PROPF330 – Control the set up of machinery

Overview

This standard is for print finishers who control the set up of machinery. It is likely to be most useful to those working on newspapers and periodicals.

They will be expected to coordinate and control the preparation and set up of machinery for finishing operations.

This standard consists of two elements:

  • Co-ordinate the preparation of machinery for finishing operations
  • Control the set up and adjustment of machines to achieve the required output

This is what the standard covers:

  1. determining the production requirements
  2. ensuring that the required materials are available and allocated properly
  3. checking that machines are safe to operate
  4. setting and adjusting machine controls
  5. testing settings, identifying faults and taking action to deal with them

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

Co-ordinate the preparation of machinery for finishing operations

  1. use tools and machinery in the preparation of machinery in accordance with organisational requirements
  2. communicate with operators on the production output and expected quality in accordance with organisational requirements
  3. check that the materials required for production are available and that output from other departments, required for production, will be available as scheduled
  4. take prompt action to obtain more materials if these are not sufficient for production
  5. check that machines are configured and synchronised in accordance with the production specification
  6. check that safety devices including the safety guard are in place and verified as operational
  7. check that machinery is operating at the required speed and in line with safety requirements

Control the set up and adjustment of machines to achieve the required output

  1. check machines are in a condition fit for production
  2. restore the condition of machinery that is not fit to proceed so that production is not interrupted
  3. confirm that machine controls are set in accordance with production specifications
  4. check samples of outputs meet production requirements
  5. adjust machinery to achieve required outputs, when samples do not meet production requirements
  6. check that machinery can achieve the volume and quality of output required, at the intended running speed
  7. assess and report the best achievable results and agree what action to take, when the required quality cannot be achieved
  8. report to relevant people, when intended running speeds cannot be achieved without compromising job quality
  9. give clear instructions to commence machine operations when machines are ready for production
  10. keep accurate and up-to-date set up records in accordance with organisational requirements

Knowledge and understanding

You need to know and understand

  1. your duties and responsibilities for health and safety as defined by any specific legislation covering your job role
  2. regulations such as those covering manual handling, noise at work, personal protective equipment, safe handling of equipment and materials, and the safe use of computer equipment
  3. workplace policies and written operating procedures relating to written health and safety policy statement, provision, use and processes of workplace equipment, training, prohibited equipment, young persons, safe systems of work
  4. the way you actually do your job, more particularly the activities and techniques and the way that materials and equipment are used
  5. typical hazards and risks in the printing industry and those that relate to your own job
  6. risk assessment techniques and the action to take to deal with them
  7. codes of practice relevant to your role and where to obtain information on them
  8. manufacturers' and suppliers' health and safety instructions and advice for operating machinery, guarding machinery and data sheets for substances harmful to health
  9. the requirements for personal presentation including personal hygiene, suitable clothing and accessories, fitness for work
  10. how to stop a machine in the event of an emergency
  11. how to interpret job requirements
  12. the materials required and how to allocate them
  13. the safety devices found on machinery, their purpose and how to check they are functional
  14. machine controls and how to set them to achieve job outputs
  15. common faults and how to resolve them
  16. the causes of faults with raw materials, processes and machinery used in your business and how to identify and treat them
  17. techniques for controlling quality including inspection, testing, sampling and use of input and output controls
  18. the impact that faults, in the process you are involved with, have on later processes and the quality of the end product
  19. types of problems that may need to be solved including machinery - electrical, mechanical, electronic, settings, component wear and tear, consumables needing replacement, materials - defects, shortages, incompatibility, systems, organisation and lack of skills or knowledge
  20. sources of information for solving problems including manufacturer's documentation / troubleshooting guides, colleagues, tutors / trainers / mentors and reference material – in house or external, including internet
  21. techniques for solving complex problems including changing one thing only at a time and assessing effect of the change, using the problem solving cycle, root cause analysis, brainstorming and visual representations
  22. techniques for assessing machine faults including observation, listening, inspection of product, reports from colleagues / log reports, touch or smell (if safe to do so) and testing
  23. the types of paper, board and other commonly used substrates including commonly used uncoated, coated, embossed papers and boards
  24. the grammage, thickness, opacity, brightness/whiteness, strength, dimensional stability, gloss of paper, board and other commonly used substrates
  25. how to maintain the quality of materials and protect them from damage, humidity and temperature during storage and handling
  26. how to label and identify materials

Scope/range

Operators should be able to deal with all running problems within his/her responsibility. Operators are also responsible for ensuring that the machine is in a safe and clean condition for normal production operations.

Keywords: post-press, print finishing, machinery