DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
51-4191 Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Occupational Description:
Set up, operate, or tend heating equipment, such as heat-treating furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment to temper, harden, anneal, or heat-treat metal or plastic objects.| Percentiles | |||||||||
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| Geography | Employment | Emp SE* | Mean | Mean SE* | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
| Minnesota | 160 | 38 | $17.89/hr | $0.54/hr | $13.19/hr | $14.96/hr | $17.41/hr | $20.78/hr | $23.54/hr |
| U S | 20,770 | 665 | $17.25/hr | $0.22/hr | $10.79/hr | $13.21/hr | $16.50/hr | $20.69/hr | $25.55/hr |
| *SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate. | |||||||||
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Tasks for Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Mounts fixtures and industrial coil on machine and workpieces in fixture, using hand tools.
- Replaces worn dial-feed, burner and conveyor parts, using hand tools.
- Crushes random samples between fingers to determine hardness.
- Instruct new workers in machine operation.
- Sets frequency of current and automatic timer.
- Estimates flame temperature and heating cycle based on degree of hardness required and metal to be treated.
- Reads work order to determine processing specifications.
- Visually examines or tests objects, using hardness testing equipment, to determine flame temperature and degree of hardness.
- Starts conveyors and dial feeder plates, and turns setscrews in nozzles to direct flames which anneal specific area of object.
- Lights gas burners and adjusts flow of gas and coolant water.
- Sets automatic controls, observes gauges, and operates gas or electric furnace used to harden temper, or anneal metal parts.
- Covers parts with charcoal before inserting in furnace to prevent discoloration caused by rapid heating.
- Cleans oxides and scale from parts or fittings, using steam spray or immersing parts in chemical and water baths.
- Signals forklift operator to deposit or extract containers of parts into and from furnaces and quenching rinse tanks.
- Tests parts' for hardness, using hardness testing equipment, and stamps heat treatment identification mark on part, using hammer and punch.
- Examines parts to ensure metal shade and color conform to specifications, utilizing knowledge of metal heat-treating.
- Removes parts from furnace after specified time and air dries or cools parts in water or oil brine or other baths.
- Adjusts speed and operates continuous furnace through which parts are passed by means of reels and conveyors.
- Sets up and operates die-quenching machine to prevent parts from warping.
- Reads production schedule to determine processing sequence and furnace temperature requirements for objects to be heat treated.
- Loads parts into containers, closes furnace door, and inserts parts into furnace when specified temperature is reached.
- Reduces heat and allows parts to cool in furnace.
- Activates and tends electric furnace that anneals base sections of hardened parts for subsequent machining.
- Positions part in fixture, presses buttons to light burners and tends flame hardening machine, according to procedures, to case-harden metal part.
- Ignites furnace with torch, and turns valve to regulate flow of fuel and air to burners.
- Positions plastic sheet and mold in plastic bag, heats material under lamps, and forces confrontation of sheet to mold by vacuum pressure.
- Removes material from furnace, using crane, or signal crane operator to transfer to next station.
- Positions stock in furnace, using tongs, chain hoist, or pry bar.
- Assists workers in repairing, replacing, cleaning, lubricating, or adjusting furnace equipment, using hand tools.
- Records time and production data.
- Signals coworker to charge steel into furnace.
- Impregnates fabric with plastic resins and cuts fabric into strips.
- Pushes cart to curing oven or places part in autoclave.
- Removes part and cuts away plastic bag.
- Positions part in plastic bag and seals bag with iron.
- Removes stock from furnace, using cold rod, tongs or chain hoist, and places stock on conveyor for transport to work area.
- Places part on cart, connects vacuum line to tube, and smoothes bag around part to ensure vacuum.
- Adjusts controls to maintain temperature and heating time, using thermal instruments and charts, dials and gauges of furnace, and color of stock.
- Sets oven controls or turns air-pressure valve or autoclave.
- Inserts vacuum tube into bag and seals bag around tube with tape.
- Adjusts controls to synchronize speed of feed and take-off conveyors of furnace.
- Starts conveyors and opens furnace doors to load stock, or signals crane operator to uncover soaking pits and lower ingots into them.