This standard identifies the competencies you need to heat treat ferrous and non-ferrous materials in order to assist with the fabrication activities, in accordance with approved procedures. You will be required to identify and use the appropriate materials, apply the relevant processes and use appropriate tools and equipment, based on the information presented to you, in order to achieve the required condition. The heat treatment processes will include hardening, tempering, annealing and normalising and stress relieving, and can be applied to the fabricator's tools, such as punches, chisels and scribers, or to the component/materials to be worked on.

Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the heat treatment activities undertaken, and to report any problems with the heat treatment equipment, materials used or heat treatment activities that you cannot personally resolve, or 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 be sufficient to provide a good understanding of your work, and will provide a sound approach to applying the heat treatment procedures. You will have an understanding of the principles and application of heat treatment, and will know about the effects on the structure and characteristics of the materials, in sufficient depth to provide a sound basis for ensuring the process is carried out to the required specification.

You will understand the safety precautions to be observed when carrying out heat treatment processes and when using the associated 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.

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1. work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
2. ensure the materials to be processed are suitably prepared for the processing operations to be carried out
3. check and monitor that the processing equipment is set up and maintained at satisfactory operating conditions throughout the processing operations
4. carry out the process in accordance with operating procedures and the workpiece specification requirements
5. ensure that the processed workpiece achieves the required characteristics and meets the processing specification
6. deal promptly and effectively with problems within your control and report those that you cannot solve
7. dispose of waste and excess materials in line with agreed organisational procedures
8. shut down the processing equipment to a safe condition on completion of the processing activities

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1. the specific safety precautions to be taken and safe working practices to be employed when carrying out the heat treatment of materials in a fabrication environment (general workshop and site safety, appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), accident procedure; statutory requirements, risk assessment procedures and relevant requirements of HASAWA, COSHH and Work Equipment Regulations; safe disposal of waste materials)
2. the personal protective clothing and equipment to be worn when working on heat treatment processes (such as gloves, eye/ear protection, aprons)
3. the handling precautions and correct methods of moving materials, particularly when they are hot
4. the hazards associated with fabrication heat treatment processes (such as handling sheet/fabricated components, handling hot materials, overheating quenching oils), and how they can be minimised
5. reasons for heat treating materials
6. the various heat treatment processes, methods and procedures that may be applied
7. how to use and extract information from engineering drawings and related specifications (to include symbols and conventions to appropriate British, European or relevant International standards in relation to work undertaken)
8. the type of equipment that can be used to carry out the various heat treatment processes (such as furnaces, blacksmiths hearth, gas torches)
9. handling techniques for hot metal components
10. how the materials need to be prepared in readiness for the heat treatment operations
11. the type of materials that can be heat treated, and the processes that may be applied
12. the various cooling and quenching techniques that are applied to the processes, and why it is important to use the correct process (such as water, oil, sand, air)
13. the ways of limiting distortion during the heat treatment process
14. the problems that can occur when heat treating materials, and how these can be avoided
15. quality control procedures and recognition of defects
16. limitations of the various processes
17. organisational procedures for disposing of and recycling of waste
18. the extent of your own authority and whom you should report to if you have problems that you cannot resolve
19. reporting lines and procedures, line supervision and technical experts

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1. Carry out all the following during the heat treatment activities:

   1. use the correct heat treatment procedure and quality control documentation
   2. follow relevant COSHH and risk assessment procedures
   3. apply the required heat treatment processes, safely and correctly
   4. ensure the safety of yourself and others while carrying out the processes
   5. leave the work area in a safe and tidy condition on completion of the activities

2. Carry out one of the following heat treatment processes/techniques:

   1. hardening
   2. tempering
   3. annealing
   4. pre-heating
   5. normalising/stress relieving
   6. other specific treatment

3. Carry out heat treatment processes using one of the following types of equipment

   1. furnace
   2. induction heating
   3. blacksmiths hearth
   4. gas torch
   5. electrical resistance heating
   6. other specific equipment

4. Carry out the heat treatment process using one of the following cooling/quenching techniques

   1. water
   2. oil
   3. sand
   4. air
   5. brine
   6. other specific method

5. Apply the appropriate heat treatment process to one of the following:

   1. ferrous components/sections
   2. ferrous high carbon tools (punches, chisels, scribes)
   3. hot steel rivets
   4. non-ferrous sheet or plate

6. Carry out heat treatment processes to all of the following quality and accuracy standards, as applicable to the process carried out:

   1. tools are of the correct hardness for the application and, where appropriate, suitably tempered
   2. hardened materials are free from cracks
   3. materials/components are suitably treated to allow working
   4. distortion is limited and controlled

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​​Additional Information

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

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3

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2020

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Current

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Original

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Semta

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SEMFWE225

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Engineering, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies, Metal Forming, Welding and Related Trades

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5213

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engineering; welding; fabrication; heat treatment; hardening; tempering; annealing; pre-heating; normalising; stress relieving

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