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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Identify materials as being compatible for welding
   • Identify materials as PE, polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) and polyvinylchloride (PVC) from specifications and work site instructions
   • Identify plastic materials and components supplied as being compatible for welding from specifications and tests
2. Identify appropriate plastics welding conditions
   • Identify welding machine type and operating requirements
   • Identify plastic component materials and dimensions
   • Identify and select appropriate welding rods or granules
   • Select welding conditions for individual welding machines and plastic components
   • Prepare field operational sheets according to enterprise specification
3. Maintain, and calibrate welding equipment
   • Set up welding equipment and work area according to enterprise specification
   • Ensure safety equipment available and operational according to enterprise procedures
   • Identify non-conformance, report and rectify according to enterprise procedures
   • Check operation, and calibrate where required, heating, material feed rate and pressure systems
   • Use personal protective equipment (PPE)
4. Perform welding to required standard
   • Clean machine, align and trim abutting plastic component ends according to job specification
   • Assemble components in holding jigs
   • Perform heating, welding and cooling phases using selected welding conditions and specifications
   • Monitor and record achieved weld conditions for each assembly according to enterprise requirements
   • Clean up equipment when completed according to enterprise requirements
   • Clean up work site, dispose of scrap materials according to job specification
5. Assess quality of completed joints
   • Identify quality requirements for joints according to specifications
   • Assess joints against specification requirements and report results according to enterprise requirements
   • Identify and report non-conformances according to job specification

Range Statement

This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included.
Regulatory framework	The latest version of all legislation, regulations, industry codes of practice and Australian/international standards, or the version specified by the local regulatory authority, must be used. Applicable legislation, regulations, standards and codes of practice include: health, safety and environmental (HSE) legislation, regulations and codes of practice relevant to the workplace, manual handling and hazardous materials Australian/international standards relevant to the materials being used and products being made any relevant licence and certification requirements. All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent HSE requirements, which may be imposed through state/territory or federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between performance criteria and such requirements the legislative requirements take precedence.
Procedures	All operations must be performed in accordance with relevant procedures. Procedures are written, verbal, visual, computer-based or in some other form, and include one or any combination of: emergency procedures work instructions standard operating procedures (SOPs) safe work method statements (SWMS) formulas/recipes batch sheets temporary instructions any similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant.
Tools and equipment	Tools and equipment include: welding system/equipment, including one or more of: electrical activated extrusion welding machine electrical/pneumatic activated injection welding machine measurement devices, including, timers, temperature probes and callipers cleaning equipment spray equipment plastics machining equipment assembly jigs and clamps. Additional tools and equipment will be selected as required from: hand tools used in this process hoists/lifting equipment not requiring any special permits or licences manual handling, aids such as hand carts and trolleys relevant PPE.
Hazards	Hazards must be identified and controlled. Identifying hazards requires consideration of: hazardous products and materials cutting equipment sharp edges, swarf and scrap protrusions or obstructions slippery surfaces, spills or leaks rotational equipment or vibration smoke, dust, vapours or other atmospheric hazards high temperatures electricity gas gases and liquids under pressure structural hazards equipment failures machinery, equipment and product mass other hazards that might arise.
Problems	Routine and non-routine problems must be resolved. Non-routine problems must be resolved by applying operational knowledge to develop new solutions, either individually or in collaboration with relevant experts, to: determine problems needing action determine possible fault causes develop solutions to problems which do not have a known solution follow through items initiated until final resolution has occurred report problems outside area of responsibility to designated person. Non-routine problems are unexpected problems or variations of previous problems and include one or more of: variations in quality emergency situations intermittent faults. Operational knowledge includes one or more of: procedures training technical information, such as journals and engineering specifications remembered experience relevant knowledge obtained from appropriate people. Routine problems are predictable and have known solutions and include one or more of: incompatible materials (pipes/rods) variable plastics sheet material grades and supplied welding rods/granules equipment malfunction or wear and tear variable factory and field site conditions.

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Performance Evidence

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and demonstrate the ability to:

read and interpret procedures, job specifications, national standards, material labels and safety data sheets (SDS)

distinguish between PE, PP, ABS, HIPS and PVC materials and welding rods/granules

select welding conditions appropriate to the welding equipment and components

set up welding equipment and materials/components to meet specifications

operate the extrusion or injection welding equipment to weld the materials/components

monitor key variables, including:

temperature

rate of extrusion/injection

pressure

product output rate

integrity of weld and general conformance to specification

assess quality of completed

make adjustments to remedy faults and non-conformity

identify hazards and apply relevant hazard controls

apply safety procedures

apply housekeeping procedures

apply waste management procedures

maintain and calibrate welding equipment

recognise early warning signs of equipment/processes needing attention or with potential problems

distinguish between causes of problems, including:

operational problems

materials properties

process variables

raw material/component variations

raw material contamination

procedural errors

recognise and prioritise problems requiring action

resolve routine and non-routine problems

communicate effectively with team/work group and supervisors

complete workplace records

do basic arithmetical manipulations, including additions, subtractions, divisions, fractions and percentages.

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Knowledge Evidence

Must provide evidence that demonstrates knowledge relevant to their job sufficient to operate independently and to solve routine and non-routine problems, including knowledge of:

function and operating principles of welding system/equipment including one (1) or more of:

electrical activated extrusion welding machine

electrical/pneumatic activated injection welding machine

extrusion and injection welding processes and their effect on the welded product

impact of variations in welding process variables and raw materials on product quality and production output

factors which may affect product quality or production output and appropriate remedies

characteristics of materials and their behaviour in relation to welding process variables and stages of production

quality requirements

common adjustments in process variables and their impact on product quality and production output

routine and non-routine problems that may arise, the range of possible causes and appropriate actions

organisation procedures relevant to the work environment/job role

hierarchy of control

hazards that may arise in the job/work environment and:

their possible causes

potential consequences

appropriate risk controls.

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