Occupational Certificate: Mechanised Hard-Cover Bookbinding Technician

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Mechanised Hard-Cover Bookbinding Technician.

A Mechanised Hard-Cover Bookbinding Technician sets up, operates, and maintains a variety of machinery and auxiliary equipment to manufacture commercial products for hard-cover case bound publications.

A qualified learner will be able to

• Set up, operate, and maintain a guillotine to cut a variety of products to specification.
• Set up, operate, and maintain folding machines to fold various impositions and formats of paper products.
• Set up, operate, and maintain a gathering line to gather and collate sections.
• Set up, operate, and maintain a book sewing machine to produce book-blocks.
• Set up, operate, and maintain the case making machine to produce hard cover bookcases.
• Set up, operate, and maintain the hard-cover case binding line.
• Troubleshoot hard-cover bookbinding problems and initiate corrective action on all hard-cover case binding line, case making, book sewing, gathering, folding and guillotine cutting machinery and auxiliary equipment.
• Oversee and enhance the performance and behaviour of all hard-cover bookbinding subordinate teams in the hard-cover case binding line, case making, book sewing, gathering, folding and guillotine cutting machinery and auxiliary equipment.

Rationale

Printing SA engaged with the Printing and Packaging Industry to address the concerns regarding the competitiveness of the industry against international markets during which time the Bookbinding Trades and Occupations were identified as a scarce and critical skills in the industry.

The existing National Craft Diploma: Bookbinding Mechanised/Cutting qualification is outdated and does not meet the requirements for a trade qualification in terms of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations and the National Artisan Moderation Body. The lack of artisans with up-to-date technological skills has placed the Sector in a precarious position in so far as international competitiveness is concerned. Industry indications are that over 600 apprentices should be trained on a national basis to meet the artisan replenishment needs of the sector. The current number of apprentices being trained national has fallen well short of this indicator over the last number of years.

Learners will benefit by receiving a high standard of training and education that is occupationally aligned. Once qualified, Learners may gain access to industry related supervisory, master craftsman or management programmes that will be made available in the Printing and Packaging Sector to facilitate vertical career advancement.

Printing and Packaging employers will benefit by gaining access to suitably qualified artisans to operate and maintain costly bookbinding, finishing equipment and machinery.

By creating career pathways in the Sector employees will be able to progress from General Factory Workers to qualified Artisans. This will create a healthy employment cycle providing employment opportunities to unemployed youth.

Learners will be drawn from schools and TVET Colleges and will secure employment in the Sector and open themselves up to career advancement opportunities.

Paper making, waste efficiency and recycling are subjects covered in this curriculum. The efficient and responsible use of paper, adhesives and other materials is of critical importance to the industry as it forms a significant component of print finishing and bookbinding manufacturing costs within a green economy.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL for access to the external integrated summative assessment

Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of result or certifying a work experience record.

RPL for access to the qualification

Accredited providers and approved workplaces may recognise prior learning against the relevant access requirements.

Entry Requirements

• Any NQF Level 1 qualification.

This qualification is made up of the following compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skill and Work Experience Modules

Knowledge Modules

• 662305-000-00-KM-01, Introduction to the Printing and Packaging Industry, Level 3, 4 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-KM-02. General Bookbinding and Print Finishing Technology, Level 2, 2 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-KM-03, Guillotine Operating Technology, Level 2, 3 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-KM-04, Folding Machine Operating Technology, Level 2, 3 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-KM-05, Sewing Machine Operating Technology, Level 2, 3 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-KM-06, Gathering Machine Operating Technology, Level 2, 3 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-KM-07, Saddle Stitching Machine Operating Technology, Level 4, 8 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-KM-08, Adhesive Binding Machine Operating Technology, Level 4, 10 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-KM-09, Case Making Technology, Level 4, 10 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-KM-10, Hard Cover Case Binding Technology, Level 4, 15 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-KM-11, Printing Science and Chemistry, Level 3, 6 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-KM-12, Quality Studies in the Printing and Packaging Industry, Level 4, 8 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-KM-13, Productivity and economics, Level 3, 7 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-KM-14, Legal and Regulatory Requirements, Level 3, 14 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-KM-15, Workplace Fundamentals, Level 3, 10 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-KM-16, Supervision and Communication Studies, Level 4,10 Credits.

Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 116

Practical Skill Modules

• 662305-000-00-PM-01, Set up, operate and maintain a guillotine to cut a variety of products to specification, Level 2, 14 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-PM-02, Set up, operate and maintain folding machines to fold various impositions and formats of paper products, Level 2, 18 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-PM-03, Set up, operate and maintain a gathering line to gather and collate sections, Level 2, 18 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-PM-04, Set up, operate and maintain a book sewing machine to produce book-blocks, Level 2, 18 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-PM-05, Set up, operate and maintain a case making machine to produce hard-cover bookcases, Level 3, 20 Credits.
• 662305000-00-PM-06, Set up, operate and maintain a hard-cover case binding line. Level 4, 65 Credits.
• 662305000-00-PM-07, Troubleshoot hard-cover bookbinding problems and initiate corrective action on all, hard-cover case binding line, case making, book sewing, gathering, folding and guillotine cutting machinery and auxiliary equipment, Level 4, 58 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-PM-08, Oversee and enhance the performance and behaviour of all hard-cover case binding line, case making, book sewing, gathering, folding and guillotine cutting machinery and auxiliary equipment, Level 4, 60 Credits.

Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 271

Work Experience Modules

• 662305-000-00-WM-01, Operational and support processes in the printing environment, Level 2, 6 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-WM-02, Guillotine operations, Level 2, 12 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-WM-03, Folding machine operations, Level 2, 15 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-WM-04, Gathering operations, Level 2, 10 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-WM-05, Book sewing operations, Level 2, 11 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-WM-06, Case making processes, Level 3, 34 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-WM-07, Hard-cover case binding line operations, Level 4, 21 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-WM-08, Hard-cover print finishing problem solving processes and procedures, Level 4, 41 Credits.
• 662305-000-00-WM-09, Hard-cover case binding line, case making, book sewing, gathering, folding and guillotine cutting machinery and auxiliary equipment bookbinding team performance management processes, Level 4, 41 Credits.

Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 191

1. Set up, operate, and maintain a guillotine to cut a variety of products to specifications.
2. Set up, operate, and maintain folding machines to fold various impositions and formats of paper products.
3. Set up, operate, and maintain a gathering line to gather and collate sections.
4. Set up, operate, and maintain a book sewing machine to produce book-blocks.
5. Set up, operate, and maintain a case making machine to produce hard cover bookcases.
6. Set up, operate, and maintain a hard-cover case binding line.
7. Troubleshoot hard-cover bookbinding problems and initiate corrective action on all hard-cover case binding line, case making, book sewing, gathering, folding and guillotine cutting machinery and auxiliary equipment.
8. Oversee and enhance the performance and behaviour of all hard-cover bookbinding subordinate teams in the hard-cover case binding line, case making, book sewing, gathering, folding and guillotine cutting machinery and auxiliary equipment.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Setup the machines correctly according to job specifications and safety requirements.
• Conform end products to job specifications throughout the cutting process.
• Diagnose and corrective action faults having been taken in accordance with standard operating procedures.
• Dispatch products to the next process to comply with production flow requirements.
• Inspect and repair a guillotine according to standard operating procedures.
• Change, adjust, and test a knife and a cutting stick according to safe standard operating procedures.
• Perform maintenance, and check safety devices to determine that they are in proper working condition.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Collect, inspect, and transport to Correct resources safely to the folding machine.
• Identify and check correct lay side and squareness of sheets.
• Produce a folded hand copy that conforms to job specifications.
• Setup the machine is correctly according to job specifications and safety requirements.
• Conform end products to job specifications throughout the folding process.
• Diagnose corrective action faults have been taken in accordance with standard operating procedures.
• Dispatch products to the next process to comply with production flow requirements.
• Inspect and repair a folding machine according to standard operating procedures.
• Perform maintenance and check safety devices to determine proper working conditions.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Collect, inspect, and transport correct resources are collected safely to the gathering line.
• Collate A gathered hand copy that conforms to job specifications.
• Correctly setup the is gathering line according to job specifications and safety requirements.
• Conform end products to job specifications throughout the gathering process.
• Diagnose and corrective action faults have been taken in accordance with standard operating procedures.
• Dispatch products to the next process to comply with production flow requirements.
• Inspect and repair the gathering line according to standard operating procedures.
• Check safety devices to determine that they are in proper working condition.
• Perform maintenance according to the maintenance schedule.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Collect, inspect, and transport correct resources safely to the book sewing machine.
• Collate a gathered book-block that conforms to job specifications.
• Setup the books' sewing machine is correctly according to job specifications and safety requirements.
• Conform end products to job specifications throughout the book sewing process.
• Diagnose faults and corrective action has been taken in accordance with standard operating procedures.
• Despatch products to the next process to comply with production flow requirements.
• Inspect and repair the books sewing machine according to standard operating procedures.
• Check safety devices to determine that they are in proper working condition.
• Perform maintenance according to the maintenance schedule.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Collect, inspect, and safely transport correct resources to the case making machine.
• Produce a dummy case that conforms to job specifications.
• Set up case making machine correctly according to job specifications and safety requirements.
• Conform end products to job specifications throughout the case making process.
• Diagnose faults and take corrective action in accordance with standard operating procedures.
• Despatch products to the next process to comply with production flow requirements.
• Inspect and repair case making machine according to standard operating procedures.
• Check safety devices to determine that they are in proper working condition.
• Perform maintenance according to the maintenance schedule.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Gather, inspect, and safely transport Correct resources to the hard-cover case binding line.
• Conform a handmade hard-cover case bound book copy to job specifications.
• Set up the hard-cover case binding line according to job specifications and safety requirements.
• Conform end products to job specifications throughout hard-cover case bound book production processes.
• Diagnose faults and take corrective action in accordance with standard operating procedures.
• Dispatch finished products to the next process to comply with production flow requirements.
• Inspect and repair the hard-cover case binding line according to standard operating procedures.
• Check safety devices to determine that they are in proper working condition.
• Perform maintenance according to the maintenance schedule.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Identify and solve cut product related problems.
• Identify and solve Guillotine and auxiliary equipment related problems.
• Identify and solve folded product related problems.
• Identify and solve Folding machine and auxiliary equipment related problems.
• Identify and solve gathered product related problems.
• Identify and solve Gathering machine and auxiliary equipment related problems.
• Identify and solve Sewn product related problems.
• Identify and solve Book sewing machines and auxiliary equipment related problems.
• Identify and solve Bookcase related problems.
• Identify and solve Case making, and auxiliary equipment related problems.
• Identify and solve Hard-cover case bound product related problems.
• Identify and solve Hard-cover case binding line related problems.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 8

• Analyse and reports, concerning team performance and behaviour, comply with company policies and procedures.
• Conform team performance to production and quality standards.
• Plan and demonstrate training interventions properly to a learner.
• Assess learner competence in accordance with the training intervention plan.

Integrated Assessment

Formative Assessment

The Skills Development Provider will use the curriculum to guide them on the stipulated internal assessment criteria and weighting. They will also apply the scope of practical skills and applied knowledge as stipulated by the internal assessment criteria. This formative assessment leads to entrance into the External Integrated Summative Assessment.

Summative Assessment

An External Integrated Summative Assessment, conducted through the relevant QCTO Assessment Quality partner is required for the issuing of this qualification. The External Integrated Summative Assessment will focus on the exit level outcomes and associated assessment criteria. The external summative assessment will be a trade test as prescribed under Section 26d of the Skills Development Act and defined in the trade test regulations conducted through an evaluation of practical tasks and theoretical questions at an assessment centre accredited by the QCTO and conducted by an assessor registered by NAMB. The assessment will take place over a minimum of 2 days. Should recognition for completed tasks be sought the process will be done in accordance with the Trade Test Regulations. A candidate who attempted a trade test will be given recognition for those trade test tasks in which he/she has been found competent and will not be retested in those tasks provided that the learner is competent in at least 50% of the trade test tasks given during the trade test. Recognition will be retained by the candidate for a maximum of 3 attempts or 18-months from the date of successful completion of the trade test task whichever comes first.