Key information

  1. Reference: ST1305
  2. Date updated: 25/06/2024
  3. Level: 3
  4. Route: Engineering and manufacturing
  5. Regulated occupation: No
Print occupational standard

Details of the occupational standard

Occupation summary

This occupation is found in the Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) sector.  AME includes Aerospace, Automotive, Maritime Defence, Nuclear and Construction sectors. Machining technicians produce complex and precision machined products that are typically used in machinery. For example, aeroplanes and vehicles. They can also produce bespoke components or products for domestic appliances or medical equipment. They use a variety of machines to carry out their work. For example, centre lathes, vertical and horizontal milling machines, horizontal and cylindrical grinding machines. Electro discharge machines, single and multi-axis Computer Numeric Control (CNC) machine tools centres.  Gear cutting and Gear Grinding machines.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to produce complex and precision work by machining components. Components are machined from metal or specialist materials using conventional or CNC machine tools. Machining Technicians interpret information and plan their activities. They also set up, operate and adjust machine tool settings. When using CNC equipment, they can produce, prove and validate programs. They inspect components and machinery, report issues and support continuous improvement activities. They typically work in a manufacturing environment. Depending on the organisation, they may be required to work at height or work shifts.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with other Machining Technicians. They also interact with various stakeholders. They typically report to an engineering or manufacturing team leader. Typically, this would be as part of a defined or cross functional team. They may also interact with customers, suppliers, colleagues, quality auditors and regulators.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for the quality and accuracy of their work. They also must work efficiently and be productive in the work they undertake.  They must work both individually and as part of a larger team. They must work within the relevant health, safety and environmental regulations. This includes the use of appropriate protective clothing and equipment.  They are responsible for the correct use and housekeeping of machinery, tools and equipment. All work must be completed in a safe and efficient manner as directed by supervisory staff.

Typical job titles include:

Centre lathe turner Cnc centre lathe turner Cnc edm machinist technician Cnc gear cutter Cnc gear cutter and grinder Cnc horizontal borer Cnc machinist Cnc machinist (miller turner or grinder) Cnc machinist programmer Cnc vertical borer Conventional vertical borer Edm machinist technician Gear cutter Gear cutter and grinder Horizontal borer Machining technician Machinist Manual machinist (miller turner or grinder) Precision engineer

Occupation duties

Duty KSBs

Duty 1 Conduct safety checks and performance monitoring for machining, associated equipment and surrounding work area.

K1 K2 K3

S1 S2 S5 S24

B1

Duty 2 Receive, read and interpret engineering data and documentation, engineering drawings and technical data. Contribute to or plan the days machining schedule.

K4 K5 K6

S3 S8 S9 S10 S24

B1 B3 B4

Duty 3 Check and inspect materials to be machined to ensure that they conform to quality standards. Identify and report any issues or faults such as incorrect grades, dimensions and thicknesses.

K7 K23

S6 S7 S24

B1

Duty 4 Plan and prepare sequence for the machining activities. Ensure that the correct tooling, work holding, and materials are used. This applies to conventional complex or CNC complex machining tasks.

K6 K9

S3 S9 S10 S13 S14 S24

B1 B3

Duty 5 Set up, operate, or adjust conventional machines or set up, prove and validate CNC machining equipment settings and programs for the machine tool being used.

K10

S4 S9 S13 S14 S24

B1

Duty 6 Machine high-quality complex components using a broad range of processes. For example, internal or external thread cutting, slots and pockets, internal or external under cutting. Also profile forms, tapered and eccentric diameters, bored holes, and tee slots.

K11

S9 S12 S13 S14 S15 S24

B1

Duty 7 Inspect components produced. Adjust the machining equipment or program and tooling to ensure components meet quality requirements.

K8 K12 K14 K19

S11 S16 S24

B1 B3

Duty 8 Identify, communicate and report issues affecting machining component quality, quantity and deadlines.

K13

S17 S18 S19 S24 S25

B1

Duty 9 Complete machining documentation at all stages of the work activity. For example, standard operational procedures, control documentation and contribution to audits.

K15 K16

S7 S9 S21 S24

B1

Duty 10 Maintain and restore the machining work area, performing housekeeping and waste management as appropriate. Ensure tools, unused materials and equipment are returned to a safe, clean and approved condition on completion of machining work.

K17

S20 S22 S24

B1

Duty 11 Keep stakeholders for example, customers, colleagues and line managers informed about machining work.

K15 K16 K18 K22

S21 S24 S25

B4

Duty 12 Perform scheduled daily inspection and machine shut down or safe isolation.

K17

S22 S24

B1

Duty 13 Support continuous improvement activity to address business problems.

K20 K21

S23 S24 S25

B1 B2 B5 B6

KSBs

Knowledge

K1: Awareness of health and safety regulations, relevance to the occupation and the Machinist's responsibilities. Health and Safety at Work Act; Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH); Working in Confined Spaces; Lone Working; Provision of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER); Electrical Safety and Compliance; Noise Regulation; Slips Trips and Falls; Display Screen Equipment; The Reporting of Injuries, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), Manual Handling, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), risk assessments and method statements and the implications of not adhering to guidelines and procedures. Back to Duty

K2: Awareness of hazardous waste regulations; Recyclable materials and waste disposal procedures and the implications of not complying with regulations and procedures. Back to Duty

K3: Awareness of environment and sustainability regulations, relevance to the occupation and the Machining Technician's responsibilities. Environmental Protection Act; Sustainability; Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE); Energy monitoring; Data logging to optimise energy performance; The Climate Change Agreements; Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC). Back to Duty

K4: Engineering representations, drawings, graphical information and specifications. Back to Duty

K5: Engineering mathematical and scientific principles: calculations, conversions. Back to Duty

K6: Planning techniques, time management, workflow, work scheduling, work plans, documents and work categorisation systems. Back to Duty

K7: Engineering materials and their structure, properties and characteristics; impact on use, how and why engineering materials can fail. Back to Duty

K8: Awareness of engineering standards and regulations: British Standards (BS); International Organisation for Standardisation standards (ISO); European Norm (EN); Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). Back to Duty

K9: Tooling and work-holding devices: purpose and operation of devices for carrying out complex machining tasks. Back to Duty

K10: Engineering machining processes, tools and equipment: Milling; Turning; Grinding; Electro Discharge Machine (EDM); Gear Cutting. Back to Duty

K11: Machining operations and techniques to produce complex components. Back to Duty

K12: Quality assurance: principles, practices and record keeping. Back to Duty

K13: Fault finding, diagnostic methods and techniques for identifying engineering and manufacturing problems. Escalation techniques. Back to Duty

K14: Use and application of measurement, calibration and testing equipment. Back to Duty

K15: Communication techniques: verbal. Machining industry terminology. Back to Duty

K16: Documentation - electronic and paper. Back to Duty

K17: Housekeeping and maintenance practices and techniques: planned, preventative and predictive methods, frequency, and reactive activities. Back to Duty

K18: How organisations vary regarding their work, culture, values and production processes in the Machining industry. Back to Duty

K19: Inspection processes and procedures; documentation and escalation. Back to Duty

K20: Technological development and innovation in the machining sector; Industry 4.0; digitalisation. Back to Duty

K21: Continuous improvement principles and practices: Lean; Six Sigma; Kaizen. Back to Duty

K22: Equality, diversity and inclusion requirements in the workplace. Back to Duty

K23: Stock and services considerations. Availability, stock lead times. Correct handling. Stock value. Faulty stock and returns process. Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Comply with statutory health and safety regulations and procedures. Back to Duty

S2: Comply with environmental, ethical and sustainability regulations and procedures: safe disposal of waste, re-cycling or re-use of materials and efficient use of resources. Back to Duty

S3: Prepare and set up conventional or CNC machines. Back to Duty

S4: Operate and adjust conventional or CNC machines. Back to Duty

S5: Apply risk assessment and hazard identification processes and procedures in the work area. Back to Duty

S6: Monitor, obtain and check stock and supplies, and complete stock returns. Back to Duty

S7: Record information - paper based or electronic. For example, energy usage, job sheets, risk assessments, equipment service records, test results, handover documents and manufacturers' documentation, asset management records, work sheets, checklists, waste environmental records and any legal reporting requirements. Back to Duty

S8: Read and interpret information. For example, data and documentation used to produce machined components. Back to Duty

S9: Apply engineering, mathematical and scientific principles. Back to Duty

S10: Plan and organise own work and resources. Back to Duty

S11: Follow and apply inspection, quality assurance procedures and processes. Back to Duty

S12: Select machining process. Back to Duty

S13: Select and setup tooling and work holding devices. Back to Duty

S14: Set and adjust machine operating parameters. For example, setting feeds and speeds for roughing and finishing operations, loading, proving and validating programs when using a CNC machine tool. Back to Duty

S15: Apply machining operations and techniques to produce complex components with features. For example, parallel; stepped; angular diameters and faces; grooves; slots; recesses and undercuts; radii and chamfers; internal and external forms and profiles; reamed; bored; drilled and electro eroded holes; internal and external screw threads. Back to Duty

S16: Measure and check components. Back to Duty

S17: Select and check condition of tools and equipment. Identify issues, resolve and take action as needed. Back to Duty

S18: Identify and action issues in the manufacturing process. Back to Duty

S19: Apply fault-finding and diagnostic testing procedures to identify faults. Diagnose and resolve issues. Escalate issues. Back to Duty

S20: Maintain the work area and return any resources and consumables. Back to Duty

S21: Communicate with others verbally. For example, colleagues and stakeholders. Back to Duty

S22: Follow machine shut down, safe isolation, handover, start up or warm up procedures. Escalate issues. Back to Duty

S23: Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement. Back to Duty

S24: Apply ethical principles. Back to Duty

S25: Apply team working principles. Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Prioritise health and safety. Back to Duty

B2: Act ethically. Back to Duty

B3: Take responsibility for work. Back to Duty

B4: Team-focus to meet work goals, for example, work effectively with others, resolves issues in discussion with others. Back to Duty

B5: Committed to continued professional development (CPD) to maintain and enhance competence in their own area of practice. Back to Duty

B6: Support an equality, diverse and inclusive culture. Back to Duty


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