Using pre-preg laminating techniques to produce marine composite components
Overview
This standard identifies the competences you need to produce a range of marine composite mouldings using pre-preg laminating techniques, in accordance with approved procedures. You will be required to use appropriate drawings, specifications and documentation to produce various mouldings, using the correct pre-preg laminating production techniques. The marine composite mouldings produced will include items such as bulkheads, hulls, superstructure, masts, spars, fairings, air intakes, hatches, steering equipment, rudders, skegs, tanks, casings and coverings, radar/navigational domes, davits and internal fitments such as berths, vanity standards, consoles, seating and shower standards.
You will be expected to prepare the tooling, apply release agents, and prepare the required composite materials. You will produce a range of composite mouldings, incorporating a variety of features and using a range of techniques and processes. Mouldings produced will include laminates and sandwich structures, using a range of resin, fibre and core materials.
Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the pre-preg laminating activities undertaken, and to report any problems with the production activities, equipment or materials that you cannot personally resolve, or are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You will be expected to work with either a high level of supervision or as a member of a team. You will take personal responsibility for your own actions and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you carry out. Where team working is involved, you must demonstrate a significant personal contribution during the team activities in order to satisfy the requirements of the standard, and competence in all the areas required by the standard must be demonstrated.
Your underpinning knowledge will be sufficient to provide a sound basis for your work, and will provide an informed approach to applying pre-preg laminating techniques and procedures to produce marine composite mouldings. You will have an understanding of the production techniques used, and their application, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the activities, recognising and correcting/reporting faults and ensuring that the work output is to the required specification.
You will understand the safety precautions required when carrying out the pre-preg laminating activities, 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 correct component drawing or any other related specifications for the component to be produced
- determine what has to be produced and how this will be achieved
- obtain and prepare the appropriate tools, equipment and materials
- prepare the moulding using the correct methods and techniques
- carry out the moulding or laying-up activities using the correct methods and techniques
- produce components to the required specification
- deal promptly and effectively with problems within your control and report those that cannot be solved
- complete relevant paperwork, in accordance with organisational requirements
- leave the work area in a safe and appropriate condition on completion of the activities
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- health and safety precautions to be taken, and procedures used in the specific work area, when working with composite materials, consumables, tools and equipment
- the hazards associated with carrying out pre-preg laminating techniques, and working with composite materials, consumables, tools and equipment, and how to minimise these in the work area
- the protective equipment that is needed for personal protection (PPE) and where required, the protection of others
- the application of COSHH regulations in relation to the storage, use and disposal of composite materials and consumables
- the specific workshop environmental conditions that must be observed when producing marine mouldings (such as temperature, humidity, styrene levels to threshold limits, fume/dust extraction systems and equipment)
- how to identify and use information from engineering drawings and related in relation to work undertaken
- the quality procedures used in the workplace to ensure production control (in relation to currency, issue, meeting specification), and procedures for the completion of such documents
- the basic conventions and terminology used for pre-preg laminating techniques (to include material orientation, material identification, material templates, ply lay-up, pressure plates, vacuum bagging, cure cycles, exotherm)
- different types of resin systems, fibres, reinforcements, and their applications
- how to buildup laminates (including orientation and balance of plies) to minimise spring and distortion in composite mouldings
- the function different core, insert and filler materials play in the production of mouldings, and their applications
- how to visually identify both raw and finished composite materials
- how to identify materials by product codes
- how to prepare patterns, moulds and tooling (including the correct selection and use of surface sealers and release agents)
- the correct methods of storage, thawing and handling of pre-preg materials (including monitoring temperature, storage life and out-life)
- the methods used in the application of pre-preg materials to tooling surfaces (including methods of tailoring and cutting)
- correct methods of storage and handling of ancillary and consumable materials
- the tools and equipment used in the pre-preg laminating activities, and their care, preparation and control procedures
- how to recognise faults that can occur during the moulding process (including modifications to the ply lay-up, and defects such as contamination and distortion)
- how defects can be prevented during the pre-preg laminating activity
- the cure cycles (including temperature and pressure ramps, dwell times, post curing) and the importance of adhering to them
- the importance of monitoring the cure cycle (using thermocouples, probes, chart recorders and data logs)
- the procedures and methods used for removing mouldings from production tooling
- the identification of common defects in the composite moulding (such as de-lamination, voids, contaminants)
- the care and safe handling of tooling and composite mouldings throughout the production cycle
- 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 extent of your own authority, and whom you should report to if you have problems that you cannot resolve
- the documentation to be completed during and/or on completion of the moulding activity
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Carry out all of the following during the pre-preg laminating activities:
- use the correct issue of production documentation (such as job instructions, drawings, specifications, material data sheets, planning and quality control documentation)
- 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
- maintain a safe working environment for the moulding activities
- use the correct tools and equipment for the activity, and ensure that they are safe to use
- use the correct materials, as specified in the production documentation
- follow safe practice/approved moulding techniques at all times
- return all tools and equipment to the correct location on completion of the moulding activities
- segregate and dispose of waste materials using the correct procedure
Prepare moulds and materials for production activities, to include carrying out all of the following:
- check that tooling is correct and complete
- cleaning of tooling and removal of resin build ups
- obtain correct materials for the activity
- checking of tooling for surface defects
- identify and protect materials in the work area
- correctly applying sealants/release agents
- clean and store tooling suitably after use
Produce marine composite mouldings, using techniques for two of the following types of production tools:
- metal
- glass pre-preg
- closed tooling
- male tooling
- matched tooling
- wet lay-up
- tooling block
- female tooling
- multi-part tools
- carbon pre-preg
- pattern
- mandrels
Produce marine composite mouldings using pre-preg laminating techniques, to include: Either one of the following:
- hull
- superstructure
- masts
- cabins
- bulkheads
- spars
- wheel houses
- other major marine components
OR three of the following types of marine components:
9. rudders
10. casings and covers
11. shower standards
12. air intakes/vents
13. davits
14. seats
15. fairings
16. skegs
17. steering equipment (wheel, tiller)
18. hatches
19. tanks
20. housings
21. consoles
22. berths
23. composite mould tools
24. radar/navigational domes
25. vanity standards
26. other specific marine components
Produce marine composite mouldings, incorporating one of the following in the lay-up:
- butt joins
- staggered joins
- inverted plies
- overlap joins
- orientated plies
- inserts
- other (to be specified)
Produce marine composite mouldings incorporating three of the following features:
- internal corners
- return surfaces
- external corners
- joggle details
- double curvature
- nett edges
- concave surface
- flanges
- convex surfaces
- other specific feature
Use all of the following in the lay-up activities:
- resin (such as epoxy, phenolic, bismaleimide, cyanate ester, acrylic)
- fibre (such as glass, polyethylene, aramid, carbon, hybrid)
- reinforcement (such as continuous, unidirectional, braids, woven, multi-axis, tapes)
- core materials (such as wood, syntactic core, expanding core, foam, honeycomb, end grain balsa)
Use one of the following for applying temperature during the cure cycle:
- oven
- autoclave
- heated tools/moulds
- heated press
- other (to be specified)
Use one of the following for applying pressure during the cure cycle:
- pressure bags
- thermal mould expansion
- vacuum bags
- fibre tensioning
Produce a range of marine composite mouldings, in accordance with one of the following standards:
- BS, ISO or BSEN standards and procedures
- customer standards and requirements
- company standards and procedures
- recognised compliance agency/body's standards
Complete the relevant paperwork, to include one from the following and pass it to the appropriate people:
- build records
- quality/acceptance documentation
- system log
- job cards
- work authorisation documents
- other specific reporting method
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