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 evaluate rapid manufacturing applications for safety, economy and fitness for purpose.

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

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

review technologies, including software, used in rapid manufacturing applications

evaluate rapid manufacturing processes for efficiency and cost-benefit against alternative manufacturing techniques

select appropriate analysis principles and techniques and software

identify and assess compliance against relevant WHS and regulatory requirements, risk management and organisational procedures

report and document results.

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:

determining technologies, parameters and context of rapid manufacturing applications

investigating sustainability implications of rapid manufacturing processes and associated products

reviewing features and functions of rapid manufacturing processes, including assessing:

compliance of rapid manufactured product with design specifications

suitability of materials and equipment used in a rapid manufacturing process

efficiency of selected rapid manufacturing processes against other manufacturing processes, including cost-benefit analysis of alternative methods of rapid manufacturing, where applicable

integration of rapid manufacturing processes with manufacturing practice systems, such as lean manufacturing

skill and training requirements of the applicable rapid manufacturing processes

identifying and evaluating rapid manufacturing control systems and software

selecting and using appropriate analysis techniques and software for evaluation of rapid manufacturing processes

identifying relevant WHS, regulatory and risk management compliance requirements for rapid manufacturing applications

assessing software, facilities, services, plant and tooling, and materials for suitability to rapid manufacturing applications

applying systems thinking, continuous improvement, and constraint and contingency management to evaluation of rapid manufacturing processes

reporting and documenting results of scoping, principles and techniques identification and evaluation of systems, layouts, programs and flow charts

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes:

range, features and applications of rapid manufacturing processes, including:

digitisers and reverse engineering processes

selective laser sintering (SLS)

fused deposition modeling (FDM)

stereolithography (SLA)

laminated object manufacturing (LOM)

electron beam melting (EBM)

3-D printing (3-DP)

solid freeform fabrication

sprayed metal deposition

direct metal deposition (DMD)

casting (patternless and rapid pattern processes)

vacuum forming

sources of support, including technical and professional assistance

sustainability implications of rapid manufacturing processes

WHS, regulatory and risk management requirements relevant to rapid manufacturing applications

relationship between process and product in rapid manufacturing technologies, for example:

using printing or SLA processes in low strength paper or plastic applications

higher component strength applications in plastics or sintered metals

applications using tool steels, brass, stainless steel, carbon steel and aluminum alloy, such as metal spray deposition or lost wax for cast products

materials for additive ‘printing’ processes

materials for sprayed metal deposition

materials for rapid casting

other materials (e.g. thermoplastics for vacuum forming)

labour and skills requirements for rapid manufacturing processes

systems thinking, continuous improvement, and constraint and contingency management

CAD functions, features and techniques related to rapid manufacturing, including relevant file formats

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.

Rapid manufacturing applications

Rapid manufacturing applications can be found in most industries with the selection of a rapid manufacturing process depending on the suitability of the product and materials for available rapid manufacturing equipment and cost-benefit analysis against traditional manufacturing alternatives. Examples of rapid manufactured items may include:

medical and biomedical prosthetics and implants

custom musical instruments

jewellery

consumer products

toys

any small to medium quantity item, particularly involving high set-up cost associated with using alternative or traditional methods

Context of manufacturing processes

The context of manufacturing operations includes consideration of:

global competitive markets

product and process sustainability

lean systems

product manufacturability

system maintainability

facilities, services, plant and tooling requirements

supply chains

material and product flow

transfer operations

process control

labour requirements and skills distribution

information flow

systems thinking, continuous improvement, and constraint and contingency management

WHS and regulatory requirements and risk management

Appropriate technical and professional assistance

Appropriate 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 with high current control voltages above extra low voltage

professional support for technologies, such as:

specialist electric motor drives and controllers

specialist materials, plastics, metal alloys and nano materials

special processes, foundry, alloy welding, heat treatment, sealing and fastening

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 applying to electrical work

Standards and codes

Standards and codes refer to all relevant Australian and international standards and codes applicable to a particular rapid manufacturing process

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

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

Continuous improvement implementation

Continuous improvement implementation 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

Manage constraints and contingencies

Contingencies arising during operations or improvement projects are responded to in the context of constraints. Contingencies may threaten operations or improvement projects and planning for contingencies may be essential to maintain resources, skilled labour and schedules. Each contingency will have constraints on possible solutions. These may be:

financial, organisational, procedural or cultural

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

Process competitiveness

Competitive or lean processes 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

Automation

Automation options range from manual operations with manual information generation, handling, analysis and storage to islands of automation, supported by manual interfaces with some electronic information processing, to systems with major automation and networked data handling

Labour requirements and skills distribution

Globally competitive manufacturing processes require well trained employees for flexibility of deployment options and minimisation of labour waste. Continuous improvement requires continuous training to match skills to process improvements and developments. Modern manufacturing processes require proactive maintenance participation and skills development