Identifying defects in motorsport composite mouldings
Overview
This standard identifies the competences you need to identify and deal with defects in motorsport composite mouldings and assemblies (such as moulds, wings, body panels, ductwork, fairings, jigs), in accordance with approved procedures. You will be required to use appropriate drawings, specifications and documentation to identify and deal with defects in composites mouldings.
You will be able to identify a range of defects in motorsport composite mouldings, such as dimensional errors, incomplete curing, ply orientation, surface finish, contamination, distortion, blisters, de-lamination, dents, dis-bonds, colour leaching, blisters and voids, using various methods and techniques. You will be expected to identify defects in a range of components and assemblies, with a variety of resin and fibre materials.
Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the activities undertaken, and to report any problems with the activities that you cannot personally resolve, or that are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You will be expected to work with a minimum of supervision, taking personal responsibility for your own actions and for the quality and accuracy of the work you carry out.
Your underpinning knowledge will provide a good understanding of your work, and will provide an informed approach to identifying defects in motorsport composite mouldings and assemblies, and to making decisions on what action needs to be taken. You will understand composite materials, and their application, and will know about defects in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for dealing with the defects in line with organisation practice and procedures.
You will understand the safety precautions required when working with the composite mouldings, and when using 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
- identify defects with regard to the product or asset specification
- assess the defects and determine action required to return the products and assets to specified condition
- report recommendations for action to the appropriate people promptly and in accordance with organisational procedures
- deal promptly and effectively with problems within your control and report those that cannot be solved
- ensure that work records are completed, stored securely and available to others, as per organisational requirements
- leave the work area in a safe condition on completion of the activities, as per organisational and legal requirements
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the specific safety precautions to be taken whilst carrying out the activities (including any specific legislation, regulations or codes of practice relating to the activities, equipment or materials)
- the health and safety requirements of the work area and the activities, and the responsibility these requirements place on you
- the hazards associated with the activities, and how to minimise them and reduce risks
- the personal protective equipment and clothing (PPE) to be worn during the activities
- how to extract and use information from engineering drawings and related specifications (to include symbols and conventions to current industry standards and codes of practice)
- how to interpret first and third angle drawings, imperial and metric systems of measurement, workpiece reference points and system of tolerancing
- quality procedures used in the workplace to ensure production control (in relation to currency, issue, meeting specification), conventions and terminology used when identifying and rectifying defects (dis-bonds, de-lamination, resin injection, resin voids, core potting, repair patches)
- failure modes for various composite mouldings, and what can contribute to these
- the various methods that can be used to help identify whether defects are present in the mouldings (visual inspection, touch, sound, measurement, mechanical and non-destructive tests)
- how to evaluate the extent of the defect, and which action to be taken (decisions to repair or scrap)
- different types of composite resin systems, fibres, reinforcements, their merits, and the types of defect that may be present
- different methods of production for composite mouldings, their merits, and the types of defect that may be caused
- different methods of trimming composite mouldings, their merits, and the types of defect that may be caused
- different bonding agents, methods used, their merits, and the types of defect that may be present in the bond
- correct methods of storage and handling of composite materials
- tools and equipment used for various activities associated with composite mouldings
- the extent of your own responsibility and to whom you should report if you have problems that you cannot resolve
- how to access, use and maintain information to comply with organisational requirements and legislation
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Carry out all of the following during the inspection activities:
- obtain and use the appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, planning and quality control documentation, material data sheets, specifications)
- adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, hazardous substances, 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 composite mould inspection activities
- obtain the correct tools and equipment for the activity, and check that they are in a safe, tested and usable condition
- follow safe practice/approved mould inspection techniques and procedures at all times
- return all tools and equipment to the correct location on completion of the mould inspection activities
- dispose of waste materials in accordance with approved procedures
- leave the work area in a safe and appropriate condition on completion of the activities
Identify defects in motorsport composite mouldings, using four of the following methods:
- touch
- visual
- mechanical tests
- non-destructive testing (NDT)
- sound
- measurement
- stage inspection
- co-ordinate measuring machines (CMM)
Identify defects in motorsport composite mouldings, to include:
Either three of the following:
1. tub/monocoque
2. wheels
3. nose cones
4. wishbones
5. floor/diffuser
6. wings
7. crash structures
OR eight of the following:
8. splitters
9. floor trays
10. air intakes
11. seats
12. body panels
13. fuel tank housings
14. radiator ducts
15. exhausts
16. side pods
17. wing endplates
18. dash panels
19. trim panels
20. engine covers
21. bumpers
22. fairings/shrouds
23. electrical boxes
24. pedal boxes
25. brake ducts
26. moulds/jigs
Identify defects applicable to two of the following resin types:
- polyester
- vinyl ester
- epoxy
- phenolic
- bismaleimide
- cyanate ester
Identify defects applicable to two of the following fibre types:
- polyethylene
- glass
- aramid
- carbon
- hybrid
Identify eight of the following types of defect in motorsport composite mouldings:
- incomplete curing
- distortion
- splintering
- excessive adhesive
- dimensional
- blisters
- voids
- damaged cores
- tolerances
- bridging
- dents or 'dings'
- wrong inserts
- ply orientation
- de-lamination
- dis-bonds
- insert positions
- wrong join type
- wrinkles
- resin rich areas
- impact damage
- surface finish
- broken fibres
- incorrect material
- contamination
Check actions recommended to rectify the defect comply with one of the following:
- legislation, current industry standards, codes of practice and procedures
- company standards and procedures
- customer standards and requirements
- recognised compliance agency/body's standards