Apprenticeship training course

Knitted product manufacturing technician (level 3)

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Information about Knitted product manufacturing technician (level 3)

Create knitted components or products that meet customer and/or organisation specifications and quality standards.

• Knowledge, skills and behaviours:
  View knowledge, skills and behaviours

  Knowledge

  • Health & Safety: Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), Manual Handling, First aid procedures, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Risk Assessment
  • Equality & Diversity in the workplace
  • Waste and energy management, environmental and sustainability policies and procedures
  • Different types of knitting machines used in the production process and their applications: jacquard, circular, computerised flat knitting machines
  • The set up, programming and adjustment of knitting machines
  • Routine knitting machine maintenance: cleaning, preventative maintenance, testing
  • Knitting machine programmes: data input, software, issues and adjustments
  • Yarn or material types, origin, behaviour and specifications: content, characteristics and storage requirements
  • Work organisation; the importance and benefits of a clean, clear, well organised work area
  • Different types of knitting processes: weft knitting, interlock, purl, warp knitting
  • The principles of the knitting process: stitch formation, knitting structures, stitch density
  • How knitted components or knitted fabric make up the end product
  • Work documentation purpose and requirements: technical packs, specifications, technical sheets, Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs), dockets/tickets
  • Problem solving techniques: fault finding and rectifying for knitting machines and knitted product
  • Production efficiencies, priorities and performance: targets, performance rates, deadlines
  • Quality standards and systems: specification, tolerances, and quality checks
  • The principles of continuous improvement methods: lean manufacture, 6-sigma, KAIZEN, 5S (Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardise and Sustain)
  • Production costs of the knitted product: raw materials, labour, overheads
  • Team working techniques and benefits
  • Time management techniques: production planning, prioritising and tracking
  • Commercial awareness: the supply chain, product design, competition and customer expectations
  • Past and current UK knitting industry: medical, hosiery, geotextiles, fashion, performance wear
  • Methods of communication: verbal

  Skills

  • Read and interpret knitting instructions and specifications
  • Schedule, plan and prioritise the workload
  • Identify, report and resolve any discrepancies with work instructions
  • Select and use yarns or materials, for example colour, type, count
  • Inspect raw materials, identifying and reporting faults if necessary
  • Identify and set up knitting machines
  • Organise and prepare the work area for knitting production
  • Select software and input data
  • Conduct safety checks in relation to the work area and knitting machines
  • Conduct test runs and identify quality issues
  • Correct product faults
  • Identify, report and resolve knitting machine issues
  • Adjust knitting machines
  • Change knitting machine needles and elements as required
  • Quality check final products and prepare for the next stage of the process
  • Identify and segregate reject products
  • Identify and segregate material for reuse, recycling and disposal
  • Enter information for example work records, work tickets, work dockets
  • Conduct first line preventative maintenance, for example stripping and cleaning knitting machines
  • Apply continuous improvement techniques
  • Communicate with colleagues for example verbal and written work instructions
  • Produce a knitted product costing
  • Follow safe working practices, for example follows manual handling, lifting and safe ergonomic practice

  Behaviours

  • Team player, for example participates with others to accomplish organisational and team goals
  • Prioritises health, safety and welfare of self and others over other demands
  • Adaptable for example responds positively to changes in priorities and work deadlines
  • Takes ownership for work, for example accepts responsibilities, demonstrates initiative, motivated, and self-managing
  • Strives for continuous improvements in relation to product quality, production processes, and production systems
  • Committed to continued professional development for example reflects on performance, seeks opportunities to develop and advance in response to the evolving production environment and technologies
• Apprenticeship category (sector): Engineering and manufacturing
• Qualification level: 3; Equal to A level
• Course duration: 24 months
• Maximum funding: £11,000 ; Maximum government funding for ; apprenticeship training and assessment costs.
• Job titles include:
  • Technical knitter
  • Shima Knitter
  • Knitting machine operator
  • Knit technician
  • Seam free knitter
  • 3D knitting technician
  • Knitting technolhist

View more information about Knitted product manufacturing technician (level 3) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.