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Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Identify basic features of local pre-ginned cotton
  2. Recognise key cotton features necessary to achieve optimum classing outcome
  3. Identify key cotton features that can be varied through ginning process

Required Skills

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit

Demonstrates knowledge of

different species of cotton

different parts of the cotton plant

components of the cotton boll

purposes of the ginning process

main risks to a successful ginning outcome including contamination moisture content outside specification damaged or weak fibres

OHS practices including hazard identification and control measures

quality practices

workplace practices

practices for recording and reporting

Demonstrates skills to

access information and records

visually compare seed cotton to test samples in order to understand the effects of moisture contamination and fibre damage

analyse and evaluate information

read interpret and follow information on work specifications standard operating procedures and work instructions and other reference material

maintain accurate records

communicate within the workplace

clarify and check taskrelated information

carry out work according to OHS practices

Evidence Required

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria Required Skills and Knowledge the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package

Critical aspects of evidence to be considered

Demonstrates skills and knowledge to

check and identify seed and ginned cotton

check for and identify trash

access records

protect cotton from contamination both in the module yard and in the gin

Consistency in performance

Consistently applies skills and knowledge when

organising work

completing tasks

identifying improvements

using workplace practices

using OHS practices

recording and reporting accidents and incidents

assessing operational readiness of equipment used and work processes

recognising and adapting to cultural differences in the workplace including modes of behaviour and interactions

completing work systematically with attention to detail and without damage to goods and equipment

Resource implications

Access is required to real or appropriately simulated situations including work areas materials and equipment and to information on workplace practices and OHS practices

Context for assessment

Assessment may occur on the job or in an appropriately simulated environment

Interdependent Assessment

This unit may be assessed independently or in combination with other relevant units

Range Statement

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. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs if the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

Legislative/regulatory requirements

All work must comply with relevant Federal and State or Territory legislative or regulatory requirements.

Species

in the context of this unit refers to either American Upland cotton or long staple varieties of cotton which can also be known as Pima and any specific seed company variations or proprietary brands

Seed cotton

cotton where the seed has not been removed from the cotton boll through the ginning process.

Neps

clusters or entanglements of fibres, caused by a number of factors - environment, processing or are inherent in the variety.

Trash includes:

cotton bark and branch

cotton leaves or parts of leaves

other natural contaminants such as grass and non-cotton leaves and branches

insects

man-made contaminants such as grease, rope, twine, plastic etc.

Grower details includes:

information identifying the grower

information provided by the grower such as whether the cotton is irrigated or rain grown, spindle or stripper picked and the date of picking. Sometimes time of day when the module is picked is available.

Colour

a measurement of the whiteness and brightness of cotton fibre

Leaf grade

the leaf content of the cotton and is graded by classers according to a numbering system with higher numbers indicating more leaf content. A grade of 4 or above usually leads to a discount for the cotton.

Stickiness

produced by sugary or other deposits in the fibre, produced by insects or the cotton plant itself. Stickiness is important as there is nearly zero tolerance for stickiness by spinners due to its impact on their operation.

Micronaire

a combined measure of two different fibre attributes:

the thickness (fineness) of the fibre itself (ie its diameter)

the thickness (maturity) of the fibre wall (cotton fibre is a hollow tube).

Fibre length

fibre or staple length is measured in breaks of 1/32 inches, staple length is primarily determined by variety.

Length uniformity

the ratio of the mean fibre length and the upper half mean fibre length

the lower the value of this ratio the higher the percentage of short fibres.

The more uniform fibre length the better: Low fibre uniformity increases the 'waste' fibre lost during processing at the spinning mill.

Short fibre content

an indication of the number of fibres below 0.5 inches in length. Short fibre content of less than 5.4% is desirable to the spinner.

Lint

the term for the cotton fibres that grow from the cotton seed. Fibres are unicellular (one cell) hairs that develop in cells in the outer skin of the seed coat.

Long fibres

fibres that remain after the seed is removed during ginning and which form the fibres used for spinning.

Key cotton features

features that contribute to a higher return for cotton growers and spinners and include:

high staple length and length uniformity

a low percentage of clusters or entanglements of fibres known as neps

high whiteness or brightness of cotton fibres

lack of contamination

fibre strength

high gin turnout which is gin turnout is the measure, in percentage terms of recovered lint from a module of cotton