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Title / Operate and control the expanded polystyrene moulding machine
Level / 2 / Credits / 8
Purpose / People credited with this unit standard are able to: demonstrate knowledge of the construction of an expanded polystyrene moulding machine; start up, apply and monitor machine settings, and shut down an expanded polystyrene moulding machine and ancillary equipment; and identify and correct routine product moulding faults in an expanded polystyrene moulding operation.
Classification / Plastics Processing TechnologyExpanded Polystyrene Moulding
Available grade / Achieved
Entry information
Recommended skills and knowledge / Unit 17461, Perform basic process operations for expanded polystyrene moulding.
Explanatory notes
1All work practices must meet enterprise health and safety requirements.
2Definitions
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.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Demonstrate knowledge of the construction of an expanded polystyrene moulding machine.
Evidence requirements
1.1Expanded polystyrene moulding machine components and mould are identified using enterprise equipment, and their fundamental purpose is described.
Rangecomponents – controls, safety features, clamping unit, steam chest, filling unit, power unit, frame.
1.2Machine services are identified using enterprise equipment, and their fundamental purpose and controls are described.
Rangemachine services – electricity, water, compressed air, vacuum, steam.
Outcome 2
Start up, apply and monitor machine settings, and shut down an expanded polystyrene moulding machine and ancillary equipment.
Evidence requirements
2.1Pre-expanded material for moulding is verified against product specification, and is loaded in accordance with enterprise procedures.
2.2Machine set-up information is interpreted, and the expanded polystyrene moulding machine operating conditions are set in accordance with enterprise procedure.
2.3Expanded polystyrene moulding machine and ancillary equipment start-up procedures are performed in accordance with enterprise procedure.
2.4Expanded polystyrene moulding machine settings are monitored and adjusted to maintain product specification, and are reported in accordance with enterprise procedures.
2.5Expanded polystyrene moulding machine and ancillary equipment shut-down procedures are performed in accordance with enterprise procedure.
Outcome 3
Identify and report routine product moulding faults.
Rangeroutine product moulding faults – ejection faults, bead underfusion, warpage, post-expansion, excess shrinkage, surface finish, cracking, underfill, wet product, product weight;
evidence is required for two routine product moulding faults.
Evidence requirements
3.1Routine product moulding faults are identified in accordance with enterprise procedure.
3.2Routine product moulding faults are reported in accordance with enterprise procedure.
This unit standard is expiring. Assessment against the standard must take place by the last date for assessment set out below.
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 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 / 31 December 2019
Review / 5 / 15 September 2016 / 31 December 2019
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0134
This CMR can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, 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.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The CMR 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.
CompetenzSSB Code 101571 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018 / / New Zealand Qualifications Aut