working with experienced scientific glassblowers, generally in scientific educational institutions.

While no specific licensing or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication, laboratory operations are governed by relevant legislation, regulations and/or external accreditation requirements. Local requirements should be checked.

Evidence of competence in this unit must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria, and include demonstration of:

selecting appropriate grades of glass and preparing them for use

safely operating handblowing equipment to produce at least three (3) examples of basic glasswork

using basic bench/hand glasswork techniques and equipment to fabricate at least three (3) items of general glass apparatus involving:

cutting, heating, bending, shaping, sealing and related glassworking techniques

maintaining temperature and stress parameters and safe working pressures

making and grinding at least two (2) components, such as stopcocks, that meet specifications

storing glass appropriately

starting up, setting up, shutting down and maintaining equipment in accordance with work instructions

optimising of equipment operating parameters

reporting atypical results and problems to appropriate personnel according to workplace procedures

completing workplace documentation accurately and communicating work results

maintaining work area, equipment and tools in accordance with workplace procedures.

Must provide evidence that demonstrates knowledge of:

composition and nature of glass types

basic chemical and physical concepts relating to properties and behaviour of glass

critical material properties and appropriate glassworking parameters

function and correct use of apparatus, safe start-up and shutdown procedures

pre-heating procedures

basic theory of re-entry angles and stress points

set-up and annealing/conditioning process

relationship of temperature and temporary and permanent stress

pre-annealing, annealing and post-annealing processes

potential quality problems, including:

temperature and strain problems

devitrification

non-uniform thickness of seals or joints

equipment problems

poor optics, distortion, excessive breakage, non-uniform break pattern, incorrect cross bend, excessive bow, scratches and poor glass shape

loss of utilities

relevant hazards, work health and safety (WHS) and environment requirements.

Judgement of competence must be based on holistic assessment of the evidence. Assessment methods must confirm consistency of performance over time, rather than a single assessment event. The timeframe must allow for assessment of operation under all normal and a range of abnormal conditions.

This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or a simulated workplace environment. A simulated workplace environment must reflect realistic operational workplace conditions that cover all aspects of workplace performance, including the environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills.

Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence or through an independent process, such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept in each case).

Holistic assessment methods include:

inspection of glasswork and workplace documentation completed by the candidate

review of candidate’s work outputs over a period of time to assess accuracy, consistency and timeliness

feedback from supervisors and/or customers

observation of the candidate safely operating basic handblowing equipment

oral or written questioning about properties of glass, fabrication techniques, quality problems and safe work procedures.

Access is required to instruments, equipment, materials, workplace documentation, procedures and specifications associated with this unit, including, but not limited to:

a scientific glassblowing facility, appropriate safety equipment, materials and safe work procedures, and fabrication methods

bench burner, hand torch, micro torch and ribbon burner, gas supplies and gas economiser

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, dydinium glasses and polariscope

glassworking lathe, mechanical glass cutters and saws, and mechanical glass grinding equipment

annealing oven

measuring and recording equipment.

Assessors must satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment as set by the VET regulator.

The assessor must demonstrate both technical competence and currency.

Technical competence can be demonstrated through:

relevant VET or other qualification/Statement of Attainment AND/OR

relevant workplace experience.

Currency can be demonstrated through:

performing the competency being assessed as part of current employment OR

having consulted with a laboratory about performing the competency being assessed within the last twelve months.

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential to performance.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Scientific glassblowing