MEETING NOTES
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING QUALIFICATION WORKING GROUP MEETING
Maintenance Engineering Working Group
DATE
TIME
VENUE
26.03.2015
10am to 3.00pm
Competenz offices 277 Broadway Avenue, Newmarket, Auckland
INDUSTRY ATTENDEES
Kevin Ingle
Peter Walker
Martin Glaeser
Michael Weusten
COMPANY
Auckland Airport
NZ Steel-Auckland
OpenPolytechnic-Lower Hutt
Acumen Applied-Invercargill
COMPETENZ ATTENDEES
Peter Ferguson
POSITION
Industry Manager
APOLOGIES
Mark Hendry
Corey Neal
Mike Kenny
Anthony Smith
COMPANY
Bay of Plenty Polytechnic,Tauranga
KiwiRail-Auckland
Electropar Ltd, Auckland
Defence Force - NZ Army,Wellington
1. WELCOME
2. OVERVIEW & event to date
OVERVIEW & event to date
Competenz has received the first ‘Request for Information’ (RFI) from NZQA relating to the Mechanical
Engineering suite of qualifications and is in the process of responding to NZQA’s request. This additional
information is required before the analysis can be completed on the proposed qualifications.
The type of additional information they are seeking concerns such things as ‘structural issues’, ‘education
pathways’, ‘arrangements for managing consistency’ etc…
3. Previous meeting notes are accepted as true record
Change ‘Demonstrate knowledge of project management’ to ‘Demonstrate knowledge of maintenance
management’ under the proposed strand elective units and suggested that these are covered by third
party providers.
Does there also need to be the inclusion of ‘tomography’ as a subject?
4. Commence workshop
Using the table developed at the previous Working Group meeting, the group completed the process of
allocating unit standards to the year of delivery, whether on-job or off-job and which units are mandatory
or optional. The following notes have come from discussion points during that process. It is important to
note that this is ‘work in progress’ and the final outcome may differ from what is stated below.
To maintain consistency across all of the mechanical engineering strands, the group also reviewed the year
one, distance learning, block course, and on-job content of the draft engineering fabrication and general
engineering qualification training plans.
Discussion was held on how unit standard 22903 could fit across all strands as way of delivering effective
and efficient processes. The group agreed that there is a need to progressively deliver this learning
material over the course of the apprenticeship.
The maintenance engineering working group also discussed the possibility of providing for both basic
fabrication and basic machining as part of the year 1 block course (the subject was originally raised by the
general engineering and fitting & machining working group). This proposed new unit would combine unit
standards 25075 – Basic fabrication; and 21906 – Basic machining; providing the necessary skill sets
required and deliverable in a 2 week time frame; with a project associated to this new unit which is
preferably marked pass/fail/needs work.
Unit 21907 - Demonstrate and apply knowledge of safe welding procedures under supervision; this unit
should focus on the safety aspect of welding (all types). Another separate unit should cover the basic
practical welding skills to a ‘fit for purpose standard’ including the identification of weld faults etc…
Unit 21913 - Shift loads in engineering installation, maintenance, and fabrication work; the possible
splitting of this unit into two separate units, would allow all apprentices to complete the ‘demonstrate
knowledge of’ theory component of the unit by distance learning/pre-trade (mandatory). The practical
section can be completed on-job (optional) by those workplaces that can fulfil the requirements of 3
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different types of lifting appliance. The suggested on-job practical assessment has posed problems in the
past for those with limited lifting equipment.
The group voiced their concern that ‘shifting loads’ is a real safety concern and this should be reflected by
increasing the practical component of unit standard 21913 to a level 3.
Unit 17602 - Apply hazard identification and risk assessment procedures in the workplace; there is a need
for both robust theory and practical elements to be meaningful.
It is suggested that engineering calculations and mechanics be delivered over the 3 years of distance
learning, rather than in year 1 as at present. The content must be relevant and have practical examples of
application.
Engineering drawing, interpretation (including welding symbols etc…), suggested that this is delivered
progressively, and starting with technical drawing skills and simple sketching and working up from there.
Engineering metals and materials were also suggested as subjects that should be delivered progressively
over the three years of distance learning.
Year 2 distance learning should in essence remain the same with the proposed addition of a year 2 trade
calculations unit, a year 2 drawing unit, a year 2 knowledge of metals unit (replacing unit 4797), and a unit
continuing to progress the ‘efficient and effective process’ learning. It was also suggested that unit
standards 20611 - Demonstrate knowledge of hydraulics and hydraulic power systems; and 20612 Demonstrate knowledge of pneumatics and pneumatic power systems; should be combined and delivered
as a single unit covering ‘fluid power’.
Level B block course remains the same as is currently delivered. However the group would like to have a
content review of the following units to check for relevance and to ensure that there is no double up of
learning. 22897 - Demonstrate and apply knowledge of mechanical fitting; 22914 - Assemble and fit
precision components; and 2406 - Dismantle, inspect, assemble and test components.
Unit 22897 - Demonstrate and apply knowledge of mechanical fitting (practical only); should this unit be
able to deliver the content of the above unit standards combined, and delivered on block course.
Year 3 distance learning contains the same unit standards as with the previous ‘Version 5’ training
programme with the addition of unit 4797 - Demonstrate knowledge of the composition of engineering
metals (to be content reviewed and elevated to Level 4): originally delivered in year 2 distance learning.
There is also proposed, a continuation of the progressive units for drawing, calculations, and efficient and
effective processes, which were introduced in year 1 and 2. The group also discussed and proposed that
consideration should be given to incorporating the theory component of unit standard 22897 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of mechanical fitting; into unit standard 22901 - Demonstrate
knowledge of pumps, fans, valves. A previous meeting identified that unit 22897 is extremely heavy in
content and difficult to deliver on a two week block course.
The group would also like to have the distance learning for year3 introduce the subject of
‘Automation/Metronics’.
On-Job compulsory units for year 1, it was proposed that the theory component of unit standards 2395 Select, use and care for, engineering hand tools; and 2396 - Select, use and maintain portable hand held
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engineering power tools; is delivered by distance learning so the learner has a clearer focus on the health
and safety aspect of this equipment, and only the practical element is delivered on-job. New is the
introduction of unit 17602 - Apply hazard identification and risk assessment procedures in the workplace;
as this is seen as an important addition to the health and safety units that currently exist. Unit standard
21912 - Apply safe working practices on an engineering worksite; needs to be made more robust and is
deemed by those representing their industry as an important measure and needs to be elevated to level 3.
Year 2 on-job, proposed removal of unit standard 21910 - Interpret mechanical engineering drawings; and
incorporated the body of learning in the proposed new unit covering intermediate drawing and
interpretation.
It is also proposed that there should be more structure around the subject of static and dynamic seals with
a fundamental unit introduced in year 2 and progressed to the principle and application of seals in year 3.
This subject is vitally important to understand for this trade and the current unit standards do not pay
sufficient attention to this.
In conjunction with unit standard 2401 - Safely shut down and isolate machines and equipment; the group
would like to recommend that a new unit is developed that addresses ‘making a system safe/hazard ID’
this should cover other power (for example, steam) or gases in addition to pneumatics and hydraulics.
Unit 2400 - Describe the principles of static and dynamic balancing, and carry out static balancing; outcome
of discussions regarding this unit pointed towards this unit possibly becoming part of mechanical fitting
and/or part of lathe turning, rather than a standalone unit in this programme.
Unit 2402 - Demonstrate knowledge of lubricants and lubrication systems, and inspect lubrication systems;
it is proposed that this unit has a content review as the group felt that the current content was only worth
3 credits. For the unit to be worth 5 credits it would need to be expanded to include for example,
knowledge of additives, tribology.
Year 3 on-job if the proposal of a ‘fundamental dynamic and static seal’ unit goes ahead, then year 3
should follow on with units covering ‘static seals principles and applications’ and ‘dynamic seals principles
and applications’ both at level 4. An apprentice should understand for example the correlation between
the material of the O ring and it application, the dimensions of the O ring groove in relation to the type of
application such as percentage of crush required in a gasket situation.
Further changes to year 3 on-job that have been suggested are to replace unit standard 2406 - Dismantle,
inspect, assemble and test components; with unit 2412 - Diagnose faults, overhaul, and test components;
as the group believe this better reflects what a maintenance engineer should be involved with. Unit
standard 19874 - Service and replace bearings in machines and equipment; should be compulsory and the
credit value reduced to 8 credits. The following units need to have their content reviewed, strengthened,
and consideration be given to combining that content into one unit standard that covers ‘level and align’,
those units are 2408 - Align machinery and equipment; 2409 - Level machinery and equipment; and unit
22898 - Demonstrate and apply knowledge of machine levelling and alignment. This would remove a
possible double up of credits for the same body of learning.
Unit standard 4440 - Demonstrate and apply knowledge of international tolerancing in engineering; the
discussions around this unit were regarding:
“Outcome 2 - Apply knowledge of international tolerancing in engineering.
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Range features – threaded; and three from parallelism, roundness, flatness, concentricity, surface finish.”
How is this best determined, and also the requirements for the ‘application of tolerances’.
Other points of discussion:
Root Cause Analysis and the tools available, is this covered sufficiently within unit standard 22904 Demonstrate knowledge of modern engineering plant maintenance practice.
International Standards Organisation (ISO) nomenclature – an understanding of.
The ability to analyse data to formalise a decision.
Unit 2404 - Select and replace dynamic seals in machines and equipment; credit value appears to be high
at 8 credits and suggest reducing to 3 credits (including any possible changes from above suggestions).
Do we need a level 4 mechanical seal application unit standard at 3 credits?
Discussions on whether there is a need for limited electrical similar to that of refrigeration and air
conditioning. At this point in time it was felt that should it be required, organisations should manage this
rather than making it part of this programme.
5. NEXT STEPS
Further discuss the unit standards and skill sets required around GPO #5, #6, #7.
Revisit draft programmes to further identify what possible skill sets are missing etc...
COMMUNICATION ACTION SUMMARY PLAN
PERSON IN
CHARGE
Next meeting to be advised
Peter
Email minutes of 26/3/2015 meeting to members
Peter
Email proposed training plans (work in progress) to members
Peter
ACTIONS
TIMEFRAME
23/4/2015
23/4/2015
There being no further business, the meeting was closed at 3 pm.
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