National Application Center :: career details :: Heat-Treating, Annealing, and Tempering Machine Operators and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Career Details :: Heat-Treating, Annealing, and Tempering Machine Operators and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Description
Operate or tend machines, such as furnaces, baths, flame-hardening machines, and electronic induction machines, to harden, anneal, and heat-treat metal products or metal parts.
Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a drywall installer might benefit from experience installing drywall, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be an installer with little difficulty.
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.
Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.
Tasks
- 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.
- Sets up and operates die-quenching machine to prevent parts from warping.
- Loads parts into containers, closes furnace door, and inserts parts into furnace when specified temperature is reached.
- Removes parts from furnace after specified time and air dries or cools parts in water or oil brine or other baths.
- Reduces heat and allows parts to cool in furnace.
- Positions part in fixture, presses buttons to light burners, and tends flame hardening machine, according to procedures, to case-harden metal part.
- Signals forklift operator to deposit or extract containers of parts into and from furnaces and quenching rinse tanks.
- Sets automatic controls, observes gauges, and operates gas or electric furnace used to harden, temper, or anneal metal parts.
- Cleans oxides and scale from parts or fittings, using steam spray or immersing parts in chemical and water baths.
- Activates and tends electric furnace that anneals base sections of hardened parts for subsequent machining.
- Reads production schedule to determine processing sequence and furnace temperature requirements for objects to be heat-treated.
- Adjusts speed and operates continuous furnace through which parts are passed by means of reels and conveyors.
- Covers parts with charcoal before inserting in furnace to prevent discoloration caused by rapid heating.
Related Careers
- Bindery Machine Operators and Tenders
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters and Set-Up Operators
- Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
- Combination Machine Tool Operators and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Fiber Product Cutting Machine Setters and Set-Up Operators
- Metal-Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters and Set-Up Operators
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
- Plastic Molding and Casting Machine Operators and Tenders
- Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
- Welding Machine Operators and Tenders
Important Abilities
General Work Activities
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Monitor Processes, Material, Surroundings
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Getting Information Needed to Do the Job
Important Skills
Frequent Work Context
- Degree of Automation
- Consequence of Error
- Indoors
- Hazardous Equipment
- Using Hands on Objects, Tools, Controls
