Application
This unit of competency covers assembling custom furniture to critical production specifications involving application of skills and knowledge at a highly skilled craftsman or artisan level.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1 | Plan and prepare for work | 1.1 | Applicable legislative, work health and safety (WHS), and organisational requirements relevant to assembling custom furniture are verified and complied with |
1.2 | Instructions, plans or design briefs and critical production specifications are read and interpreted to identify processes and materials to complete work tasks | ||
1.3 | Assembly sequence is planned and materials/component layout is confirmed | ||
1.4 | Tools, equipment and materials are selected and checked prior to use to ensure that they are appropriate for the work, serviceable and in a safe condition | ||
1.5 | Adhesives, trims and accessories are identified, evaluated against the production specification and selected for use | ||
1.6 | Quality checking procedures are developed and documented for each step in the assembly process | ||
2 | Assemble custom furniture | 2.1 | Components, materials and tools are laid out in accordance with the assembly plan |
2.2 | Components are checked against specification prior to assembly and out of specification items are rejected | ||
2.3 | Components are assembled and checked against specification for accuracy, fit, twist and distortion | ||
2.4 | Doors, drawers and shelves are assembled and fitted | ||
2.5 | Hardware and decorative accessories are applied to specification | ||
2.6 | Product quality is prepared for final finish, including the removal of bruises, scratches, dents and marks | ||
2.7 | Product quality is checked against plans at identified checkpoints | ||
3 | Complete housekeeping | 3.1 | Unused materials are stored or recycled as required |
3.2 | Tools and equipment are cleaned and stored appropriately | ||
3.3 | Faulty and/or defective equipment is tagged and reported in accordance with workplace practices | ||
3.4 | Work area is cleaned and rubbish disposed of appropriately | ||
3.5 | Workplace documentation and/or reports are completed | ||
Evidence of Performance
Collect, organise and understand information related to furnishing work instructions and work orders and safety procedures
Apply safe handling requirements for equipment, products and materials, including use of personal protective equipment
Identify materials used in the work process
Follow work instructions, operating procedures and inspection processes to:
minimise the risk of injury to self or others
prevent damage to goods, equipment and products
maintain required production output and product quality
Assemble and prepare for finishing a minimum of three (3) different and significant custom furniture products utilising at least three (3) different adhesive types
Use mathematical ideas and techniques to correctly complete measurements, calculate area and estimate material requirements
Lead others and work effectively to improve production quality and outcomes
Communicate ideas and information to enable confirmation of work requirements and specifications and the reporting of work outcomes and problems, interpret basic plans and follow safety procedures
Use workplace technology related to the coordination, including communication equipment, time and management aids and other measuring devices
Minimise wastage of resources, including materials, time and money
Work with others and in a team by recognising dependencies and using cooperative approaches to optimise work flow and productivity and encourage participation of employees in the planning of work activities and changes
Evidence of Knowledge
State or territory WHS legislation, regulations, standards and codes of practice relevant to the assembly of custom furniture
Organisational and site standards, requirements, policies and procedures for the assembly of custom furniture
Techniques for the assembly, fixing and finishing of custom furniture components
Characteristics and properties of materials used in furniture components
Types, characteristics, uses, limitations and safety requirements of tools and equipment used in assembly operations
Types, characteristics, uses, limitations and safety requirements of adhesives and fasteners used in custom furniture assembly
Work flow in relation to the furniture items being assembled
Relevant problem identification and resolution
Environmental protection requirements
Assessment Conditions
Assessors must:
hold training and assessment competencies as determined by the National Skills Standards Council (NSSC) or its successors
have vocational competency in the furnishing industry at least to the level being assessed with broad industry knowledge and experience, usually combined with a relevant industry qualification
be familiar with the current skills and knowledge used and have relevant, current experience in the furnishing industry.
Assessment methods must confirm consistency of performance over time rather than a single assessment event and in a range of workplace relevant contexts.
Assessment must be by observation of relevant tasks with questioning on underpinning knowledge and, where applicable, multimedia evidence, supervisor’s reports, projects and work samples.
Assessment is to be conducted on single units of competency or in conjunction with other related units of competency. Foundation skills are integral to competent performance in the unit and should not be assessed separately.
Assessment must occur on the job or in a workplace simulated facility with relevant process, equipment, materials, work instructions and deadlines.
Access is required to realistic assembly requirement involving three significant products, materials, equipment and specifications relevant to assembling custom furniture.
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency. Detail on appropriate performance levels for each furnishing unit of competency in reading, writing, oral communication and numeracy utilising the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) are provided in the Furnishing Training Package Implementation Guide.
Range Statement
Specifies 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. Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment. | |
Unit context includes: | WHS requirements, including legislation, building codes, material safety management systems, hazardous and dangerous goods codes, and local safe operating procedures or equivalent work is carried out in accordance with legislative obligations, environmental legislation, relevant health regulations, manual handling procedures and organisation insurance requirements work requires individuals to demonstrate conceptual and analytical ability, discretion, judgement and problem solving |
Custom furniture includes: | one-off manufacture in response to specific customer requirements. It does not include variations or modification to a production line item, and includes: wall units vanity units kitchen cabinets sideboards/buffets drawer units display cabinets counters tables beds |
Tools and equipment include: | clamps winding sticks measuring tapes or rules hammers mallets squares presses |
Materials include: | timber (both indigenous and overseas) adhesives screws nails dowels metal fasteners knockdown fittings glass decorative finishes abrasive paper |
Personal protective equipment includes: | that prescribed under legislation, regulations and enterprise policies and practices |
Information and procedures include: | workplace instructions, including job sheets, plans, specifications, drawings and designs for custom furniture item manufacturer specifications and instructions standard forms of workplace process and procedures organisation work specifications and requirements legislation, regulations and codes of practice quality and Australian Standards and procedures |
Sectors
Furniture design and technology