NZQA registered unit standard
17463 version 4
Page 1 of 4
Title
Operate and control pre-expansion equipment for expanded
polystyrene materials
Level
2
Credits
8
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: demonstrate
knowledge of the operation of pre-expansion equipment; start
up, monitor and shut down pre-expansion equipment; and
identify, correct and report production faults in an expanded
polystyrene moulding operation.
Classification
Plastics Processing Technology > Expanded Polystyrene
Moulding
Available grade
Achieved
Entry information
Recommended skills
and knowledge
Unit 17461, Perform basic process operations for expanded
polystyrene moulding.
Explanatory notes
1
All work practices must meet enterprise health and safety requirements.
2
Definitions
Enterprise means an organisation where training and/or assessment is taking place,
and/or where the trainee is employed.
Enterprise procedure is defined as actions which comply with the policies, systems,
and directives in a particular enterprise. Enterprise procedure must comply with the
requirements of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, and subsequent
amendments.
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
17463 version 4
Page 2 of 4
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Demonstrate knowledge of the operation of pre-expansion equipment.
Evidence requirements
1.1
The principles of pre-expanding polystyrene bead are described.
Range
1.2
Expanded polystyrene material additives introduced during pre-expansion are
named, and their fundamental purpose is described in accordance with
enterprise procedure.
Range
1.3
additives – colourants, external lubricants, anti-statics.
The components and operation of pre-expansion equipment are described.
Range
1.4
principles – heat application, bead softening, blowing agent.
components and operation – evidence is required for basic
characteristics only.
Pre-expansion ancillary equipment and services are identified using enterprise
equipment, and their fundamental purpose is described.
Range
ancillary equipment may include – feed hopper, conveyors, dryers,
sieves, aging silos, density measurement equipment, ventilation
equipment;
services may include – electricity, water, compressed air, vacuum,
steam.
Outcome 2
Start up, monitor and shut down pre-expansion equipment.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Raw material for pre-expansion is selected and verified against product
specification, and is loaded in accordance with enterprise procedures.
2.2
Equipment set-up information is interpreted, and the pre-expansion equipment
is set up in accordance with enterprise procedure.
2.3
Pre-expansion and ancillary equipment start-up procedures are performed in
accordance with enterprise procedure.
2.4
Pre-expansion equipment settings are monitored and adjusted to maintain bead
density specification, and are reported in accordance with enterprise
procedures.
2.5
Production recording is carried out in accordance with enterprise procedure.
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
17463 version 4
Page 3 of 4
2.6
Pre-expansion and ancillary equipment shut-down procedures are performed in
accordance with enterprise procedure.
2.7
Equipment and work area is cleared and cleaned in accordance with enterprise
requirements.
equipment includes – pre-expansion and ancillary equipment
internal and external surfaces;
work area may include – floors, stairs, platforms, ledges, intake
and output areas, silo storage areas, drains.
Range
Outcome 3
Identify, correct and report production faults.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Routine pre-expansion faults are identified and corrected in accordance with
enterprise procedure.
routine pre-expansion faults – lumps, collapsed bead, wet bead,
bead density variations, blockage from feeder/conveyor;
evidence is required for two faults.
Range
3.2
Common pre-expansion equipment malfunctions are identified and reported in
accordance with enterprise procedure.
common equipment malfunctions include – stopped stirrer, no raw
material feed, expanded bead conveyor failure, services failure,
lump breaker failure, broken or damaged sieve;
evidence to be demonstrated for one malfunction, and knowledge
of two other malfunctions.
Range
Planned review date
31 December 2015
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
29 May 2000
31 December 2015
Revision
2
17 March 2004
31 December 2015
Rollover and
Revision
3
25 September 2006
31 December 2015
Review
4
21 January 2011
N/A
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0134
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
17463 version 4
Page 4 of 4
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, or
an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can
report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading
to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Consent requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations
wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for
tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact Competenz info@competenz.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the
content of this unit standard.
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016