Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the outcomes required to set up, operate and shut down hot and cold presses as well as their combined operation used to press laminated ply

General workplace legislative and regulatory requirements apply to this unit; however there are no specific licensing or certification requirements at the time of publication

This unit replaces FPIWPP3222A Press laminated ply

Application of the unit 

The unit involves pressing laminated ply in a forest products factory setting

The skills and knowledge required for competent workplace performance are to be used within the scope of the person's job and authority

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Prepare for pressing

1.1. Applicable Occupational Health and Safety  (OHS), environmental , legislative  and organisational requirements  relevant to pressing laminated ply are identified and followed

1.2. Work order  is reviewed and checked with appropriate personnel 

1.3. Type and quantity of ply to be pressed is acquired from the assembly process

1.4. Equipment  is selected appropriate to work requirements and checked for operational effectiveness in line with manufacturer's recommendations

1.5. Pressing  process is selected in line with site procedures

1.6. Communication  with others is established and maintained in line with OHS requirements

2. Press ply

2.1. Pre start -up checks  are carried out on equipment in line with site requirements

2.2. Press cycle  times, pressures, temperatures and product parameters are set and adjusted for production requirements

2.3. Assembled ply is assessed  and tack level  checked before loading with defective assemblies returned for reworking

2.4. Hot or cold press is operated to press boards and monitored in line with site requirements

2.5. Unload and reload cycles are performed

2.6. Pressed and finished ply is regularly assessed and necessary changes to assembly and pressing processes actioned

2.7. Sub-standard pressed ply is disposed of  in line with site procedures and environmental requirements

2.8. Pressing process and equipment faults are recorded and reported  to the appropriate personnel

3. Unload and load press

3.1. Press is opened in line with operating procedures

3.2. Ply and plates  are separated and removed

3.3. Ply is loaded into transport or storage racks for cooling

3.4. Plate condition is monitored during unloading, cleaned and sprayed with release agent  with defective plates removed for repair

3.5. Assembled ply, plates and overlay panels  are stacked in the press to specified height or number and squareness

3.6. Finished ply is transferred  for further processing in line with site requirements

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• Technical skills sufficient to use and maintain relevant tools, machinery and equipment; efficiently and safely press ply
• Communication skills and interpersonal techniques sufficient to interact appropriately with colleagues and others in the workplace
• Literacy skills sufficient to accurately record and report workplace information, and maintain documentation
• Numeracy skills sufficient to estimate, measure and calculate time required to complete a task
• Problem solving skills sufficient to identify problems and equipment faults and demonstrate appropriate response procedures

Required knowledge 

• Basic knowledge and understanding of applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation, regulations, standards and codes of practice relevant to the full range of processes for pressing laminated ply
• Environmental protection requirements, including the safe disposal of waste material, the safe use and storage of chemicals, and the cleaning of plant, tools and equipment
• Organisational and site standards, requirements, policies and procedures for pressing laminated ply
• Environmental risks and hazards
• Ply pressing processes
• Laminated ply characteristics
• Hot, cold and combination pressing methods
• Storage systems and labelling
• Established communication channels and protocols
• Principles of cultural diversity and access and equity
• Problem identification and resolution strategies and common fault finding techniques
• Types of tools and equipment and procedures for their use, operation and maintenance
• Appropriate mathematical procedures for estimating and measuring, including calculating time to complete tasks
• Procedures for recording and reporting workplace information

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

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 provide evidence that they can safely and efficiently press laminated ply in line with organisational requirements

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

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements of this unit and include demonstration of:

• following applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislative and regulatory requirements and codes of practice relevant to pressing laminated ply
• following organisational policies and procedures relevant to pressing laminated ply
• pressing ply in readiness for storage and/or processing
• operating hot and cold pressing equipment to produce laminated ply
• redistributing material on site using designated equipment

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

• Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or realistically simulated workplace
• Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints
• Assessment of required knowledge, other than confirmatory questions, will usually be conducted in an off-site context
• Assessment is to follow relevant regulatory or Australian Standards requirements
• The following resources should be made available:

• workplace location or simulated workplace
• materials and equipment relevant to undertaking work applicable to this unit
• specifications and work instructions

Method of assessment 

• Assessment must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the FPI11 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 required knowledge
• Assessment must be by direct observation of tasks, with questioning on required knowledge and it must also reinforce the integration of employability skills
• Assessment methods must confirm the ability to access and correctly interpret and apply the required knowledge
• 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 able not only 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
• The assessment environment should not disadvantage the candidate
• Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality, gender or language backgrounds other than English
• Where the participant has a disability, reasonable adjustment may be applied during assessment
• Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher than those of the work role

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. 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.

OHS requirements :

are to be in line with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation and regulations, and organisational safety policies and procedures, and may include:

• personal protective equipment and clothing
• safety equipment
• first aid equipment
• fire fighting equipment
• hazard and risk control
• fatigue management
• elimination of hazardous materials and substances
• safe forest practices including required actions relating to forest fire
• manual handling including shifting, lifting and carrying

Environmental requirements  may include:

• legislation
• organisational policies and procedures
• workplace practices

Legislative requirements :

are to be in line with applicable Commonwealth, State or Territory legislation, regulations, certification requirements and codes of practice and may include:

• award and enterprise agreements
• industrial relations
• Australian Standards
• confidentiality and privacy
• OHS
• the environment
• equal opportunity
• anti-discrimination
• relevant industry codes of practice
• duty of care

Organisational requirements  may include:

• legal
• organisational and site guidelines
• policies and procedures relating to own role and responsibility
• quality assurance
• procedural manuals
• quality and continuous improvement processes and standards
• OHS, emergency and evacuation procedures
• ethical standards
• recording and reporting requirements
• equipment use and maintenance and storage requirements
• environmental management requirements (waste minimisation and disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines)

Ply  may include:

• species
• veneer type
• laminating method
• number of plies
• thickness and sheet size to form a ply assembly (the number of plies glued to form a plywood sheet)

Work order  is to include:

• instructions for the receipt/despatch and pressing of ply to/from the designated storage location or processing

and may include:

• texture
• colour
• type
• size
• thickness
• quantity
• instructions for the environmental monitoring of work and procedures
• environmental care requirements relevant to the work

Appropriate personnel  may include:

• supervisors
• suppliers
• clients
• colleagues
• managers

Equipment  is to include:

• cold and hot presses with temperature control, steam pressure control, load and cycle times

Pressing 

is the process of using a cold or heat driven press to use weight or steam generated pressure to compress the multiple layers of pre-bonded plies together between pressing plates

Communication  may include:

• verbal and non-verbal language
• constructive feedback
• active listening
• questioning to clarify and confirm understanding
• use of positive, confident and cooperative language
• use of language and concepts appropriate to individual social and cultural differences
• control of tone of voice
• body language

Pre start-up checks 

are conducted to ensure:

• equipment has been set-up correctly
• systems are performing accurately
• machinery is operating to optimum performance

Cycle 

• is the process of forming ply and pressing it until it is ready for cooling
• includes unloading the press and restarting the process to commence another cycle
• process includes time, pressure and temperature considerations

Assessing  is to include:

• production conditions (glue application, pre-press delays and ambient temperature)
• ply assembly (tack level, glue transfer, grip and moisture content)
• finished ply (thickness, thickness distribution, alignment of veneer, bond strength, ply adhesion, foreign material and overall appearance)

Tack level 

is the degree of stickiness the bonding adhesive (between laminates) is at to be deemed ready for pressing

Disposing of  may include:

• recycling sub-standard pressed ply
• re-using sub-standard pressed ply

Records and reports  may include:

• material type
• product type
• size
• inspection
• grading and labelling outcomes
• storage locations
• quality outcomes
• hazards
• incidents
• equipment malfunctions

and may be:

• manual
• using a computer-based system or other appropriate organisational communication system

Release agent 

• prevents panels or adhesives from sticking to the pressing plates
• ensures clean separation at opening and unloading

Overlay panels 

• provide protection to the ply assemblies being pressed from the pressing plates
• are the first and last sheets placed in the press

Transferral  may include:

• the use of conveyor belt systems
• track systems
• lifting equipment such as:

• fork lifts
• slings
• trolley jacks
• gantry cranes
• loaders

• assistance with lifting such as:

• the involvement of two or more personnel to lift materials manually or to guide the movement of mechanical equipment

Shutdown  is to include:

• procedures for equipment lock-out, ie protecting operators and co-workers from accidental injury by isolating the machine from the power source
• cleaning and maintaining all parts

Unit sector 

No sector assigned

Co-requisite units 

Competency field 

Wood Panel Products