User Requirements Report 20/6//2011 Page!!""

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EuroPlast Disseminating new models for Plastic Welding

Education

!Leonardo Da Vinci Project NO/2010-1-NO1-LE005-01968

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User Requirements Report 20/6//2011 Page!#""

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©Copyright 2011 EuroPlast Consortium

Consisting of:

• Sør - Trøndelag University College (HiST), Trondheim, Norway • Welding Research Institute – Industrial Institute of SR (VUZ – PI SR),

Bratislava, Slovakia • Hungarian Association for welding and Material Testing (MHtE), Budapest,

Hungary • Institut za varilstvo (IzV), Ljubljana, Slovenia • Vitec AS, Verdal, Norway

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User Requirements Report 20/6//2011 Page!$""

Table of content 1. Executive summary in English and national languages 2. Background information about national level requirements

2.1. General background information 2.2. National level requirements for the market in Norway, Slovenia,

Slovakia and Hungary 2.2.1. Norway 2.2.2. Slovakia 2.2.3. Hungary 2.2.4. Slovenia

3. European level requirements for skill development in the plastic welding sector 3.1. Requirements for the market in Norway 3.2. Requirements for the market in Slovakia 3.3. Requirements for the market in Hungary 3.4. Requirements for the market in Slovenia 4. Technical and pedagogical information 4.1. Face to face training versus use of video 4.2. Activity Based Training (ABT) learning environments 5. National and European level stakeholder mapping 5.1. Who is actually the user? Vocational Education and Training schools, Teachers/instructors, and students. 5.2. Specification of cases 5.3. Specification of user level for teachers/instructors and welders 6. Conclusions 7. References 8. Annexes

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1. Executive summary in English and national languages

Plastic joining technology has been refined positively in recent years thanks to the good cooperation between the manufacturers of raw material, semi-finished products, systems, machines and devices as well as the training and research establishment. This is opening up new fields of activity for the plastics processing industry. Inside this is of course very important education of the welding personnel.

On the field "Training and Qualification" of welding personel, is possible to elaborate a guideline which qualifies the plastic joining personnel in the areas of welding on the base of the new Activity Based Training (ABT) learning environment. ABT follows the industrial production process, where the students always produce a final product.

ABT facilitates

1. Immediate transfer of the results of education into practice 2. ABT follows the industrial production processes where theoretical training is

always immediately followed by practical training 3. Coordinated use of advanced video, other IT, distance learning and 4. Promotion of industrial quality assurance management designs processes

Main aims: Expanded learning skills, disseminating and validating brand new inquiry- and problem based blended learning training methods in Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Norway. The new pedagogical method mixes cases from industrial production; problem based learning methods where theory and practice are closely interconnected with new video solutions on modern, widely accessible for use digital blackboards, videocommunication systems, Student Response System, and Internet resources developed in another projects.

The consortium has a strong industrial presence with strong ties to training organizations (Vitec), distance learning methods, blended learning, video technologies (HiST), and plastic welding industry (MHtE, VUZ and IzV) leading to identification of inadequacies in current training systems and standards for effective instructor training delivery. The partnership has complementary expertise and tasks. They have cooperated successfully previously.

Outcomes:

i. Multilingual plastic welding courses which will increase the competence and knowledge in the welding community

ii. Level specific instructor training VET schools and in-company trainers

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iii. Disseminating new pedagogical methodologies, exploring advanced video

streaming technology, digital blackboards and harmonized skills transfer within a set of training courses towards SME`s

iv. EuroPlast portal based on European standards v. National seminars that promote European harmonized guidelines in order to secure

free movement of personnel. Europlast is aiming during the project to involve the welding institutes, VET schools and companies may utilize the new ABT learning environment to offer a broad range of courses at a European level.

Executive summary in Norwegian

Plastsammenføynings teknikker har blitt utviklet i en positiv retning de siste årene, dette takket være et godt samarbeid mellom produsenter av råvarer - delproduksjon og montasje/totalprodukter. Utvikling av utstyr og maskiner har sammen med en mer systematisert trening og sertifiseringsordninger gitt åpning for å gå inn på nye markeder/ produkter for plastindustrien. Det har også gitt en utvikling i krav til kompetanse for produksjonsarbeiderne. Som en del av dette har kurs og praktisk trening av plastsveisere satt i system blitt et viktig element. Det har igjennom utarbeidelse av guidelines vært mulig å lage krav til kursinnhold og opplæring som samsvarer med kravene til kompetanse innen forskjellige produkt krav der dette er nødvendig. Dette med utgangspunkt i den nye Aktivitet Basert Trening (ABT) læremetodikken. ABT baserer seg på å følge den samme loopen som et produkt, der det ferdige produktet blir synliggjort fra første time. Elevene skal kjenne målet gjennom hele prosessen. ABT gjør det lettere fordi:

1. Teori kunnskapene kan brukes direkte over i praktiske arbeidsoppgaver. 2. ABT følger den naturlige produksjonsprosessen, der synliggjøring av

kvalitetskrav er en viktig del. Og hvor teoretiske og praktiske øvelser går direkte over i hverandre.

3. Gjennom bruk av videofilm og andre IT løsninger som er samordnet med ABT. 4. Gjennom synliggjøring av industriens krav til kvalitet og økt forståelse for

hvorfor denne er så viktig Hovedmål: Utvikle kompetansen innen plastsveising gjennom begrunnelse og spredning av undersøkelser basert på blandede læringsarenaer for teori og praksis i Ungarn, Slovenia, Slovakia og Norge.

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Den nye pedagogiske metoden blander elementer fra industriell produksjon, hvor teori og praksis er nære knyttet til hverandre gjennom også å bruke nye videoløsninger og digitale tavler i undervisningen. Deltagerne i prosjektet har sterk tilknytning til industrien men har også sterke bånd til opplæringsorganisasjoner i praktiske fag (Vitec AS), fjernundervisning, nye læremetoder blandede læringsarenaer, video tekniknologi(Hist) og plastsveiseindustrien (MHtE, VUZ, IzV) Dette gjør at man kan identifisere den utilstrekkelighet som finnes i dagens kurs og standarder for effektiv instruktør og plastsveiser skolering. Partnerskapet har til sammen ekspertisen som skal til for å sette i verk denne prosesen. Samarbeidet har gått veldig bra så langt.

Zhrnutie (Slovak language)

Rozvoj technológie zvárania plastov sa za posledné roky zlep!il v"aka dobrej spolupráci medzi v#robcami surovín, polotovarov, systémov, strojov a zariadení, ako aj v"aka odbornej príprave a v#skumu. Otvárajú sa nové oblasti $innosti pre priemysel spracovania plastov, $o má za následok nárast v#znamu vzdelávania zvára$ského personálu.

Voblasti "Vzdelávanie a kvalifikácia" zvára$ského personálu, je mo%né vypracova& smernicu, ktorá sa zaoberá zvára$mi plastov v oblasti zvárania na základe novej metódy vzdelávania ABT (Activity Based Training). ABT je úzko spojená s procesmi priemyselnej v#roby, ktorej v#sledkom je v%dy finálny produkt, vyroben# !tudentmi.

ABT umo%'uje: 1. okam%it# prenos v#sledkov vzdelávania do praxe, 2. ABT sa riadi v#robn#mi procesmi, kde po teoretickej príprave v%dy

bezprostredne nasleduje praktick# v#cvik, 3. koordinované vyu%itie pokro$il#ch video-snímkov, IT technológií, programu

dia(kového vzdelávania a 4. uká%ky priemyseln#ch riadiacich procesov pre zabezpe$enie kvality

Hlavné ciele: )írenie nov#ch spôsobov v#u$by vypl#va z prieskumu potrieb virtuálnych vzdelávacích metód v Ma"arsku, Slovinsku, Slovensku a Nórsku. Nové pedagogické metódy vychádzajú z príkladov z priemyselnej v#roby, teoretická a praktická $as& v#u$by je úzko prepojená a vyu%íva nové rie!enia pomocou video-záznamov prezentovan#ch na digitálnych tabuliach.

Konzorcium má silné priemyselné pozadie so siln#mi väzbami na vzdelávacie organizácie (Vitec), programy dia(kového vzdelávania, virtuálne vzdelávanie, video technológie (HiST), a na odvetvie zvárania plastov (MHtE, VUZ a IzV), ktoré vedú k identifikácii nedostatkov v sú$asn#ch systémoch odbornej prípravy a noriem pre

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efektívny v#cvik in!truktorov. Konzorcium má potrebné skúsenosti a prax. Partneri konzorcia úspe!ne spolupracovali u% predt#m.

V#stupy: i. Viacjazy$né kurzy zvárania plastov, ktoré zv#!ia schopnosti a úrove'

vedomostí v komunite zvárania, ii. Rovnaká úrove' in!truktorov !peciálnych kurzov pre odborné !koly a !kolenia

v podnikoch, iii. )írenie nov#ch pedagogick#ch metód vyu%ívajúcich moderné video

technológie, digitálne tabule a harmonizácia prenosu schopností v rámci vzdelávacích kurzov pre malé a stredné podniky,

iv. Portál EuroPlast zalo%en# na európskych normách, v. Národné semináre, ktoré propagujú Európske harmonizované smernice s

cie(om zabezpe$i& vo(n# pohyb pracovníkov.

Cie(om projektu EuroPlast je zapoji& do projektu zvára$ské organizácie, odborné !koly a podniky, ktoré mô%u zú%itkova& nov# spôsob ABT vzdelávania v !irokej ponuke kurzov na európskej úrovni.

Bevezet!s (Hungarian language)

A nyersanyagok és félkész termékek, a rendszerek, gépek, eszközök gyártói, valamint a szakképzési és kutatási intézmények közötti jó együttm*ködésnek köszönhet+en, az utóbbi években határozottan javult a m*anyag-hegesztés technológiája. Ez új tevékenységi területeket nyit meg a m*anyag-feldolgozó ipar területén. Ezen belül természetesen nagyon fontos a hegeszt+ személyzet oktatása.

A hegeszt+ személyzet »oktatásának és min+sítésének« területén lehet+vé válik egy olyan irányelv kidolgozása, amelyik a m*anyag-hegeszt+ személyzetet a hegesztés területein az új, Tevékenység Alapú Képzés (ABT) oktatási környezete alapján min+síti. Az ABT az ipari folyamatot követi, amelynek végén a hallgatók mindig egy végterméket állítanak el+.

Az ABT megkönnyíti

1. Az oktatási eredmények azonnali alkalmazását a gyakorlatban, 2. Az ipari termelési folyamatokhoz való alkalmazkodást, ahol az elméleti oktatást

mindig követi a gyakorlati szakképzés,

3. A fejlett video-rendszereknek, az információ-technológia egyéb vívmányainak és a távtanulásnak a koordinált alkalmazását és az

4. Ipari min+ségbiztosítás irányításának tervezési folyamatait.

F!bb célkit"zések: Kiterjesztett tanulási készségek, vadonatúj, kérdés- és probléma alapú, kevert tanulási-képzési módszerek elterjesztése és érvényesítése

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Magyarországon, Szlovéniában, Szlovákiában és Norvégiában. Az új pedagógiai módszer keveri az ipari termelésb+l származó eseteket és a probléma alapú tanulási módszereket, ahol az elmélet és a gyakorlat szorosan összefonódik az új videós megoldásokkal, a korszer*, széles kör* használatra rendelkezésre álló digitális iskolatáblákon.

A konzorcium er+sen jelen van az iparban, szorosan köt+dik a szakképzési szervezetekhez (Vitec), a távtanulási módszerekhez és a kevert tanuláshoz, a videós technológiákhoz (HiST), valamint a m*anyag-hegeszt+ iparághoz (MHtE, VUZ és IzV), ezáltal fel tudja tárni a jelenlegi szakképzési módszerek és szabványok nem megfelel+ vonásait a hatékony oktatói szakképzés érdekében. A partnerség tapasztalatai és feladatai kiegészítik egymást. Tagjai már régebben is sikeresen együttm*ködtek.

Eredmények:

i. Többnyelv* m*anyag-hegeszt+ tanfolyamok, melyek növelni fogják a hegeszt+k közösségének szakértelmét és tudását

ii. Szintekre szabott oktatói szakképzést nyújtó szakiskolák és cégen belüli oktatók

iii. Új pedagógiai módszertanok elterjesztése, fejlett, video-adatfolyamos technológiák felfedezése, digitális iskolatáblák és harmonizált szakképzettség átadás az SME-k részére szakképzési tanfolyamok sorozatának keretében

iv. Az európai szabványokon alapuló EuroPlast portál létrehozása v. Az európai harmonizált irányelveket el+segít+ nemzeti szemináriumok, a

személyzet szabad áramlásának biztosítása érdekében Az Europlast célja, hogy a projektbe bevonja azokat a hegesztési intézeteket, szakiskolákat és cégeket, amelyek hasznosítani tudják az új ABT tanulási környezetet ahhoz, hogy európai szint* tanfolyamok széles választékát nyújtsák. Povzetek (Slovenian language)

Tehnologija spajanja plastike se v zadnjih letih zahvaljujo$ dobremu sodelovanju med proizvajalci osnovnih materialov, polproizvodov, sistemov, strojev in naprav, kakor tudi zahvaljujo$ ustreznemu razvoju podjetij in usposabljanju ljudi razvija pozitivno. To odpira nova podro$ja aktivnosti v plasti$ni procesni industriji. V tem kontekstu je zelo pomembno izobra%evanje varilskega osebja.

Na podro$ju »izobra%evanja in usposabljanja« varilskega osebja smo izdelali smernico za kvalificiranje osebja, ki se ukvarja z varjenjem plastike na osnovi tako imenovane dobre pedago!ke uporabe metod aktivnega usposabljanja ABT (Activity Based

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Training). ABT sledi proizvodni proces, kjer slu!atelji po omenjenem principu izobra%evanja vedno izdelajo kon$ni izdelek.

ABT omogo$a:

1. Takoj!en prenos rezultatov v prakso 2. Zasledovanje industrijskega proizvodnega procesa, kjer teoreti$nemu

usposabljanju takoj sledi prakti$no usposabljanje 3. Koordinirano rabo naprednih video in ostalih informacijskih tehnologij, u$enja

na daljavo in 4. Na$rtovanje vodenja industrijske zagotovitve kvalitete

Osnovni cilji: Raz!iritev popolnoma novega na$ina usposabljanja problemsko orientiranega virtualnega u$enja na osnovi diseminacij in validacij na Mad%arskem, Sloveniji, Slova!kem in na Norve!kem. Nova pedago!ka metoda povezuje primere industrijske proizvodnje s problemsko orientiranimi metodami u$enja, kjer sta teorija in praksa tesno med seboj povezana, z novimi video primeri na moderni in !iroko uporabni digitalni tabli.

Konzorcij sodelujo$ih partnerjev ima veliko strokovnih izku!enj v povezavi z usposabljanjem organizacij (Vitec), u$enja na daljavo, virtualnega u$enja, video tehnologij (HiST) in industrijo varjenja plastike (MHtE, VUZ, IzV), ki bo privedel do identifikacije neadekvatnih in teko$ih sistemov usposabljanja in standardov za efektivno usposabljanje in!truktorjev. Partnerji se komplementarno dopolnjujejo pri nalogah. Le-ti so %e predhodno uspe!no sodelovali:

Rezultati:

i. Ve$jezi$ni te$aji varjenja plastike, ki bodo pove$ali kompetence in znanje v plasti$nem sektorju

ii. Nivo usposobljenosti specifi$nih in!truktorjev na strokovnih !olah in le-teh znotraj podjetij

iii. Diseminacija novih pedago!kih metod z uporabo napredne video tehnologije, digitalne table in harmonizacija prenosa usposabljanja na osnovi te$ajev za podjetja

iv. EuroPlast bo zasnovan na evropskih standardih v. Nacionalni te$aji oziroma seminarji, ki bodo promovirali evropsko

harmonizirano smernico za zagotovitev prostega pretoka delovne sile

Cilj projekta EuroPlast je, da se v $asu njegovega trajanja pri organizaciji te$ajev na varilskih in!titutih, poklicnih !olah in podjetjih $im ve$ krat uporabi nov ABT na$in izobra%evanja in to na evropskem nivoju.

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2. Background information

2.1. General background information The requirements for higher quality products on the one hand and reducing their prices on the other hand, require constant technological development of methods and systems to ensure quality production. It also goes for welding production and of course as part of this for the manufacture and welding of plastics.. Any production requires good knowledge of a material joining technology to be used. From this viewpoint, personnel education of welders, technicians and engineers is of utter importance.

Globalization of industrial processes requires harmonization within education of personel both in the industry sector as well as in the VET schools, thus promoting free movement of personel between different fabrications sites Europe. Of particular interest is certification based training following the production schedule and industrial process.

Training within welding industry is still frequently often carried out with traditional means, i. e. classroom based training. The design of learning services may change from content based to activity based learning systems. Activity Based Training (ABT) closely follows the industrial production- and fabrication processes.

2.2 National level requirements for the market in Norway, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia

2.2.1. Norway

In 2008 a new national standard NS 416 was approved for use in Norway. The content in the standard describes the level of qualifications for trainers, examinators, and Plastic welders.

The standard describe in Part 1: Training level; Part 2: Examination tests

This standard cover M2 Heated tool welding, M3 Electro fusion welding and M4 Heathed tool and electro fusion of PE Water and Gas pipe.

With the implementation of this standard the welding personnel get the same type of training and examination as described in the standard. The aim is to get the correct quality of certified welders. NS 416 examination part is based at ISO 1418 qualification of welding operators.

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Then NS-EN 13067 is used for M1 Hot Gas and Extrusion Welding.

There is no request for practical training before participation in a qualifications course.

Certification Body is approved by Norsk Akkreditering.

2.2.2. Slovakia

Since November 2004 the STN EN 13067:2004 Standard is established in Slovak republic (STN EN 13067:2004 Plastics welding personnel. Qualification testing of welders. Thermoplastics welded assemblies). This standard deals with the examination of plastics welders. With the implementation of this standard the welding personnel gained the significant technical document that provides the definition of basic terms in welding plastics. It will help mainly the technologists, responsible for the design of technology for plastics welding, during the elaboration of technological procedures for the construction of welded structures.

High and equal level of qualification of welding personnel is a fundamental prerequisite for ensuring the quality requirements of welded structures in all member countries of the European Federation for Welding, Joining and Cutting (EWF) and International Institute of Welding (IIW). While welding of metals at the international level is settled by different levels of qualification such as European / International Engineer (E/IWE), European / International Technologist (E/IWT) and European / International Specialist (E/IWS), for the plastics welding the EWF did not have implemented the similar qualification levels in its documentary base, although the requirements and conditions of practice are seeking for the qualified personnel for this area, too. The VÚZ-PI SR Certification Body for Welding and NDT Personnel Certification is trying to solve this situation through the courses of “Plastics Welding Technologist” according its own guideline approved by the Slovak National Accreditation Service (SNAS). This guideline was elaborated on the base of experiences, requirements and changes in the field of plastics welding.

The EWF document Doc. EWF-581-01 (European Plastics Welder. Minimum Requirements for the Education, Examination and Certification) is intended to provide a harmonized scheme for comprehensive education and training of the European plastics welders. This scheme is based on set procedures for the verification testing of welders, welded assembly of thermoplastics mentioned in STN EN 13067:2004 Standard.

The STN EN 13067:2004 Standard divides the particular methods of plastics welding into the groups and sub-groups, where is also allocated the scope of individual examinations. The EWF document Doc. EWF-581-01 actually follows this division

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and defines the minimum necessary range of theoretical and practical training in individual modules for each examination.

2.2.3. Hungary

In the last decades more than 70 000 km of gas pipelines were built in Hungary. These pipelines are under the control of Hungarian authorities; therefore requirements concerning their execution and acceptance were confirmed by law. This regulation was elaborated primarily for distribution and supply lines.

In other industrial areas there were no requirements for people engaged in plastics welding.

In connection with nuclear power plants' lifetime prolongation and the maintenance of chemical industrial plants arose the idea of replacing metal structures with plastics ones.

Consolidation of the environment protection and the appearance of plastics frequently used in the automotive industry forced the free market to elaborate – starting from beneath – also the requirements concerning the training and qualification of plastics welders.

Plastics’ welding in Hungary is vigorous and advanced; it keeps pace with the international trends in basic materials like PE and PP but other materials like PVC, PVDF etc. are also frequently used. Characteristic welding processes are pressure butt welding and electron fusion welding but hot-gas welding is also often used. For pipeline construction characteristically CNC controlled pressure butt welding machines are used.

In the school system of Hungary there is no special education for plastics welders; demand for such education arises characteristically outside the school system.

Professional and examinational requirements for plastics welders’ training are summarized in Decree 15/2008 /VIII.13/ SZMM on Basic qualification requirements for “people engaged in plastics processing”.

Further partial professional qualifications can be awarded via specialized courses. Such professional qualifications may include:

- Die-casting machine operator

- Hot-setting plastics processor

- Plastics welder and molder

- Plastics extruder operator

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The individual professional qualifications describe the task profiles, property profiles, professional competences, personal competences, collective competences and manner competences.

Principal shortcomings of the effective requirements are that content related curricula and specific examination tasks are trusted to the individual education institutions; thus these requirements are not uniform and do not follow the demands of the industry.

Already as early as in 1998 the demand arose: to require that – after earning a recognized by the state ‘eternal’ qualification – all activities of the welder, as well as his/her conformity to the industrial requirements should be certified; this certification to be performed by a third party; the certificates should be valid only for a given (limited) time, and they should be confirmed by periodical re-examination.

In 1998, under the leadership of MHtE were prepared (and issued in the form of Ministry Communication No.15/1998 IKM) 3 regulations for the qualification and certification of welders, namely:

Regulation I, summarizing requirements to be met by welders,

Regulation II, summarizing requirements to qualification and certification procedures,

Regulation III, summarizing requirements to be met by bases performing qualification.

Since 1998 MHtE issued several thousand-qualification certificates meeting primarily the demands of the gas industry.

MHtE and its partners could get acquainted with product-based welder training within the framework of previous projects. However, it is challenging and time consuming process to integrate this system into training recognized by the state"

In the course of this project we plan to involve into the work the 4 welder bases as well as the representative of the state responsible for training. This way we expect to be able to integrate the product based training into the Hungarian education system.

2.2.4. Slovenia

In Slovenia welding of thermoplastics, particularly polyfusion welding (sleeve welding with spigot and bush) and heated tool welding, is mostly used in welding of pipelines. Other important applications are welding of lining membranes, these being an isolation element of landfill sites for biowaste, welding of PVC windows and so on.

For the time being in Slovenia relevant education, i.e. our own educational programmes adapted to document Doc. EWF 581-01, is available for welders. Then

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exists also educational programmes for operators and production personnel in fabrication entities.

The following stakeholder groups can be identified:

Industry welders

Some characteristic of welders in Slovenia:

• If they are Slovenian nationality they have normally before starting welding education and certification 11 years of school but very low knowledge about technology of plastic welding processes and they need theoretical knowledge as well as practical training.

• Some of them are coming mostly from ex Yugoslav republic with very bad knowledge of Slovenian language with very different level of schools and levels, but in general a lot of practical skills. Any video content in their training is very welcome.

The steps to becoming a welder in Slovenia:

• Through the school system at different levels or after 5 years of practice go direct (or after preparation course) to state exam. After that you become uncertified welder.

• Do the welding certification process with or without practical and theoretical preparation course. Certification is done according European Standard (EN 13067 Plastic welding personnel – Approval testing of welders – Thermoplastic welded assemblies).

As a rule, candidates will accepted to the training module provided one of the following conditions is met: • Completed an apprenticeship as a plastics fabricator • At least two years relevant experience aa a plastics welder • Completed a nationally approved theoretical and practical training course, followed

by at least six months of on-the-job training supervised by a welder with a certificate in the relevant welding technique

The European course for plastic welders consists of modules M1 to M5 for different materials, as example:

M1 Hot Gas and Extrusion Welding M2 Heated Tool Welding M3 Electrofusion Welding M4 Heated Tool and Electrofusion Welding of PE Water and Gas Pipe M5 Lining Membranes

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Operators and production personnel in fabrication entities

For welding operators and production personnel in fabrication entities we applied internal norms. Education of plastic welders, operators and production personnel in fabrication entities in Slovenia is conducted exclusively by Institut za varilstvo, some courses are, however, organized also by the Slovenian Society of Plastic Workers.

3. European level requirements for skill development in the plastic welding sector

3.1. Requirements for the market in Norway

The NS 416 and NS-EN 13067 covers the minimum requirements for education and training agreed upon the national welding and joining societies. It will be revised periodically by the National Committee to take account any changes which may affect the state-of-art. The structure is divided into modules, to cover the range of welding processes and materials. The welders have to prove skills in plastic welding and can carry out welding independently. He/she is able to read and understand working instructions and shall be able to choose the best welding method for the job. The training of plastic welder must be carried out at ABT approved by the Authorised National Body. The training and examinations must be carried out under supervision of authorized personnel (instructors and examinators). Instructors must have minimum 2 years practice on the relevant welding method and also have theoretical skills for plastic materials. Examination body have all certificates stored in a database and they are valid for 3 years. The most relevant welding are pipes for water and gas pipes, both pre-fabrication and site welding. And for the breeding industry (Salmon and Cod) mostly offshore constructions. Education of plastic welders and operators in fabrication entities in Norway is conducted by approved training schools; they are approved for this training by certification body.

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Certification body is approved by Norsk Akkreditering.

!

3.2. Requirements for the market in Slovakia

European Plastics Welder

The EWF document Doc. EWF-581-01 covers the minimum requirements for education and training, agreed upon by all national welding and joining societies within the EWF, in terms of themes, keywords and times devoted to them. It will be revised periodically by the Committee to take into account any changes which may affect the state-of-the-art. Candidates having successfully completed this course of education will be expected to be capable of applying plastics welding technology as covered by this EWF document.

The structure is divided into five modules, to cover the range of welding processes and materials. Modules 1, 2 and 3 provide training for specific tests in individual processes and materials. Modules 4 and 5 provide training for combined processes relevant to:

• site welding of water and gas pipe, • lining membranes.

Each module will require one theoretical test and then one or more practical tests to approve the candidate for specific sub-groups of materials and/or product forms (i.e. sheet or pipe) for each welding process.

A Plastics Welder, or European Plastics Welder has proven skills in plastics welding and can carry out welding independently. He/she is able to read and understand working instructions and is well informed about production methods concerning welded products, for both new constructions and repair work.

The training of European Plastics Welders must be carried out at ATB (Approved Training Body) approved by the ANB (Authorised National Body). The practical training and practical examination must be carried out under the supervision of authorised personnel (instructors), who control the operation of the devices.

The training consists of theoretical and practical parts. The course has two entry levels. To join the course, the applicant must submit an evidence of health capability to the operation of welding devices. To join the course – entry level 2 – the applicant must be the holder of the certificate in basic welding course Z-U/P according to the STN 05 0705 Standard (STN 05 0705 Welding. Rules for basic tests of welders).

Plastics Welding Technologist

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A Plastics Welding Technologist is the competent person with the qualification for training, production management and quality ensuring in plastics welding. He/she manages the training and retraining of plastics welders.

A Plastics Welding Technologist has wide competences: • Management of welding work and ensuring their quality • Elaboration of WPS a WPS • Workshop testing of welded joints • Assessment of welded joints • Training and retraining of plastics welders

Courses leading to qualification of Plastics Welding Technologist must be closely linked with industrial practice and for the teaching staff it is required to be in a permanent contact with industry. A teaching staff must combine:

• Teaching skills – evidence of experience in lecturing, speaking in public or verbal communication

• Competence in teaching subject with his/her qualification • Knowledge and experience concerning the current industrial practice in teaching

subject

Minimum range of theoretical training Number of hours

1. Materials 10

2. Plastics semi-finished products 7

3. Plastics welding technology and welding devices for plastics

30

4. Faults and testing of welded joints 5

5. Technical preparation and productions 4

6. Production and assembly 14

7. Suggested topics of interest (industrial practice) 20

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Plastics Welding Instructor

According to the EWF document Doc. EWF-581-01 a Plastics Welding Instructor must have: • Three years welding experience relevant to the training module. • Passed the relevant test(s) for which he/she will be instructing. If an instructor has

passed the test in a key category he/she can train in more than one category, see below:

Test Practical Instruction Units PP hot gas high speed nozzle P1.1, P1.2 PVC hot gas high speed nozzle P1.1, P1.2, P1.3, P1.4 PVDF hot gas high speed nozzle P1.1, P1.2, P1.3, P1.4, P1.5, P1.6 PP extrusion P1.7, P1.8 PE manual heated tool butt pipe weld >315mm P2.3, P2.6, P2.8, P2.10, P4.1,

P4.2 PVC-P heated wedge by hot gas P5.3, P5.4, P5.5

• Approval of the ANB to undertake the training modules.

3.3. Requirements for the market in Hungary

Since 1998 Hungary’s full right representative in the European Welding Federation is the Hungarian Association of Welding Technology and Material Testing (MHtE). In the course of its contribution to the Federation’s work, MHtE took part in the development of the qualification system for plastics welder specialists where the education ends by awarding not a diploma but a certificate of periodical validity. The developed EWF syllabus was issued under No. 581.

International recommendations EWF 581 are not in use in Hungary as yet but they are known and the country is ready to apply them according to the Slovakian example (more detailed: the system will be structured like it has been done in Slovakia).

At higher levels there is no training for specialists working only with plastics.

After the issue of the standard EN 13607 a serious competition started on the market with the appearance of a European standard and a Syllabus prepared by an international federation. Luckily, in the preamble of EN 13607 it is stated that this standard is not recommended for gas and water pipeline construction purposes.

In Hungary we have not issued as yet certificates according to EWF 581; however certificates according to EN 13607 were already issued, primarily in the automotive industry and in the interest of environment security, for 20 to 30 persons per year.

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Revision of the content of Ministry Communication No. 15/98 IKM is currently in progress; precisely with the aim that international requirements are applied.

Third party certificates may be preceded by product based welder training with the application of which we already have very good experience.

In the implementation of the product base welder training we can start from the manufacturing of products used within the industry; for example an isometric piping element which will be installed in Hungary within the framework of this project.

Following the training a qualification certification according to MSZ EN 13607 may be issued provided that after the training the candidate will meet the prescribed examination requirements.

Prior to the training we will organize a ‘Train the trainer’ course for the training institutions where a PPT lecture will be presented for the executives and instructors of the ABT. During this course the production process of the piping unit (as subject of the training) will be shown by modules.

3.4. Requirements for the market in Slovenia

Stakeholders

The following displays the stakeholders that are active in the plastic welding industry and stand to benefit from the proposed simulation tool to be developed through the project.

Stakeholders are groups involved in the welding industry that are directly or indirectly involved in the process of transferring knowledge with the objective of maintaining an up to date work force as processes and technologies advance and to be working in the skills transfer process

The following stakeholder groups have been identified:

• Plastic welders • Plastic welding operators and production personnel • Plastic welding technologist and engineers • Trainers and instructors

The current educational status for the stakeholders may be summarized as follows:

Welders

Education of welders of plastics is currently possible through the school system for

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vocational education, where the training is carried out according the standardized learning plans (or course plans) from the government without the international requirements and requirements of the industry.

Education offered also Welding institute and Slovenian Society of plastic workers. This type of training follow the requirements of Euro norms. The focal point of this type of training is the practical skills obtained through the education and training. The result will be, after completed course, a welding certificate. This education relies heavily on practical skills training and relatively little on the theoretical skills process upgrade.

Welding operators

Should be similar as for welders when formal requirements will be adopted by state rules.

Welders and welding operators must be qualified according the international standards. This standard is EN 13067 (Plastic welding personnel – Approval testing of welders – Thermoplastic welded assemblies) according the EWF document Doc. EWF – 581-01 European plastics welder.

Plastic welding technologist (PWT) and plastic welding engineer (PWE)

There are minor needs for such personnel, but we will not run educational courses in the context of existing project. For them there is currently no training available according to EWF documents, there are only in some countries – e. g. in Germany, where the program is as follows:

Table I

Main content PWE PWT 1 Welding processes and equipment 90 76 2 Materials and their behaviour during welding 64 82 3 Construction and forming 64 40 4 Production and application 122 80 Theoretical education 340 278 Practical education 60 60

Trainers and Instructors

All trainers and instructors, which are involved in EWF training, have regular education about welding before each module but there are no pedagogical topics, offered and required to this personnel group.

Many of the teachers and instructors in welding schools do not even have the andragogical background for this type of job.

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4. Technical and pedagogical information

4.1. Face to face training versus use of video

E-learning provides us with an opportunity to offer and deliver education and training differently to geographically distributed end-users by making it more attractive, effective and efficient. It involves though not widely disseminated, also using ICT to support learning through IP based videoconferencing systems offering high quality multipoint full data sharing by using the high quality video compression standards. Proper distance education and training solutions tailored to groups of engineering students are usually characterised by having an extended perspective exploiting blending learning: (i) Face-to-face training (ii) Inclusion of various visual communication and collaboration services that are used periodically towards groups of students (iii) Virtual self paced learning through a Learning Management System (LMS) State of the art videoconferencing yields a communication and collaboration environment where audio and video are transmitted in real time between two or several locations, across in principle unlimited distances. Modern videoconferencing systems might also communicate data as a parallel video stream (e.g. Duo Video), whereby they might be used much more efficient for instance in distance training. An end user might also participate through a Smartphone. State of the art streaming video offers one way audio and video communication to many locations at the same time. The end user might participate by using a PC. Access might be limited by using passwords. The streaming video might also be stored on servers, whereby it might be accessed as video on demand. Such solutions might offer valuable new learning experiences if they are integrated into modern distance training solutions. Videoconferencing as a standalone tool has limited effects in distance educational settings as it only covers components of the educational needs. There is, however, numerous of successful frameworks, which combines it with various e-learning solutions. The most modern videoconference environments uses high level communication standards, while at the same time they offer transfer of two video streams with high resolution enabling the exchange of freeze frames (e.g. power point presentations), but not dynamic presentations. This restriction is the result of a significant quality reduction in the transformation of dynamically changing data signals into a video signal by the videoconference equipment.

4.2. Activity Based Training learning environments

ABT follows the industrial production process, and the students always produce a product during a course. The ABT method has some key characteristics that are

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facilitated by: • Specification of a product that is delivered to the students as an order • A pedagogical tool that utilizes ABT to produce a product by following the

industrial production flow of an object in such a way that theoretical training is directly connected to practice.

• Onsite training. • Self paced on-line education, and high quality instructional video of learning

material to institutes, SME and VET schools. The training method promotes the use of modern learning tools in quality assurance and quality management training.

• Coordinated use of video technology • Industrial quality assurance management where students exchange their products

during a course.

It is important to address an general issue within upgrading of skills in lifelong learning processes: How to efficiently transfer advanced production process knowledge to students who are looking for a profession, which to a large extent has required practical training with a minimum of theoretical education and where the students have limited knowledge of theory? This is of particular importance in the plastic welding industry where failures related to incorrect operating procedures result in complex repairs and increasing life cycle costs.

The ABT methodology uses an alternative pedagogical approach to education and training of personnel in industry. ABT utilizes learning methods that mix and merge the following components into one competence transfer model:

• A pedagogical tool that utilizes ABT to produce a product by following the industrial production flow of an object in such a way that theoretical training is directly connected to practice.

• Onsite training where theoretical education is immediately followed up by practical training

• Self paced on-line education, and high quality instructional video of learning material to institutes, SME and VET schools. The training method promotes the use of modern learning tools in vocational education and training of plastic welders.

The core idea behind the ABT [4] is that the student shall produce a product during the training course. This product can be anything that is related to an industrial fabrication process, or the quality assurance of that process. During the course the product will be produced by going through a sequential production process that consists of a number of steps that can be identified and be treated as stand alone training elements. They are often referred to as work orders and work packages.

A typical mechanical industry fabrication process is often given as an order, which is divided into a number of work packages (se the boxes in Figure 1). A work package is a detailed and sequential description of the working task that is going to be done and it is

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normally divided into one or several activities. Delivery of the final welded product requires a number of steps from fetching the material, through cutting it into smaller pieces, which will be assembled and welded to a new product. These sequential activities will contain both theoretical and practical tasks, which also include quality assurance and quality control of the job itself. The work package contains at least the following task information in order to secure that the process meet the required quality:

• Work drawing(s) showing the structure of the final fabricated object, i.e. specific details and information for the tasks.

• Work description(s) covering how to do the job and which methods that are going to be used in the production. This includes work process description(s) containing the pre required knowledge, the working processes needed in order to produce the final product, and work package description(s) covering all the work that is going to be done.

• The quality requirements for the product to be produced and delivered. This includes quality assurance requirements for the ingoing elements, and quality assurance descriptions

Figure 1. Activity Based Training starts by receiving a technical and economical specification of the product (a pyramid in this example). The product constitutes of many small pieces (here: boxes) that is developed one by one, and put together into one product (here: the pyramid). In order to figure out how to construct the product, it is necessary to learn more theory, carry out practical investigations, and provide quality assurance of the components during the production.

Work packages consist of separate activities, which may include transfer of specific knowledge and training, as indicated in figure 1. The training is carried out in the

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classroom (theoretical training), shop (hands-on training and practice), or in other production areas.

It should be noticed that local industry needs can be used to define the products, or local community needs for products could be utilized in the training process. For instance, a school could cooperate with local industries as subcontractors if the production is relevant for their education and training. Usually, the ABT course is organized in a number of work orders. The training method focuses on what is learnt at the end of the learning process, while at the same time it utilize a process oriented syllabus by focusing at the industrial production process through task based learning. Thus, the training regulations include demand for process-oriented implementation of training.

The work order is created on the basis of an industrial order or contract, which in detail describe the product and the delivery condition. Thus, the work order is the basis for the education and training schedules, and for the planning of the training activities. For an ABT course the work order needs to contain a minimum of relevant documents like:

• Delivery plan • Drawings • Welding Drawings • Part lists and material lists • Assembly descriptions • Reference to International standards • Reference to contract requirements • Control documents • Non-conformance documents

The goal is to adapt training to requirements in real industrial work processes, and in particular identify skills that must be imparted during a course program:

• The product prescribed must have a clear definition and description such that it may be derived and produced in a company

• The training process promotes transfer of industrial competence where the student act within the industrial production framework of a company, and at the same time shape and change the training process such that it optimize quality assurance and quality management processes

This is going to help companies to adept their training to organizational as well as technological development inside their organization. The training methods specify training tasks, while the technologies used have to be adapted to the production processes inside the company. In this way the technology and production process available inside the company, become the standard of the training provided to a class, e.g. within plastic welding.

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It should be noticed that this sequence is generic and not related to any specific product. As a consequence, it may be adapted for use in any country where an industrial production environment is used as a model for training activities. The various documents available in the work package can therefore be tailored to the actual industrial application, which is relevant for the VET school, This helps ensuring effective use of previous knowledge.!Furthermore, according to contemporary models of learning, individuals understand and remember new material best when they elaborate on that material in some manner [5] and [6]. Elaboration can take the form of adding details to the information, clarifying an idea, explaining the relationship between two or more of the new concepts, making inferences, visualizing an image of some aspect of the material, applying an analogy relating the new ideas to familiar things, or in some other way associating the new material with voting sessions by use of ABT methods.

Table 1 outlines a high level description of the training activities in each of the 10 modules in the work order.

Number of module Industrial plastic production process ABT activities

1. Introduction Introduction to the course, scope of the education

2. Work package outline

Delivery of contract documents including specifications and relevant documentations and delivery plan

3. Start Organizing the work, selecting material and prepare for start production

4. Cutting and preparation

Cutting materials, identification

5. Welding procedure specification (WPS)

Creating WPS and other work instructions for welding

6. Assembly Assembly of components, creating subassemblies and preparation for welding

7. Tack Starting the assembly into main components –preparing the welding

8. Welding Welding the components

9. Qualification Documentation of qualification, updating certificates, Non Destructive Testing (NDT)

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10. Delivery Quality control of documentation. Creating document

packages for product documentation

Table 1. The work order, for use in an ABT course for industrial production process training, is organized in a number of modules (10 in this case), as outlined in figure 1.

5. National and European level stakeholder mapping

5.1. Who is actually the user?

Based on status review of educational activities in separate countries (mostly countries participating in implementation of the EuroPlast project), we can choose among following target groups:

- Vocational education and Training schools

- Teachers

- Instructors

- Students

- Companies

VET schools

VET schools offer classical methods of education in plastic welding, where teachers hold classical face-to-face lectures. The training also includes tutorials. It should be mentioned that educational programs in some countries do not offer plastic welding oriented training, but pass on the mentioned topic less specifically, in context of a general welding process check-up.

Teachers

Typical for this target group is that their profile is a Certified European Welding Technologist, who is trained in face-to-face training and through practical demonstrations of plastic welding.

Instructors

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For instructors applies the same as for the previous group; their profile is also the Certified European Plastic Welder, who according to the EWF document Doc. EWF-581-01, must fulfil all conditions, including education and three years of experience in welding which is relevant for the training module.

Students

The major user group will be young people (mostly male) between the age of 17 and 25. We assume that they have a slightly weaker basic knowledge, but have gained a lot of experience through their jobs. In our opinion the reasons why they seek for additional education and training are, as follows:

- to build up their knowledge

- they were call to additional training

- they need additional and improved knowledge to keep their current spot or to get a

promotion

- that some student are generally motivated to educate themselves

- they need an additional certificate or a diploma

Companies

One of possible users are also companies, mostly those from mechanical industry which are interested in long-distance learning combined with practical presentations and demonstrations of plastic welding.

5.2. Specification of cases

The first target application for the new training procedures is to train welders to the gas distribution pipelines related both to central gas distribution between distribution hubs and supplying centers as well as gas distribution to the customer. This will cover a wide range of piping products both related to the piping diameter as well as wall thicknesses and as well as the transport pressure itself. The other target area is waste removal and management of contaminated water. As the first example we will discus welding of a single pipeline segment from PE with multiple dividers or connected pipeline braches. So, the described segment will require at least two plastic welding procedures, e.g. welding with heated tools and/or electrofusion welding. In the implementation of this case we will take into account the requests of the European Welding Federation (EWF), stated in the EWF document Doc. EWF-581-01 for European plastic welders. The construction strategy for ABT training in our case would be based on eight modules.

Steps of the ABT

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Module 1

Module 1 represents the introductory part in which we will introduce the ABT training method with different learning material. Thereby we will present in detail:

- Course schedule - How to acces the course content - How to use video in the course examination

Module 2

In this module we will study everything in the work plan, in order to get to the final product. Important for this are the following points:

- Production plan (consist work order, bill of material, work operations, control reports, non-conformance report)

- Joint types - Welding symbols - Introduction of thermoplastics - Application of plastics - How plastic are made - Basics of PE - Multiple choice Question

Module 3

The next activity is implementation of thermoplastic cutting- procedures. For this we need to consider the permitted deviations and order of work at cutting. The parts shall meet the requirements in the Work Specification. This module will also deal with the examination of different cutting procedures.

Safety precautions related to cutting must be discussed. Relevant documents.

Module 4

This module will be intended for comprehension and understanding of an important document which talks about the use of Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS). The conversation will be about the significance of using the WPS as the main document in which all of the most important parameters, tied to a specific welding technology – in our case to welding of thermoplastic, are stated. Knowledge on this document will be tested in a »Multiple choice« examination.

Module 5

In this module we will focus on product structure, in our case that of the pipeline, which will consist of single subassemblies. Again we will lay stress on acceptable

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deviations which we will deal with in the following modules too. There will be a »Multiple choice« examination.

Module 6

In these modules we will deal with welding procedures. We will learn about welding and its results which will be of grave importance for understanding of the welding technology. We will study in detail:

- Principles of electrofusion welding and heated tools welding - Welding parameters - Principles of welding

Module 7

In this module we will focus on two important fields connected with product quality:

1. Review, testing and verification of products

The product has to be reviewed and verified in order to establish, if it reached the required quality level. In this module we will also discuss some of the most important verification methods.

2. Certifying welders

In order to reach the determined quality requirements according to the international (ISO/CEN) standards and EU directives, a welder shall reach the minimum requirements regarding knowledge, skills and qualifications. This can be confirmed or documented through an issued certificate – attestation.

There will be a »Multiple choice« examination.

Module 8

Before the product is finished, it must be documented weather it fulfils the requirements from the plan or contract. In this module we will prepare the necessary documentation and do everything needed for supervision and verification. At the end of this module we will prepare a document package about fulfilling requirements.

At the end of course the students will have to write a summary and perform an evaluation on the course.

There will be made a ppt training material with 8 modules to show how to create an educational step that means the logical steps in order to reach a result. The showed produst the Pipeline system is only an example. The teacher can change the product type but he can work out a new educational material as the example. Important is show the procedure of the product manufacturing.

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5.3. Specification of user level for teachers, instructors and welders

Specification of user level for the teachers and the instructors

Teachers and instructors should be qualified for teaching according to ABT principles. For that they will need to learn how to transmit knowledge by applying all tools which are used in the mentioned education. Knowledge will have to be transmitted in a way that will keep students motivated all the time, also by making them work up a final product in order to check what they have learned. For that, however, both teachers and instructors will have to drop the classic educational method.

Specification of user level for welders

Welders interested in joining the ABT education should prove their knowledge and experience when applying for acceptance to plastics welder ABT courses. This way the candidates who fulfil the basic requirements, conditions and motivation to approach this new educational method could be detected. At any rate, all welders should have the opportunity to join ABT education and work on their own product during the course of education.

6. Conclusions Through the EuroPlast project Activity Based Training (ABT) is going to be extended and applied to training in the plastic welding sector that includes control and verification processes. The training is organized in such a way that it follows the EN requirements, while at the same time it utilizes the previously developed ABT methods for industrial production process training.

The training method focuses on what is learnt at the end of the learning process, while at the same time it utilize a process oriented syllabus by focusing at the industrial production process through task based learning. Thus, the training regulations include demand for process-oriented implementation of training. The goal is to adapt training to requirements in real industrial work processes, and in particular identify skills that must be imparted during a course program:

• The product prescribed must have a clear definition and description such that it may be derived and produced in a company

• The training process promotes transfer of industrial competence where the student act within the industrial production framework of a company, and at the same time shape and change the training process such that it optimize quality assurance and quality management processes

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This is going to help companies to adapt their training to organizational as well as technological development inside their organization. The training methods specify training tasks, while the technologies used have to be adapted to the production processes inside the company. In this way the technology and production process available inside the company, become the standard of the training provided to a class.

The starting approach is an order from a company that supports and produces an added value for the training in form of defining a complete product that is going to be produced during the course. It starts with placing an order inside the school or class, and ends with the receipt of the agreed product by the customer. The training process can be subdivided into a number of work orders that describe the individual production tasks and activities in detail. It must include a description of the sequences and individual work steps, thus describing how work tasks should be carried out. The learning tasks will have a sequential structure, such that the students can acquire the relevant and required knowledge through their own studies and work. Each learning step provide the preconditions for the next either it is theory or practice. The system with work orders always prescribes the sequence in which the tasks and exercises are going to be dealt with.

At the end of a course, the students have produced a product based up on specifications provided through an order. During the course they will need to learn more theory based up on the specifications in the order, and the practical problem solving process where they must decide in which sequence they are going to produce the components and afterwards assemble them. Quality assurance is integrated into the education model, since the students must check the ingoing and outgoing quality of their products during the production process. Video is used as a facilitator for initiating discussions based up on cases that are illustrated by use of cases that illustrate HOW to DO, as well as HOW NOT to DO.

The courses with supporting educational material are going to be implemented and evaluated in a number of courses in Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary during the period 2011 to 2012. By implementing a strategy for inclusion of practical experience of quality assurance and quality control, it is expected that it is going to stimulate the students, and give them a new practical dimension in their educational framework by use of cases that utilizes problem-based training. This includes mastering specific technologies and manufacturing methods, as well as industrial work processes that are part of the production environment.

At the end of the courses certificates may issued to students by EN 13067. See format in chapter 8.

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7. References /1/ The EuroPlast Web-page: www.histproject.no /2/ EWF Document Doc. EWF – 581 – 01 "European Plastics Welder" /3/ Project MECCA, online at www.histproject.no /4/ J. B. Stav et al. 2007, Just in time training at the workplace, proceedings from the IADIS International Conference e-learning 2007, page 252-257. /5/ M. Pressly et al., 1992, Encouraging Mindful Use of Prior Knowledge: Attempting to Construct Explanatory Answers Facilitates Learning, in Educational Psychologist, Volume 27, Issue 1 January, pages 91 – 109 /6/ M. Wittrock, 1992, Generative Learning Processes of the Brain, in Educational Psychologies, 27(4), 531-541, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. /7/ V. Hornigova, H. Vargova, 09.03.2011, EuroPlast Evaluation Outline Strategy Report

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8. Annexes

Figure 2. Example of welding certificate from Hungary

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Figure 3. Another example of welding certificate from Hungary