PRODPP302 – Control the use of the 3D printing machines

Overview

This standard covers the operation and control of 3D Printing equipment and processes. 3D Printing, also known as additive manufacturing is a process that creates objects by adding material in thin layers until a product is completed. There are many different types of 3D printing and more are emerging all the time. Objects can be "printed" from hundreds of different materials including but not restricted to plastic, metal, nylon, paper and even foods.

This standard applies to you if you are responsible for the operation of 3D printing equipment or the production of 3D Printed components whether you work in a studio, engineering company, manufacturing company, university, architects bureau or digital printing environment.

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

1. confirm the 3D printing machine has been set up in the appropriate way for the job
2. start the machine and check it is working in line with manufacturer's instructions
3. run the 3D printing machine in a safe and efficient manner in line with the manufacturer's instructions
4. operate the machine at the required speed for the outputs required
5. check at regular intervals that quality standards and job specifications are met
6. resolve any machine problems which affect quality or productivity in accordance with organisational procedures
7. follow the correct procedure for the removal of waste material
8. recycle waste materials in line with organisational procedures
9. remove completed objects from the machine at the appropriate time in accordance with organisational procedures
10. check the final quality of objects and take appropriate action to deal with any faults or blemishes in accordance with organisational procedures
11. clean and close down the machine in line with manufacturer's instructions

Knowledge and understanding

You need to know and understand

1. the law as it affects printing: defamation, copyright and ownership of files and products/models, obscenity, incitement, forgery, data protection
2. ethical issues relevant to printing confidentiality
3. your duties and responsibilities for health and safety as defined by any specific legislation covering your job role
4. the hazards and risks in your own job, their assessment and the action to take to deal with them
5. manufacturers' and suppliers' health and safety instructions/advice
6. what kinds of customer materials are likely to be handled, including original photographs or artwork, samples, files, disks, raw materials
7. techniques for protecting customer materials
8. the potential for loss or damage
9. security and storage: computer system security and virus protection, the print with time-sensitive or restricted release dates, the high value products with a high risk of theft
10. how to securely archive digital and conventional artwork
11. how to communicate with colleagues, customers and suppliers
12. workplace objectives, priorities, standards and procedures
13. the way you actually do your job, more particularly the activities and techniques and the way that materials and equipment are used
14. the set-up of 3D printing equipment and software the operation of 3D printing equipment and software
15. the principles of 3D printing
16. types of 3D printer and their differences and similarities
17. how to keep abreast of developments in 3D printing
18. the principles of digital printing
19. file conversion techniques
20. file compression and decompression techniques
21. how to transmit digital files
22. file management procedures
23. the causes and treatment of common faults: raw material faults, processing faults, machine faults
24. administrative procedures: planning and scheduling, recording and reporting
25. product labelling
26. the legal requirements for the classification, storage, carriage and disposal of waste
27. the main features of quality assurance and quality control systems
28. techniques for controlling quality
29. equipment for controlling quality in printing
30. light standards for viewing and assessing print
31. types of problems that may need to be solved
32. sources of information
33. techniques for solving complex problems
34. techniques for assessing machine faults
35. the types and characteristics of materials being used for 3D printing
36. maintaining the quality of materials during storage and handling

Scope/range

The operator has the ability to control all aspects of a production-scale 3D printing machine in a production environment – to keep the machine running consistently from day to day, to maintain accuracy, to solve problems that may arise and to understand and use correctly all the parameters and options in the printer software and device driver/print dialogue boxes.

Note: This standard has been written for operators of 'production-scale' digital printers and therefore not relevant for the operation of an office or desktop laser/inkjet printer.

Keywords: digital, print, pre-press, pre press, 3D; rapid; prototyping