Mid Green occupationEngineering and manufacturing
Surface finisher - Aviation Surface Finisher
Surface finishing is a broad range of industrial processes that alter the surface of a manufactured item to achieve a certain property.
Summary
This occupation is found in the engineering and manufacturing sector within the marine, aviation and automotive industries. Surface finishers may work for boat manufacturers, refit and repair boatyards, marinas, specialist marine companies, aerospace manufacturing, repair and restoration companies and automotive manufacturers including ‘supercar’ manufacturers and motorsport companies. These can be small, medium or large businesses. Surface finishers can undertake work on a variety of products including for example motorised cruisers, narrowboats, sailing boats, work boats, superyachts, high end vehicles, supercars, private jets and commercial aircraft. This is a core and options apprenticeship standard. Apprentices will be trained and assessed against the core and one option. There are three options: 1. Marine surface finisher 2. Aviation surface finisher 3. Automotive surface finisher
The broad purpose of the occupation is for surface finishers to prepare the wooden (hard and soft woods), metal (ferrous and non-ferrous) or composite (FRP, FRC) hulls, superstructures, chassis and components of boats, vehicles and aircrafts of varying complexity and size. They plan their work, set up equipment and apply coatings to the prepared surface using specialist techniques and products for example, spray, hand paint, varnish and French polish. They identify paint defects, take corrective action, carry out performance testing and quality assurance activities including the use of inspection equipment. They carry out maintenance activities on facilities and equipment and complete a wide range of documentation. The main differences between the three options are those relating to dimensional scale, volume of throughput, operational environment, materials (automotive uses water-based paints, marine uses a lot of varnishes and aerospace uses more complex substrates subject to regulatory oversight), technology, equipment and application technique.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with the immediate team such as production staff, quality assurance staff and specialist trades such as engineers, boat builders, riggers, carpenters, welders and electricians. They also liaise with other departments regularly, such as sales, health and safety, human resources, audit and training. Surface finishers may also have contact with external technical paint representatives, contractors, customers and suppliers. Surface finishers work in paint preparation workshops, finishing spray booths, tented areas, product interiors and other outside environments. These areas house a range of specialist tools and equipment, which could include a maintenance area, mixing area and adjoining workshops.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for ensuring the highest standards are met when preparing a product or coating to the appropriate final surface finish. They must ensure the safety of themselves and others and the environment ensuring they utilise Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), carry out occupational health surveillance and adhere to Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH). They may work on their own or part of a team. They must work within budgets, timescales and quality standards to meet customer requirements.
Typical job titles include
- Aviation paint technician | Aviation woodwork/lacquer finisher | Detail paint finisher | Detail painter interior components | Marine coatings finisher | Marine French polisher | Marine painter | Marine sprayer | Marine surface finisher | Paint team member | Paint technician | Vehicle painter | Vehicle sprayer | Yacht finisher | Yacht painter
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
K1:
Characteristics and features of the surface finishing industry and the surface finisher’s role and placement within the industry, and who surface finishers interact with in order to perform their work operations.
K2:
Communication techniques, their role and features, along with the advantages and disadvantages of each when communicating with different customers and stakeholders (internal and external). Organisational processes and procedures regarding communication channels, techniques and how communications and their outcomes are recorded and documented.
K3:
Surface finishing terminology and its meaning. Uses of information technology relevant to surface finishing work operations.
K4:
Problem-solving and testing techniques and methods used to resolve surface finishing problems relevant to their area of responsibility.
K5:
Sourcing of materials and equipment, costing, pricing and budgeting principles and identifying and addressing discrepancies and quality issues.
K6:
Organisational policies, processes and procedures for the design, planning and set up, and delivery of surface finishing activities including tools, materials, equipment and environment.
K7:
Legislation, regulations, industry guidance, practices and procedures that direct health and safety and environmental sustainability at work and the importance of complying with control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH). Personal protective equipment (PPE) and respiratory protective equipment (RPE).
K8:
The requirement for personal responsibility and regular health surveillance and the importance of properly adhering to disposal of hazardous waste principals ensuring protection of the environment.
K9:
Ways of ensuring quality of surface finishing processes and work products, including continuous business improvement techniques and how they are integrated into surface finishing work processes and procedures.
K10:
Sources of information and guidance that directs surface finishing work operations, typically including drawings and technical specifications, where this information and guidance can be found and when and where it should be used.
K11:
Mathematical techniques and calculations that underpin surface finishing work.
K12:
Range and purpose of tools, materials and equipment used when setting up and when performing surface finishing operations, their characteristics, features, their safe use, movement and operation and the consequences of using inappropriate tools and techniques for the correct surface finish.
K13:
The relationship between different substrates, materials and complex shapes.
K14:
Importance of accurately completing surface finishing documentation and the information that needs to be recorded during different stages of surface finishing work operations.
K15:
Importance of restoring the work area to a tidy and safe state on completion of surface finishing work operation and what this entails.
K16:
Checks, tests and inspections undertaken before, during and after performing different surface finishing work operations, how these are undertaken and any remedial action required.
K17:
The common types of defects (for example, sags, seeds, runs) and contamination effects found at inspection and their potential causes.
K18:
Application principles and techniques for different surface finishing materials.
K19:
Basic operational principles of surface finishing equipment and their servicing and maintenance requirements.
K20:
Importance of customer service and customer service principles and techniques.
K21:
Human factors and how they can affect an individual’s performance while carrying out maintenance and surface finishing activities.
K32:
Specific coatings and metal treatments used in aviation painting, including types of finish, measurement of coating thickness and the application techniques for matt and gloss finishes.
K33:
Processes used to prepare an aircraft for refinishing including aircraft bonding, inspection techniques and protection of vital components.
K34:
Composites and substrates used in aviation and the preparation techniques used with these materials.
K35:
Military or civil regulations as applicable to aircraft refinishing.
K36:
Critical areas on an aircraft and how these can be affected by refinishing including Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM) requirements.
K37:
Inspection techniques to inspect an aircraft post paint strip such as inspecting for corrosion. Types of corrosion, treatment of corrosion and techniques used for inspecting for delamination.
K38:
Processes used in applying and positioning both mandatory and customer selected external markings.
K39:
Process and safety requirements for working in confined spaces.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0963: Surface finisher - Aviation Surface Finisher (Level 3) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0963B
- Status:
Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £26,523 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 5211 Sheet metal workers
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 5211/01 Metal fabricators and finishers
- 8113/00 Chemical and related process operatives
S1:
Use communication and interpersonal techniques and terminology to aid interactions with colleagues, contractors, suppliers and others.
S2:
Deliver appropriate customer service principles and techniques, in accordance with organisational policy and processes.
S3:
Maintain the safety of self along with others by following safe systems of work and complying with all relevant legislation, regulations, codes of practice and other relevant information and guidance.
S4:
Consider sustainability and environmental impacts when planning and performing surface finishing work operations.
S5:
Follow approved industry and manufacturer’s guidance and techniques, operational work methods, practices, processes, principles and procedures when undertaking different surface finishing work operations, within required time frames.
S6:
Select, use, and store resources safely and correctly including tools, materials, equipment, machinery and consumables.
S7:
Carry out the correct preparation techniques when working with a substrate.
S8:
Follow quality improvement principles, techniques, and methods and identify any areas for improvement, consulting internally and externally as appropriate.
S9:
Conduct required tests and checks when performing surface finishing work operations.
S10:
Restore work area to a safe and tidy condition in accordance with organisational and legislative policy and procedures.
S11:
Complete records and documentation relevant to surface finishing work operations, in accordance with requirements such as legislative or regulatory.
S12:
Check and identify surface defects and contamination issues to company and industry standards, using appropriate and relevant documentation.
S13:
Dispose of waste materials, in accordance with safe working and environmental practices and approved procedures.
S14:
Carry out required rework using approved materials and techniques.
S15:
Perform routine maintenance and servicing on relevant equipment.
S16:
Deal with any problems that may present themselves within their own area of responsibility.
S27:
Follow the approved ground handling procedures in place to ensure the aircraft is correctly positioned in the hangar, ensuring safe working systems are in place to allow access prior to commencement of agreed works.
S28:
Comply with the manufacturer’s guidance notes on specific aircraft types using the Aircraft Maintenance Manual, structural repair manual and procedures when preparing and finishing aircraft substrates along with in-house quality documentation and procedures.
S29:
Inspect, identify and report surface defects, contamination and quality issues using appropriate and relevant documentation and in accordance with the manufacturer’s and the regulators requirements.
S30:
Complete relevant task staging documentation to the work carried out, ensure this has been signed for and any materials used recorded and provide reference for technical data used.
S31:
Inspect an aircraft, recording and rectifying listed defects using relevant documentation. Comply with technical data and measuring methods during the inspection, for example dent and buckle charts, structural repair manual and standard practices.
S32:
Interpret and understand Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and customer data to apply and position external markings, both mandatory and customer selected.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0963: Surface finisher - Aviation Surface Finisher (Level 3) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0963B
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £26,523 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 5211 Sheet metal workers
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 5211/01 Metal fabricators and finishers
- 8113/00 Chemical and related process operatives
B1:
Embrace a safety culture and situational awareness including being hazard and risk aware when working.
B2:
Embrace an environmentally sustainable working culture, taking responsibility for the appropriate use of resources and own actions.
B3:
Demonstrate commitment to quality, commercial awareness and continuous improvement.
B4:
Focus on the requirements of the customer (internal and external), seeking to provide outstanding customer service, meeting customer requirements.
B5:
Work individually and as part of a team, communicating at different levels to achieve positive work results.
B6:
Treat everyone with respect and courtesy, valuing diversity.
B7:
Motivated, meticulous, proactive and adaptable, with a focus on continuous personal development and knowledge sharing.
B8:
Manage own time to complete work operations within the confines of job responsibility.
B9:
Demonstrate due consideration of human factors in performing maintenance and surface finishing activities.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0963: Surface finisher - Aviation Surface Finisher (Level 3) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0963B
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £26,523 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 5211 Sheet metal workers
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 5211/01 Metal fabricators and finishers
- 8113/00 Chemical and related process operatives
