Elements and Performance Criteria

RANGE STATEMENT
The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicized wording, if used in the Performance Criteria, is detailed below. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs if the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.
Codes of practice/ standards
Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, the latest version must be used.
Context
This competency applies to the practical techniques used by the formulator in the selection of raw materials and their correct combination to develop a new product for the decorative market.
Pigment/binder relationships
Pigment binder relationships include:
specific gravity
weight and volume solids
Pigment/Binder ratio
Pigment Volume Concentration (PVC)
Application methods
Application methods include:
brush
spray
roller.
Procedures
All operations are performed in accordance with procedures.
Procedures include all relevant workplace procedures, work instructions, temporary instructions and relevant industry and government codes and standards. These may include:
manufacturing instructions
work instructions
batch cards
OHS procedures
test methods.
Problems
Typical process and product problems may include:
incorrect equipment
incorrect raw materials
inadequate ventilation when manufacturing
inability to meet customer specifications
inadequate quality control tests
Variables
Key variables to be monitored include:
substrates
physical properties
cost of raw materials
application methods
curing conditions
drying times
Health, safety and environment (HSE)
All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environment requirements, which may be imposed through State or Federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between Performance Criteria and HSE requirements, the HSE requirements take precedence.

EVIDENCE GUIDE
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment
Assessment of this unit should include demonstrated competence on actual plant and equipment in a work environment. The unit will be assessed in as holistic a manner as is practical and may be integrated with the assessment of other relevant units of competency. Assessment will occur over a range of situations which will include disruptions to normal, smooth operation.
Simulation may be required to allow for assessment of parts of this unit. Simulation should be based on the actual plant and will include walk-throughs of the relevant competency components. Simulations may also include the use of case studies/scenarios and role plays.
This unit of competency requires a significant body of knowledge which will be assessed through questioning and the use of what-if scenarios both on the plant (during demonstration of normal operations and walk-throughs of abnormal operations) and off the plant.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Competence must be demonstrated in the ability to formulate an appropriate surface coating using correct raw materials. In particular:
formulate a decorative coating to customer's requirement
formulate to a cost benefit
manufacture using appropriate equipment
select appropriate test methods
make recommendations to improve formula

Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment will require access to an operating plant over an extended period of time, or a suitable method of gathering evidence of operating ability over a range of situations. A bank of scenarios/case studies/what-ifs will be required as will a bank of questions which will be used to probe the reasoning behind the observable actions.

Method of assessment
In all plants it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with other relevant units.

Guidance information for assessment
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy capacity of the assessee and the work being performed.