Setting plastic injection moulding machines for production of aircraft components
Overview
This standard identifies the competences you need to check and set up plastic injection moulding machines, for the production of components used in aircraft manufacture, in accordance with approved procedures. It covers both fixed wing and rotary winged aircraft. You will obtain the correct mould tools for the production activity and check that they are free from damage or non-conformance which could impair the quality of the mouldings produced. You will be expected to mount the moulds in the machines, using safe and approved techniques and procedures. You will need to check that all services required to operate the machine are connected and fully operational. You will be required to set all the machine operating conditions and test all the delivery/collection and safety systems which are in place on the machine, and to confirm that they are operational.
Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the setting of the plastic injection moulding machines, and to report any problems with the plastic injection moulding machines, materials or equipment in use, that you cannot personally resolve, or that are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You will be expected to work to instructions, with a minimum of supervision, taking personal responsibility for your own actions and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you carry out.
Your underpinning knowledge will show a good understanding of your work, and will provide an informed approach to the setting of plastic injection moulding machines. You will understand the different types of moulding tool used, how the moulds are located and secured to the machine, and how the machine conditions are set to achieve the optimum results. Your knowledge will enable you to identify any faults in the moulds, the machine or the connected services, and you will understand the actions that are required to correct these faults.
You will understand the safety precautions required when setting up plastic injection moulding machines and when using the associated tools and equipment. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout, and will understand the responsibility you owe to yourself and others in the workplace.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
- follow the relevant material processing specification and job instructions for the processing operations being performed
- determine what processing operations are to be performed and how the equipment will be prepared and set up to achieve this
- check that any consumables required are available and that they are suitable for the work to be carried out
- set the equipment operating parameters to achieve the required material property changes and processing specification
- check that all safety mechanisms are in place and that the equipment is set correctly for the required operations
- deal promptly and effectively with problems within your control and report those that cannot be solved
- leave the work area in a safe and appropriate condition on completion of the activities
- complete the relevant documentation, in accordance with organisational requirements
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the hazards and specific safety precautions to be taken when checking and setting plastic injection moulding machines and associated delivery and collection systems, and how to minimise them and reduce any risks
- the emergency procedures that are in place to deal with a machine malfunction when setting up the plastic injection moulding machine
- the COSHH regulations relating to the materials used in the injection moulding activities (such as mould sprays, mould lubricants and moulding materials)
- the requirements and importance of understanding and applying human factors as defined by the regulatory requirements and the potential impact if these are not adhered to
- the personal protective equipment (PPE) to be used and how to obtain it
- how to obtain the necessary job instructions for the machine setting operations, and how to interpret their information
- the parts and functions of plastic injection moulding machines and moulds (to include mould location points; mould heating/cooling arrangements; machine controls; hydraulic, pneumatic and electricity supplies; material delivery and collection systems; guards and other safety devices)
- the various types of mould tool that are used and their typical applications
- why it is important to check the moulds for damage or other non-conformance, prior to mounting them to the machine
- the various methods that are used to locate the moulds and associated parts in the injection moulding machine
- the different types of component delivery/collection system that are used on plastic injection moulding machines and their setting-up requirements
- the various machine operating parameters that require setting up (such as temperature, pressure, speed/timings and distance) and how these are achieved
- the effects that changes to theses settings will have on the quality of the components produced
- the different types of material used in the plastic injection moulding process
- preparations to be carried out on the materials in order to ensure that the completed components meet the required specification
- the temperature range of the material being moulded and of the mould being used
- methods of checking the finished mouldings to ensure that they are to the required specification
- identification of moulding defects, their cause and methods of prevention
- how to make adjustments to machine settings (to deal with such items as flashing, short shot, distortion and colour problems)
- the company quality control checks to be carried out on the prepared injection moulding machine (such as cleanliness, completeness, freedom from foreign bodies, damage or defects)
- why it is important to keep the plastic injection moulding equipment clean and free from damage, to practice good housekeeping of tools and equipment, and to maintain a clean and unobstructed working area
- why tool/equipment control is critical and what to do if a tool or piece of equipment is unaccounted for on completion of the activities
- the problems that can occur with the moulding operations and how these can be overcome
- the extent of your own authority and to whom you should report if you have problems that you cannot resolve when using plastic injection moulding machines
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Carry out all of the following during the setting up of the plastic injection moulding machines:
- obtain and use the appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, planning and quality control documentation, material data sheets, aircraft standards and specifications)
- adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, COSHH, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations and procedures to realise a safe system of work
- provide and maintain a safe working environment for the injection moulding activities
- obtain the correct materials for the moulding operations (correctly sealed, colour, size, composition)
- obtain the correct tools and equipment for the activity, and check that they are in a safe, tested and usable condition (part marked, cleared inspection, undamaged)
- follow safe practice/approved injection moulding setting-up techniques and procedures at all times
- return all tools and equipment to the correct location on completion of the injection moulding activities
- dispose of waste materials in accordance with approved procedures
Mount and secure two of the following types of mould tool, using the correct location devices:
- two plate tools
- split tools
- three plate tools
- unscrewing tools
- combination/composite tools
Prepare and set two of the following component delivery/collection systems:
- robotic
- conveyor
- separators
- collection chute/bins
Prepare the machine for use, to include carrying out all of the following:
- checking that mould tools are free from damage and are correctly and securely mounted
- ensuring that all machine services are connected and operational (such as water, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic)
- setting the mould tool heating and cooling arrangements
- setting and checking that the material feed systems are operating correctly
- setting and checking that all machine safety mechanisms and features are operating correctly (such as guards, emergency stop)
- setting the mould protection pressure safety conditions
- setting up the machine operating conditions to suit the moulds being produced
- checking that all the machine controls function correctly
Set and adjust all of the following moulding parameters to meet the component specification:
- temperature
- pressure
- speed/timings
- distance
Check the materials used during the production cycle, to include all of the following:
- the required materials are available in sufficient quantities
- the materials meet the component specification
- the materials have been correctly prepared and mixed for the moulding operation
Produce plastic injection mouldings using two of the following materials:
- acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)
- polystyrene
- nylon
- polyethelene
- polycarbonate
- acetal
- polypropylene
- other specific material
Visually inspect sample/trial mouldings, and identify two of the following:
- moulding which meet the required specification
- mouldings which have defects
- mouldings that require further investigation
Make adjustments to the machine settings to deal with three of the following component defects:
- flashing
- short shot
- distortion
- burning
- colour deviation
Complete the relevant documentation, to include two of the following:
- production documentation
- quality control documentation
- records of machine settings
- other specific recording method
Set the plastic injection moulding machines in compliance with one of the following standards:
- Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)/European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
- Ministry of Defence (MoD)
- Military Aviation Authority (MAA)
- Aerospace Quality Management Standards (AS)
- Federal Aviation Authority (FAA)
- BS, ISO or BSEN standards and procedures
- customer standards and requirements
- company standards and procedures
- manufacturers standards and procedures
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
You will be able to apply the appropriate behaviours required in the workplace to meet the job profile and overall company objectives, such as:
- strong work ethic
- positive attitude
- team player
- dependability
- responsibility
- honesty
- integrity
- motivation
- commitment