Review of Blown Film Extrusion unit standards

Field Manufacturing

Review of Blown Film Extrusion unit standards

Subfield	Domain	ID
Plastics Processing Technology	Blown Film Extrusion	287-294, 9710

The Plastics and Materials Processing Industry Training Organisation (PaMPITO) has completed the review of the unit standards listed above.

Date new versions published 17 May 2012

Planned review date December 2016

Summary

In October 2011, PaMPITO carried out a review of these unit standards which had passed their planned review date. Members of the review group were emailed the unit standards in order to submit feedback which was then discussed in a one day meeting. Training providers with consent to assess were also emailed and offered the opportunity to feed into the review process. The review group was made up of industry representatives from two organisations that carry out plastic blown film extrusion processes. The review group also included a roving assessor who has extensive practical experience in blown film extrusion. The purpose of the review was to ensure the unit standards are relevant, logical, fit for purpose and continue to reflect the requirements of the sector.

Consideration was given to advances in technology and equipment, industry best practice and requirements, changes in legislation and issues raised regarding ease of assessment. As a result of this, two new unit standards were developed at Levels 3 and 4 to replace an existing unit standard.

Wider consultation was carried out by email with three organisations from the blown film extrusion sector that were unable to attend the initial review group meeting and suggested changes were discussed and incorporated where appropriate. All changes to these unit standards have been endorsed by the review group.

Main changes

· New Level 3 unit standard 27666 was created using Outcome 1 of unit standard 290 and updating the outcomes accordingly.

· New Level 4 unit standard 27667 was created as the skills of trialling an extrusion product or process in expiring unit standard 290 were deemed to be at a higher level of complexity and warranted their own unit standard.

· The levels of unit standards 293 and 294 were increased to 3 and 4 respectively to better reflect the complexity of assessment.

· The credits of unit standards 293 and 9710 were increased to 12 and 10 respectively to better reflect the time taken to reach competency.

· Unit standard 294 was reworded to clarify the overall outcome of the standard at Level 4.

· Explanatory notes, outcomes and evidence requirements were rewritten to clarify assessment requirements, avoid repetition, and put into a logical order.

· Range statements were amended to improve assessment guidance.

· The titles of unit standards 287, 289, and 292 were updated.

The last date for assessment of superseded versions of review category B standards is 31 December 2014. Results will not be accepted where the assessment date is after the last date for assessment of the superseded version of the standard.

The category C unit standard will expire at the end of December 2014

Impact on existing organisations with consent to assess-

Current consent for			Consent extended to
Nature of consent	Classification or ID	Level	Nature of consent	Classification or ID	Level
Subfield	Plastics Processing Technology	3	Standard	294, 27667	4
Domain	Blown Film Extrusion	3	Standard	294, 27667	4

Impact on registered qualifications

Key to type of impact

Affected

The qualification lists a reviewed classification (domain or subfield) in an elective set

The qualification lists a standard that has changes to level or credits

The qualification lists a C or D category standard

Not materially affected

The qualification lists a standard that has a new title

The qualification lists a standard that has a new classification

The following Plastics and Materials Processing Industry Training Organisation qualifications are impacted by the outcome of this review and will be updated when they are reviewed in 2014. The standards that generated the status Affected are listed in bold.

Ref	Qualification Title	Classification or ID
0394	National Certificate in Plastics Processing Technology (Technical) (Level 2) with strands in Injection Moulding, Extrusion, Blow Moulding, Pressure Thermoforming, Vacuum Thermoforming, Blown Film Extrusion, Film Conversion, Injection Stretch-Blow Moulding, Rotational Moulding, Film Slitting, and Expanded Polystyrene Moulding	287, 289, 293
0395	National Certificate in Plastics Processing Technology (Technical) (Level 3) with strands in Injection Moulding, Extrusion, Blow Moulding, Pressure Thermoforming, Vacuum Thermoforming, Blown Film Extrusion, Film Conversion, Injection Stretch-Blow Moulding, Rotational Moulding, and Expanded Polystyrene Moulding	290, 292, 294
0396	National Certificate in Plastics Processing Technology (Technical) (Level 4) with strands in Injection Moulding, Extrusion, Blow Moulding, Thermoforming, Blown Film Extrusion, Injection Stretch-Blow Moulding Single Stage, Injection Stretch-Blow Moulding Two Stage, and Rotational Moulding	9710
1361	National Certificate in Plastics Processing Technology (Production) (Level 1) with strands in General, Injection Moulding, Extrusion, Blow Moulding, Thermoforming, Blown Film Extrusion, Film Conversion, Injection Stretch-Blow Moulding, Rotational Moulding, Film Slitting and Expanded Polystyrene Moulding	287
1362	National Certificate in Plastics Processing Technology (Production) (Level 2) with strands in General, Injection Moulding, Extrusion, Blow Moulding, Pressure Thermoforming, Vacuum Thermoforming, Blown Film Extrusion, Film Conversion, Injection Stretch-Blow Moulding, Rotational Moulding, Expanded Polystyrene Moulding, and Polystyrene Pre-expansion	289
1407	National Certificate in Engineering and Technology (Plastics Engineering) (Level 4) with strands in Injection Moulding, Extrusion, Blow Moulding, Pressure Thermoforming, Vacuum Thermoforming, Blown Film Extrusion, Film Conversion, Injection Stretch-Blow Moulding, and Rotational Moulding	287, 289, 293

Detailed list of unit standards - classification, title, level, and credits

Key to review category
A	Dates changed, but no other changes are made - the new version of the standard carries the same ID and a new version number
B	Changes made, but the overall outcome remains the same - the new version of the standard carries the same ID and a new version number
C	Major changes that necessitate the registration of a replacement standard with a new ID
D	Standard will expire and not be replaced

Manufacturing > Plastics Processing Technology > Blown Film Extrusion

ID	Title	Level	Credit	Review Category
287	Perform basic process operations for blown film extrusion Perform process operations for blown film extrusion	1	4	B
288	Operate a blown film extrusion machine	2	8	B
289	Control and optimise mono-layer production process for blown film extrusion Set up, monitor, and adjust mono-layer production for blown film extrusion	2	12	B
290 27666 27667	Run complex production processes and trials on mono-layer blown film extrusion machines Optimise complex mono-layer production processes for blown film extrusion Trial a blown film extrusion product on a specified blown film extrusion line	3 3 4	9 5 7	C
291	Operate a blown film extrusion machine for co-extrusion production	2	8	B
292	Control and optimise a blown film co-extrusion production process Set up, monitor, and adjust co-extrusion production for blown film extrusion	3	10	B
293	Service mono-layer dies and extruder screws for blown film extrusion	2 3	9 12	B
294	Service co-extrusion dies for blown film extrusion Coordinate and lead a co-extrusion die service for blown film extrusion	3 4	9	B
9710	Demonstrate knowledge of the application of advanced processing technology	4	7 10	B