This standard identifies the competencies needed to prepare rail flash welding machines for operation, in accordance with approved procedures. You will be required to set up and check both the welding installation and all associated mechanical and electrical apparatus forming part of the mechanised or automated installation. This will include setting up of handling and loading equipment, workholding arrangements, transfer mechanisms and safety equipment, as applicable to the machine type.

In setting up the welding conditions, you will be expected to set the electrical conditions, process cycle times, and weld and forge travel. You must produce trial welds and prove the machine is working satisfactorily before declaring the installation ready for production. Making adjustments to settings to achieve specification, and solving machine-related problems during production, will also form part of your role.

Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for setting up the welding equipment, and to report any problems with the welding equipment or welding activities that you cannot resolve, or are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You will be expected to work with minimum 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 provide a good understanding of your work, and will provide an informed approach to applying flash welding procedures. You will understand the welding process carried out, and its application, and will know about the equipment, relevant materials and consumables, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for setting up the equipment, correcting faults and ensuring the work output is produced to the required specification.

You will understand the safety precautions required when working with the machine and its 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.

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1. work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
2. follow the relevant joining procedure specification and job instructions for the work to be produced
3. check that the equipment is as specified and in usable condition
4. obtain the required components and check that the joint preparation complies with the specification
5. set up the handling, work-holding and associated equipment to achieve correct joint positioning
6. select and prepare the appropriate consumables in line with the joining procedure specification
7. set and adjust the machine operating conditions to achieve joints of the required quality and within specified dimensional accuracy
8. check that all safety mechanisms are in place and that the equipment is operating satisfactorily
9. deal promptly and effectively with problems within your control and report those that cannot be solved

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1. the safe working practices and procedures to be observed when setting and operating a rail flash welding installation (working with machinery; the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), machine guards; ventilation and fume extraction; machine safety devices; stopping the machine in an emergency; closing the machine down on completion of activities)
2. the hazards associated with flash welding machines (dangers from live electrical components; fumes; hot metal; moving parts of machinery), and how they can be minimised
3. the basic principles of flash welding (using heat generated by electricity to join metals by welding; forming a weld; principal features of a welded joint; welding cycle, parameters, heat input; how variation in the parameters influences the weld features, quality and output; terminology used in welding)
4. the key components and features of the equipment (types of machines; constructional features; mechanical and electrical features, component holding devices, force generation, and control systems, welding cycle control; feedback and recording)
5. mechanised and automated welding basics (types of installations; machine functions: loading, handling, clamping and transfer of components; control of machine functions; safety features)
6. extracting information required from drawings and welding procedure specifications (to include symbols and conventions to appropriate British, European or relevant International standards in relation to work undertaken)
7. preparation of joint faces (finish, tolerances)
8. problems that can occur with the flash welding activities, and how these can be overcome (welding characteristics of parent materials and sources of weld defects; methods of prevention)
9. setting up the welding equipment to the welding procedure specification (setting welding cycle; heating and forging forces, electrical conditions)
10. checking the machine functions to the required specification (running pre-production trials to prove that the installation is working satisfactorily)
11. organisational quality systems (standards to be achieved; production records to be kept, methods of testing flash welds and principles of quality control in production)
12. personal approval tests and their applicability to your work
13. the extent of your authority and whom should you report to if you have problems that you cannot resolve

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1. Set up the welding equipment and parameters in accordance with the welding procedure specification, to include setting all of the following, as applicable to the type of installation:

   1. heat and forge cycle times
   2. heat and forge loads (forces)
   3. weld and forge travel
   4. electrical settings

2. Set up the components to achieve correct joint fit-up and alignment, to include setting and checking all of the following, as applicable to the type of installation:

   1. surface preparation and condition of joint faces is in accordance with the specification
   2. handling and loading equipment
   3. workholding devices
   4. transfer mechanisms
   5. safety devices

3. Set up the equipment to produce welded components which cover both of the following:

   1. two different rail sections
   2. two different rail materials

4. Prove the installation is operating correctly and is ready for production, by producing specified trial welds and checking all of the following, as applicable to the application:

   1. visual appearance of the weld
   2. dimensional accuracy
   3. quality of weld
   4. machine settings are as specified

5. Solve problems in production relating to two of the following:

   1. machine performance
   2. joint set-up
   3. condition of materials being joined
   4. consumables

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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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31 Mar 2020

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Current

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Original

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Semta

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SEMFWE3-58

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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; machine welding; setting; flash welding; parameters; set rail for welding; workholding devices; safety devices

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