Vocational Education and Training in Aluminium Finishing

Arthur W Brace

Aluminium Finishing Consultant, Stonehouse, 610s GL 10 3 H H , England.

Synopsis:

This paper considers the developments that have taken place in -tertiary education since 1950, w i t h particular reference to aluminium finishing. It is argued that there have been important changes in the technology used in aluminium finishing, which has resulted in a blurr ing of the boundaries between jobs t rad i t ional ly described as "operator" , "technician", "chemist" and "foreman". I t is also argued that the structure of university education is s u c h that high level achievement in the application of fundamental knowledge is rarely recognised.

A plea is made for a new approach to education and training in aluminium finishing, which should be competence based, but offering a route from an elementary operator qualification through to t h e highest level of achievement by a suitable examination and awards structure. The author outlines a structure developed by the City and Guilds of London Inst i tute in England and suggests t h a t this might form t h e basis for recognition of achievement in aluminum finishing. Suggestions are made of the possible content of the various levels of achievement which are proposed.

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The post-war years have seen impressive growth ir! the consumption of aluminium internationally. growth rates of 8 - 10% p.a. were recorded over much of the period 1955 - 1975 . As the consumption of aluminium increased so did the need for plants to finish the final products. I n these early years anodizing was the most widely used finishing process, although this changed in the 1980's w i t h the growth of finishing using organic coatings. In addition, recent years have also seen a significant increase in the production of electroplated finishes on aluminium.

- This has resulted in a multi-billion doliar industry based on finishing aluminium, as well as the development of a large business in supplying the chemical products needed in these finishing processes. With the maturing of finishing technologies and the increasing industrialization of the world economy, particularly in South East Asia, finished aluminium semi-fabricated products have become a standardized product which is being traded on the international markets. The labour and energy costs in the newly industrialized nations are often such that they more than offset the transport costs involved in shipping these products to the markets available in the older industrialized countries.

The competitive challenge faced in the older economies is such that there is concern about their abil ity to meet th is it. Conventional wisdom suggests that t h e most l ike ly response w i l l be for the older industrialized economies w i l l concentrate increasingly on the production of goods that have not only a high value added in manufacture but also require a level of technology, skil ls ana resources which are not presently available in these emergent economies. Of course, conventional wisdom does not always provide the r i g h t guide-lines to fu tu re developments, because of the inherent unpredictabitity of the future. However, proceeding from this premise, i t is relevant to pose the question "What are the possible future trends in aiurninium finishing ?"

This is going to lead to a fur ther question "What are l ikely to be the future needs for education and training in aluminium finishing ?" There has been a fundamental change in the mechanism of the diffusion of technology in aluminium finishing since the 1960's. I n the earlier years much of the development effort came from the aluminium industry, supplemented by a small number of independent innovators. The aluminium industry put considerable into technical support to anodizers. With the aluminium industry having significantiy reduced i ts R & D effort, the process chemical suppliers are now the main source of new developments are now t h e chemical process supply companies.

Many plants in the older industrialised economies, such as the United Kingdom, Germany and the U.S.A. have been structured around a small management team, often w i t h someone possessing an M.B.A. in charge and other senior management holding degrees in engineering or chemistry. Supporting these w i l l be an appropriate number of technicians and operators. Many of these plants have been based on the use of immigrant labour whose educational standards have often been modest. I n plants producing large quantities of a standardized finish, such as __ an 0.2 mi l etch and anodize finish, t h e use of automation has avoided the need for a highly trained work-force. whilst also providing finished products at competitive prices.

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On the other hand, in plants supplying finished products for the aerospace, automotive, defense and electronics industries, the situation is often very different. To begin with the number of finishes being produced is much wider, the performance requirements are more sophisticated and the level of quality control is high, although sometimes rather bureaucratic. This, in tu rn has given rise to a need for a much higher level of skil l on the part of operators. They are being required to know how to set computers controls, how to record data on film thickness, seal quality etc., which calls for a significant degree of training. The increased demand for masking, for multi-coat finishes and on-line testing, all emphasize the need for well trained operators.

Apart from these demands, the changes in technology has blurred the distinctions between operators and technicians. For example, the traditional "etch-and-anodize" plant is often largely dependent on one or two persons w i t h a suitable level of education and much experience in anodizing. With increased mechanization and computer control, operators are often required to carry out tasks that previously would have been le f t t o technicians or graduate chemists. The impact of environmental and health and safety legislation has lead to the need for a greater awareness by the operator of the chemical hazards in the plants and of practices for their avoidance.

With the decline of anodizing in some markets and the retirement or loss of personnel from plant redundancies, there has probably been a net loss of know-how in the industry as a result of the recession. There are indications in the U.K. that th is is producing a s k i l l shortage as the economy moves into post-recession expansion. There seems to me to be a similar situation in some plants i n the U.S.A. This situation requires consideration of the future education ana training needs in aluminium finishing.

The Contribution of the Universities

In the United Kingdom there has been a significant expansion of University education, such that at the secondary education level resources were pr imari ly devoted t o p rov id ing ent rants for the university system. The policy in the United Kingdom appears to have been influenced by the adoption of a similar policy in the U.S.A. However, there is a growing body of opinion that is questioning the validity of this approach in terms of i ts contribution to the needs of industry and commerce.

This arises part ly because of the conflict between t h e traditional values held b y academic institutions and the needs of a complex industrial society. Traditionally, un ivers i t ies have valued the pursu i t of knowledge for i ts own sake. The higher the level of abstract theory, and the more remote it is from application to the useful arts, the greater it is prized . A t the graduate level universities aim to provide an education i n the basics of the particular specialisation being studied, arguing that equipped with such knowledge the graduate w i l l be able to apply it successfully to any problem subsequently encountered.

Personal experience obtained in the course of professional activities indicates that there is no certainty that th is w i l l be so. It is not

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uncommon to f ind t h a t for example, a graduate can explain surface tension, the nature and role of wetting agents, inhibition, sequestering etc., but, even after a number of year in anodizing fail to know how to apply it when faced with a practical problem, such as failure of a part to clean or etch properiy.

This emphasis on university education has also led to the pursuit of a - doctorate as the ultimate accolade, but the capacity for abstract thought and theoretical models required for higher degrees seems to have l i t t le ___

t o contribute to the needs of industry for practical innovation and achievement. The design of a computer controlled hard anodizing plant to process a variety of alloys and components would not be regarded as a topic appropriate to a Ph.D. in most institutions i n the U.K., but the !eve1 of intellectual achievement would seem to be of the same order.

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Technical Education

A consequence of the emphasis on university education has been that those who failed to make the un ivers i ty route were of fered an alternative education which ied ultimately to attainment of the T. Eng. (Engineering Technician) qualif ication. There was an important consequence to the adoption of t h i s qual i f icat ion, in that the professional institutions in the United Kingdom subsequently made it inpossible for a T. Eng. to become a Chartered Professional Engineer. To many people this undermined a fundamental principle that all of the professions should be open to anyone who had the requisite degree of knowledge and experience.

A fur ther problem faced by specialist sectors of industry, such as metal finishing, was that there was a lack of a suitable qualification in metai finishing at t h e technician level. To provide this in the United Kingdom, the inst i tute of Metal Finishing set up the Technician’s Ordinary and Advanced Certificates. It also established professional qualifications, such as Membership (M.I.M.F.) which requires a degree or equivalent o r relevant experience. The regulat ions retained the principle of open access to ali grades. In the U.S.A. the response of the A.E.S.F.S. to a similar situation was to provide recognition via the C.E.F. q uaii f icat ion.

Recognition of Achievement

The fact that there was generally a lack of recognition of practical achievement at a high level in technology led the City and Guilds of London inst i tute to set up a new Award in the mid-1950’s - the C i t y and Guilds of London Inst i tute Insignia Award in Technology (C.G.I.A.). To obtain th is award the applicants had to demonstrate that they had a knowledge of their subject to at least a Master’s degree level and had made some signi f icant or ig ina l cont r ibut ion i n the i r professional activities. There were a number of people who received this award who had not been educated via the university route, as well as others who saw the Award as an accolade for achievement which would not be recognised by a higher degree.

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However, over a period of 30 years the number of Awards made only reached a l i t t le over 1000, which was a disappointing number. However,

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the Award was endorsed by the Military as the ultimate accolade for technical officers attending Army Staff courses at the Royal Military College at Shrivenham. Those successfuliy completing the course received a Master’s degree, but i f the project they undertook was of a high enough levei they also obtained the Award. Subsequently the Award has also been taken up as a mark of recognition of achievement by the Navy and t h e A i r Force.

Holders of the Award established an Association to promote the Award, to publicize the Award and to discuss developments in vocationai education with the Institute. By the mid-1980’s it was evident that there was a need to restructure the Award in line with the current situation. I n addition, it soon became evident to members of the C.G.I.A. Association that part of the problem lay in the fact that changes in the structure of technical education had left no clear path of career development from the lowest to the highest award made by the Institute. Discussion w i t h the Director General and officers of the Institute led to setting up of a working party to study the problem.

This proved to be a timely move, since government was concerned at the level of achievement and content of technical education over a wide field. It was feit by those concerned that there was a vital need to produce a vocational qualifications structure which would be responsive to industry’s needs. From out of a study of industry’s vocational education and training needs extending over several years, a new

by the Awards structure was developed and subsequently approved Council of the Institute.

The foiiowing were accepted as i t s basic principles:

1. I t shcu!d be cnmprehensive, cover ina a l l the techn professional activities of the Institute.

2. It should have a cieat path of progression from the f i rst the highest level of technical and professional competence.

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levei to

3. It should be accessible to anyone meeting the required standards and would not provide artif iciai barr iers l imiting entry.

4. It should be competence based, recognising a level of attainment in the practical appiication in their employment of professional skilis and knowledge to the chosen area of specialisation of the applicant.

After a some years a new qualifications structure was approved by the Council of the Institute in 1991.

The Awards Structure

The structure of these new awards can be readily seen in the diagram (see next page). It enables schools to inst i tute pre-vocational studies which w i l l lead on to the route of a career development path to whatever level of achievement the person embarking on this route can attain. In parallel wi th this in the U.K. there has been the deveiopment of Nationai Vocationai Qualifications (N.V.Q,).

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The C & G Level 1 is equivalent to and N.V.Q. Level 1, which cal!s for competence in carry ing out a range of routine activities.

Level 2 requires competence also , i n a variety of activities including non-rout i ne work.

Level 3 calls also for a higher level of ski l ls than Level 2 as well as the - abil i ty to give basic guidance or controi of others.

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Level 4 requires evidence of wider training and experience, with evidence of some specialist ability. ~

The Senior Awards commence at the Licentiate (L.C.G.I.) level, whose standard equates with the German "Meister" (Master Technician or Master Craftsman) qualification. In Germany and the Netherlands no-one can set up a metal finishing plant or undertake government work without someone having this qualification. The Award is designed to recognize a high level of knowledge of the principles and practice of a technical subject or practical activity.

The Graduate (G.C.G. I .) qualification equates educationally to degree level, but also requires applicants to have industrial experience and to demonstrate knowledge of the application of the underlying principles to an industrial topic or related professional activity.

For Membership (M.C.G.I.) the applicants must have a level of knowledge equivalent to a Master's degree, show that they are involved in supervisory managemect advanced technical competence. They are expected to submit a report on a project for which they have had responsibility for the design or improvement of an artefact or process.

The Fellowship (F.C.G.I.) award is the highest accolade bestowed by the Institute. tt recognizes outstanding professional achievement in a demanding posr at t h e nighest level of responsibility.

Details of the principles of assessment are given in Appendix A.

A major advantage of these Awards is their adaptability to local and specific industrial needs. Through the use of a system of designated "delegated authorit ies" these Awards can be made by a firm or local training organisation working in conjunction with a Technical College, or at the Senior Awards level, in conjunction with a University. A t the moment in the United Kingdom there are 14 Universities offering course leading to the Senior Awards, mainly as post-experience course. This number is expected to exceed 20 in the near future. The high standard set is evidenced not only by the participation of these Universities, but that applicants obtaining a Graduateship or higher qualification can wear academic dress, a privilege hitherto reserved to university graduates. -

Application to Aluminium Finishing

A t the moment in the United Kingdom the Inst i tute of Metal Finishing has been concentrating on creating courses leading to N.V.Q. Levels 1 to 3 for electroplaters. So far, i ts applications to aluminium finishing has not been considered. by the Institute.

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However, there is also the neea for a suitable career development path for personnel engaged in aluminium finishing. The following are some preliminary suggestions as to now such an approach might be developed. A t this point the main emphasis w i l l be on anodizing. but there should not be a great dif f iculty in widening the approach to include conversion coatings and organic finishing processes.

Level 1: A knowledge of the basic chemistry of aluminium and the properties of acids, alkalis and salts - an appreciation of the anodising process and the structure of an anodic coating - an understanding of ~

the principies of electricity - D.C. ana A.C. - their application to rectifiers and busbars - principies of racking in relation to obtaining uniform current distribution, avoidance of gassing problems, provision for drainage and contact points - demonstration of an abil ity to select racks suitable for simpie components and processes - a knowledge of the process sequence require to produce a simple finish such as etch-and-anodi ze.

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Level 2: A knowledge of the physical chemistry of solutions - such as ionization, dissociation, mass action pH and i ts measurement and use in anodizing. Factors affecting solubility and rates of reaction - reversible reactions. Demonstration of an abil ity to apply these principles to routine problem in cleaning, etching, anodizing, dyeing and sealing. The principles of electricity to direct and alternating current - Ohms Law and its significance in anodizing. Demonstration of the abil ity to carry out severai anodizing processes, such as the selection of j igs for more than one type of f inish and the production of more than one f inish on simpie parts and more than one alioy.

Level 3: A knowledge of the basics of organic chemistry - aliphatic and aromatic chemistry in relation to the use of organic compounds in wetting agents, sequestering agents, dyestuffs, solvents for paints and lacquers. The mechanism of f i i m formation - polymerisation and condensation reactions in paint systems. Pigments and extenders and their role i n paints. The basic principles of powder coating. A more advanced understanding of a.c. eiectricity - resistance, capacitance, inductance, impedance and admittance - power costs. The principles of rectification - control of d.c. output using solid state devices - factors affecting rectif ier efficiency. Methods for measuring film thickness and admittance. Demonstration of the abil ity to produce several kinds of finish, both simple and complex and an awareness of the effect of the material and the choice of process.

Level 4: A t th is point a degree of specialisation is possible depending upon the role of the individual in his place of employment and future vocational development. This is l ikely to be either the development of a higher level of technical expertise or acquisition of the basic skil ls needed for a future management role. The following are suggestions for possible course content.

Technical Specialist: Development of knowledge of the mechanism of film formation, electrolytic colou ring, hydrothermal and impregnation sealing. A knowledge of Health. Safety and Environmental Legislation as relevant to anodizing operations. A knowiedge of the principles of

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Progressive pattern of City and Guilds awards

C&G level Qualiflcalion/scheme

, 7 Fellow(FCG1)

FllnmmmW

5 NVQ5

i :.--

Gradua

4 NVQ4 Licentiate (LCGI) Career Extension Master

I Full Technological Ce - Advanced GNVQ Vocational (non-NVQ) Diploma of Vocalional Education (National)

, 3 NVQ3

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Intermediate GNVQ

. - -- 1 NVQl

; Foundation GNVO 1 Vocational (nomNVQ)

Diploma of Vocational Education (Foundation) GCSE General Education

'Graduates of the Ci ty and Guilds College lniperial College of Science. Technology and Medicine. are awarded the Associateship (ACGI)

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Standards and Specifications and those relevant to anodized finishes. An abil ity to read an engineering drawing and to recognize significant surfaces. Testing and control methods required in producing anodized finishes. A knowledge of the concepts of sampling, lot size and test frequency in terms of their relevance to statistical quality control techniques. Familiarity w i t h the I.S.O. 9000 (or other relevant quality system) and the technical control input needed.

The principles of semi-conductors, the silicon chip and the main elements of a micro-computer - some basics of mini- and main-frame computers. Demonstration of a knowiedge of the importance of current density and i ts effect on film properties an abil ity to measure the surface area of components to be anodized and the current required. - A n ability to know how many components size pf work-load that can be anodized at a given current density and rectif ier size - Demonstration of an abil ity to take responsibility for process control in the plant and to control and have available appropriate staff and resources.

Production Specialist: Such a specialist would need to acquire a ful l knowledge of the relevant Environmental, Health and Safety legislation and to be familiar with the role of the Regulatory Agencies (E.P.A., O.S.H.A. etc.) and the responsibilities of management in meeting these requirements. I n addition, a knowledge is needed of the principles used in compiling Standards and Specifications, an abi l i ty to read an engineering drawing, to identify significant surfaces and to specify a process to meet conform to a Specification and/or Standard. There w i i i be a need to be familiar with I.S.O. 9000 (or other relevant quality system) ana i t s use in i h e plan: with which t h e person is associated.

Demonstration of a knowledge of the principles of business organisation, and of the person’s communication s k i ! l s wi i i be required. A knowledge of relevant employment and labour law wiii be needed. An appreciation of simple accountancy principles will be required w i t h a demonstration that there is an understanding of the role of a budget and of standard costs as applied to the operations involved at the place of employment.

Level 5: (Licentiate): A person applying for this grade wil l need to demonstrate training and experience to l w e i 4 (or equivalent training) and appropriate industrial experience and specialisation in a variety of complex situations and responsibi l i ty for control l ing labour. Alternatively, an approved level of under-graduate t ra in ing plus training by an approved authority and an appropriate length of industrial experience is required and evidence of competence in applying their knowledge and init iative i n the work-place to problem solving.

Discussion:

These proposals are based on the assumption that t o meet the future demands for anodized finishes a more highly trained work-force w i l l be required. It is fe!t at existing metal finishing qualifications do not adequately cater for the needs of companies involved in aluminium finishing. The ideas put forward above have been based on involvement in the development of a new vocational awards structure by the City and Guilds of London Institute in the United Kingdom and reflects the national background of the evolution of vocational education.

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It is obvious that they are not immediately applicable to the United States, but the principles set out above may represent an approach to current vocational education and training needs in aluminium finishing, electroplating and similar technology based industries. The above text has endeavoured to demonstrate how these principles might be applied to the educational and training needs for personnel that are engaged in the finishing of aluminium components.

Acknowledgements:

The author would like to express his thanks to the Director General and Stafi of the City and Guilds of London inst i tute for having the privilege of taking part in some of the discussions which led to the setting uo of the new Senior Awards and for permission to reproduce extracts from the regulations governing these and the N.V.Q’s.

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APPENDIX

The Basis for Assessing Levels of Achievement

I n setting up such a system of Awards, which are applicable to a wide range of specialisations and industries, basic standards of achievement have had to be estabiished. In terms of National Vocational Awards and the City and Guilds equivalents, the regulations define the following five levels of corn petence.

Level 1: Competence in carrying out a range of routine and predictable work activities.

Level 2: Competence in a variety of work activities, some complex and non-routine - abil ity to work both alone an in collaboration with others in different situations.

Level 3: Competence in a variety of mainly complex and non-routine work activities i n different situations, often while controlling or guiding others.

Level 4/Career Extension: : Competence in a wide range of complex, technical or professional work activities in different situations, often with responsibility for both other staff and allocation of resources.

Level 5/Licentiateship: Competence involv ing the application of fundamental principles and complex techniques in a wide and often unpredictable range of work situations, together w i t h responsibility for other people’s work and the aliocation of substantial resources.

Graduateship: This is awarded i o persons wi70 have attained a N.V.Q. a: Level 5, or a f i rs t degree. Applicants also have to possess industrial experience and demonstrate the abil ity t o understand and apply the principles of a technical subject or professional activity. This abil ity is to be demonstrated in an employment-based context, through the design, development, improvement or cr i t ical ly assessment an artefact, process, system or service.

Membership: The levei sought for here is that equivalent to a Masters degree and requires applicants to demonstrate supervisory management or advanced technicai competence skills. I t is required that they wi l l have exercised personai, professional responsibility for the design or improvement of an artefact or process. Submission of a project report providing such evidence, which is assessed and the candidate subjected to an in-depth interview.

Fellowship: In meeting the requirements, candidates w i l l be expected to have demonstrated personal skills and competence in:

(a) managing the operation of technical processes and systems ( b ) formulating, implementing and cri t ical ly assessing strategies for

(c) leading other in the successful performance of complex tasks (d) formulating strategies for assessing and responding to social,

environmental and economic implications of their professional work (e) securing successful outcomes i f ) exercising recognized authority within their proiessian.

technical innovation and change

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