National Certification in Plastics. Study Guide

Transcription

1 National Certification in Plastics Study Guide

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3 The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI), Inc. National Certification in Plastics Study Guide Sponsored by National Certification in Plastics and SPI Hanser Publishers, Munich Hanser Gardner Publications, Inc., Cincinnati

4 The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI), Inc K. Street, NW, Suite 600 K. Washington D.C , USA Fax: (202) Phone: (202) Internet: Distributed in the USA and in Canada by Hanser Gardner Publications, Inc Valley Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio , USA Fax: (513) Phone: (513) or Internet: Distributed in all other countries by Carl Hanser Verlag Postfach , München, Germany Fax: +49 (89) This workbook is intended as an aid to those preparing for the SPI National Certification in Plastics examination. While the information is offered in good faith and believed to be reliable when written, it is provided WITHOUT WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO MERCHANTABILITY, FIT- NESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ACCU- RACY, COMPLETENESS OR ANY OTHER MAT- TER. Use of this book does not necessarily guarantee successful examination results, which are solely up to the applicant. The use of general descriptive names, trademarks, etc., in this publication, even if the former are not especially identified, is not to be taken as a sign that such names, as understood by the Trade Marks and Merchandise Marks Act, may accordingly be used freely by anyone. While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of going to press, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data (( to follow ))appleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleapple appleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleapple appleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleapple appleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleapple appleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleappleapple appleappleappleappleappleapple Die Deutsche Bibliothek CIP-Einheitsaufnahme NCP certified operator : study guide / The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI), Inc. Munich : Hanser; Cincinnati : Hanser Gardner, 2000 ISBN Copyright 2000 by The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or medium whatsoever now known or later developed without the express written permission of SPI.

5 Foreword The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) takes pride in the National Certification in Plastics (NCP) program and is pleased to present the NCP Study Guide, the newest addition to its toolbox. As the leading provider of workforce development and management solutions for the plastics industry, SPI has developed a wide variety of programs aimed at worker recruitment, retention, training and education. NCP and the principles upon which it was founded stand at the core of a number of these programs. For instance: The Plastics Learning Network, SPI s new satellite-based, distance-learning initiative brings process training directly to plastics industry plants or community colleges. The NCP Study Guide provides the basis of curricula for this program, which also helps students prepare for the NCP Certified Operator exam. Orient Me!, SPI s groundbreaking worker orientation program, uses interactive computer technology to provide customized orientation and training on-site at plastics companies. This training program, which aims at reducing worker turnover and associated costs, is based on the concept that proper employee orientation creates an atmosphere of productivity, confidence and loyalty. SPI s safety workshops focus on an important aspect of all training acting in a safe manner while operating machinery and being in compliance with OSHA and other regulations. As a leader in establishing partnerships between state educational and economic agencies and the plastics industry, SPI works to facilitate the development and funding of plastics training and education programs where they are needed most. The Society s careers promotion efforts are designed to position plastics as a desirable and rewarding career in an industry that believes in worker training and development. Our popular Careers in Plastics brochure targets students, teacher and guidance counselors. Outreach efforts such as SPI support of the PlastiVan traveling education program spread the good news of plastics and industry careers to students nationwide. The Future is in Your Hands, a comprehensive apprentice program established by the SPI Moldmakers Division, is aimed at attracting and training qualified candidates for careers in moldmaking. This program acknowledges promising candidates at what is hopefully the start of a long, fulfilling career in the plastics industry. Similarly, SPI s business units and regions offer scholarship programs to encourage students and industry workers to pursue education and training that will improve their skills and knowledge and prepare them for a rewarding career in the plastics industry. SPI also serves as a clearinghouse for information on worker training and education resources for the plastics industry, including educational institutions, state economic development and education agencies, funding sources and others. Much of this information is available on SPI s comprehensive Web site, As noted, all these programs seek to solve a common challenge, which is workforce development, and incorporate a common tool, which is training or education. With components such as this Study Guide, the National Certification in Plastics program is among the best of solutions and most dynamic of tools to reach the industry s goal of a strong, capable, productive workforce. Donald Duncan President, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. v

6 Preface As employers, we find ourselves challenged by the shortage of trained workers, employee retention problems, worker safety issues and related concerns. If we examine these issues closely, we see that they have one common thread: they all are elements of workforce development, and they all are inter-related. For instance, if our employees don t receive the proper training, the skills and knowledge are not there to promote safe work practices or ensure production of the highest- quality products. Similarly, if we don t fully invest in our employees, we can leave them feeling undervalued, with little loyalty toward the company. It s a cycle we constantly are looking to end. The National Certification in Plastics (NCP) program was born of the industry s need to address these issues. That initiative fostered the development of the first-ever defined industry standard for machine operators in four major plastics processes injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming and extrusion. The standard has been available for the last three years through the distribution of the NCP Body of Knowledge (BOK). The NCP Study Guide takes the BOK one step further by addressing each of the four major plastics processes within the scope of the standard. By doing so, the guide becomes a low-cost training vehicle for small plastics companies without training budgets. For larger companies, the guide becomes a manual to distribute to new employees as part of the training program. For the plastics education community, it s the framework upon which curriculum can be written. Investing in our workers through training demonstrates to them how much we value their work and appreciate the contributions they make to our companies. Encouraging them to test themselves demonstrates our confidence in their capabilities. The mechanism for this testing, the NCP Certified Operator exam, serves as the benchmark by which training can be measured. Based on the machine operator standard, the exam is available in the four plastics processes covered by the standard. It is a computer-based exam with 150 multiple-choice questions. Rewarding the workers who achieve certification further proves how much we value their competencies. In turn, NCP Certified Operators will be a value-added benefit to us because they will be more productive, more loyal employees, who have a high morale and produce quality products at a higher utilization rate. I encourage you to use this book not just as a preparatory guide for the NCP Certified Operator exam, but also as an addition to your own training program. Only through such continuous training can we help our employees understand the complexities of our industry and maintain the standard of excellence we expect. Dale Reichhart Chairman, National Certification in Plastics Board of Governors vi

7 Acknowledgments The National Certification in Plastics Board of Governors wishes to acknowledge the participation of the following people. Without their assistance this book would not be published: the Polymer Center of Excellence, Scott Bogue, Frank N. Cotton, PhD, Harold F. Giles, PhD, W. Budd Glenn, PhD, Dennis Hayford, Robert A. van Bredorode, PhD; The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., Drew Fleming and Stacey Glover. The Board also wishes to thank Dennis Bain, Mike Davis, Jason Gass and Vicki Wilson for their continued support of the National Certification program and invaluable assistance provided during the book s development. The NCP Board extends a special thank you to Duke Power for their support of the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) and the Polymers Center of Excellence for their work on developing the industry through certification and training. Duke Power s initial contribution provided the necessary funding to initiate this project. The NCP Board is grateful to the State of New York for co-sponsoring the publication of the NCP Study Guide. The state shares NCP s commitment to providing the plastics industry with solutions to the workforce challenges we are facing. The board is pleased to include the NCP Study Guide to the growing list of initiatives the state has created for its areas companies. The NCP Board is most appreciative to the SPI Machinery Division for its continued support of the certification program. The division has donated to the program since it s infancy and has continued to provide financial support as the program continues to develop, including funding for this book. vii

8 Contents 1 Basic Process Control Operations Machine Operations Secondary Operations How to Operate the Machine Working Standards Procedures Product Count Procedures Shift Change Procedures Routine Procedures Established Machine Start-Up and Shutdown Procedures Machine Verification Setup Procedures Standard Documentation Procedures Training Manual How to Perform Your Job Preventive and Corrective Action on Primary and Secondary Equipment Identifying, Troubleshooting, and Recording Proper Setup Procedures Identifying Equipment Problems How the Equipment Functions Equipment Operation Documentation Procedures for Equipment Problems Safe Procedures to Use to Correct Equipment Problems Avoiding and Preventing Environmental Problems How to Document Preventive and Corrective Actions Procedures to Handle and Document Non-Standard Conditions Preventive Action Appropriate Sources of Information Potential Causes of Nonconformity Steps Needed to Initiate Preventive Actions Corrective Action Corrective Actions to Bring the Product up to Customer Specifications Resolving Internal Complaints and Customer Complaints Handling, Storage, Packaging, and Delivery of Plastic Materials Product and Material Identification Procedures Customer Packaging Specifications Scrap Handling Procedures Work in Process Packaging Staging Locations for Materials in Your Area of Responsibility Quality Assurance Quality Assurance Concepts Quality Assurance Systems Customer Specifications and Product or Material Specifications How to Monitor the Process to Stay In Spec Basic Concepts of Statistical Process Control The Benefits of Zero Defects Inspection and Testing Appropriate Data and Sampling Procedures Inspection and Testing Procedures for Plastic Parts and Products What Defines a Defect Procedure to Handle and Document Defects During Production Inspection Equipment Usage Procedures Procedures for Nonconformances after Production Safety Safety Procedures Equipment Safety Procedures and Devices for Assigned Machine Operations Hazardous Materials Handling, Storage, and Disposal Plant Safety Procedures Lockout Tagout Procedures Accident Reporting and Documentation Procedures Emergency Procedures Housekeeping Procedures viii

9 5.2 Safety Regulations and Information MSDS Information Basic Safety Techniques Personal Protective Equipment Potentially Hazardous and Dangerous Conditions Safety Regulations and Requirements Safety Issues for Material Handling Equipment Tools and Equipment Tools Used in Plastics Manufacturing Maintenance of Tools Used in Plastics Manufacturing Equipment Used in Plastics Manufacturing General Knowledge Basic Knowledge Communication Techniques (Oral, Written, Interpersonal) Basic Math Concepts Mechanical Principles Logical Problem Solving Methods and Procedures Manufacturing Knowledge Team Building and Work Group Techniques Time Management Techniques How to Initiate Changes for Quality Improvement General Manufacturing Practices How Defects Affect the Final Product ix

10 Efficiency may also consider the rate of production. When production is running more slowly than expected, efficiency will be reduced. Also may consider the rate of production. Efficiency may also consider the rate of production. When production is running more slowly than expected, efficiency will be reduced. When production is running more slowly than How to Use This Book This book contains topics that apply to all plastics processing, as well as specific information about blow molding, extrusion, injection molding, and thermoforming. You will find general information important for everyone in plastics processing printed on a white background and reading all the way across both pages. Specific information for the different processes is divided in four columns: Blow molding in the blue column Extrusion in the green column Injection molding in the red column Thermoforming in the yellow column Please read your column all the way through until you reach another white section. You will find the following symbols throughout the book: drawing your attention to important issues warning of dangerous situations or actions which could result in severe bodily harm to yourself or others cautioning of actions that could result in damage to machines or equipment. It is also used to indicate topics that are particularly important for product quality. giving detailed examples x