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Engineering Tradesperson Fabrication
Fabrication engineering tradespersons cut, shape, join and
finish metal to make, maintain or repair metal products and
structures.
They may produce moulds or patterns for metal castings,
apply coatings and work with a variety of materials.
A fabrication engineering tradesperson may perform the
following tasks:
- examine detailed drawings or specifications to find out
job, material and equipment requirements
- cut, roll, shape, bend, mould, spin, heat or hammer
metal products to fabricate parts or sub-assemblies
- heat treat metal parts and components
- set up and/or operate hand and machine tools, welding
equipment or computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines
- assemble parts and structures by lining up and joining
them by welding, bolting or riveting
- finish products by cleaning, polishing, filing or
bathing them in acid solutions, or by applying protective or
decorative coatings.
Recent changes in the industry are leading to a number of
trade jobs being merged into a single broad occupation. The
new training structure allows the New Apprentice to develop a
mix of skills from the traditional trades or occupations.
Fabrication engineering tradespersons may specialise as a:
Blacksmith who shapes bars, rods and blocks of metal
using hand or power tools to produce or repair metal articles.
They may adjust metal and heat to the correct temperature in a
forge or electric furnace; hammer, punch or cut metal to size
and shape on an anvil or other surface; check part sizes using
measuring instruments; and use a variety of welding methods
including electric arc, MIG and TIG welding or oxy-acetylene
welding to join parts. The finished article is then hardened
by heating and cooling in an oil or water bath, or by cooling
gradually in air.
Blacksmiths may use anvils or machines and may make and
repair agricultural equipment, mining and quarrying machinery,
or ornamental steelwork such as gates and fences.
Blacksmiths can specialise in forge-smithing,
hammer-smithing and tool-smithing.
Boilermaker (Heavy Fabrication) who cuts, shapes,
assembles and joins heavy gauge metal parts to produce or
repair containers that have to withstand pressure, such as
ships, boilers and storage tanks. They cut marked metal
sections using hand tools, flame cutting torches, or
metalworking machines such as guillotines and shearing
machines, and shape and bend sections and pipes by forging or
using hand and machine tools such as vices, hydraulic presses
and rolling machines. Parts and structures are assembled by
welding, bolting or riveting, or in some cases using large
equipment such as cranes.
Boilermakers trained in structural fabrication may be
involved in fitting, assembling and joining aluminium and
steel in the construction or repair of towers, bridges,
structural supports, girders and ships.
Electroplater who coats metal parts and articles
with a layer of decorative or protective metal such as copper,
silver, nickel or chromium. They work for electroplating
firms, car makers, anodisers, metal polishers and printed
circuit board manufacturers.
Electroplaters also prepare and maintain plating solutions
by cleaning, preparing and de-scaling surfaces of parts or
articles with cleaning solutions such as acids or alkalis, or
by using blasting cabinets. They mask areas not to be plated
with waxes, lacquers or resistant adhesive tapes and place
parts, either separately or in batches, in fixtures, jigs or
racks, and dip them in plating solutions or use selective
brush plating. They set and adjust controls to pass the
required electric current between anodes and cathodes,
depending on the thickness of plating required.
Electroplaters may specialise in one of the electroplating
operations, for example anodising, barrel plating, metal
preparation or powder coating.
Engineering Patternmaker who constructs full-size
engineering models (called patterns) out of timber. These are
used in manufacturing to produce metal castings, copy models,
vacuum form tooling and tooling for the automotive, aircraft
and fibreglass industries. Patternmakers also produce visual
models, experimental models and models for the manufacture of
prototype developmental products.
Although they mainly work in wood, patternmakers also
manufacture patterns from a range of metals, cast and
fibreglass reinforced epoxy resins, and rigid foams. They mark
out and cut sections to profiles with planers, bandsaws, disc
or bobbin sanders, lathes and routers, and fit and glue
sections together in a range of lamination procedures. They
may also produce patterns by programming a computerised
machine.
Metal casting patternmakers usually work closely with other
tradespeople and apprentices.
First Class Welder who constructs or repairs metal
products by joining parts either manually (using a variety of
welding methods including electric arc, MIG and TIG welding or
oxy-acetylene welding) or by machine. These parts are used to
complete structures and equipment (e.g. ships, bridges,
pipelines, vehicles and domestic appliances).
First class welders may specialise as special class
welders, welding a range of metals (e.g. mild steel, stainless
steel, cast iron, aluminium, copper, brass, diecast metal and
magnesium).
After further assessment, first class welders may
specialise as pressure welders, assembling, welding and
repairing pressure vessels such as storage tanks, pipelines
and gas cylinders to special test standards.
Moulder/Coremaker who makes sand moulds from which
many kinds of metal objects are cast. They may make moulds for
goods ranging from truck wheels, crankshafts and bulldozer
blades, to door handles and water taps. They may make moulds
for the structural frames of equipment used in mining,
quarrying and forestry.
The moulding process is commonly automated or
semi-automated. Where it is not, the process is known as job
moulding. Moulders/coremakers may talk to patternmakers and
metallurgists with regard to casting designs and may
specialise as coremakers or metal moulders.
Moulders/coremakers may proceed to a number of positions
including supervisor, foreperson, foundry engineer and foundry
technician metallurgist.
Sheetmetal Worker (Light Fabrication) who
manufactures a variety of products and components using thin
sheetmetal materials. A sheetmetal worker uses hand tools,
power tools and other machines to mark out, cut, shape and
join a variety of sheetmetal materials, which can include
galvanised steel, mild steel, stainless steel, aluminium,
copper and brass.
Sheetmetal workers shape and form the cut material into
products by operating sheetmetal shaping and forming machines
such as brake presses, folding, bending and rolling machines.
Parts are joined by riveting, bolting, welding, brazing or
soldering, or by drilling holes in products and in surfaces on
which items are to be mounted.
Some sheetmetal workers may produce aircraft sheetmetal
parts requiring advanced drawing and calculating skills in
fine tolerance work, or may set up and program computer
numerically controlled (CNC) machines.
Fabrication engineering tradespersons work in workshops or
production areas that can be noisy, hot and dusty. They
usually spend most of their day standing and often need to
bend, crouch or climb. Some may be required to work in
confined spaces or at heights, and many work shifts. They may
work in a team or alone. Workshops are generally spacious,
ventilated and well lit.
Fabrication engineering tradespersons must be aware of
safety regulations and must wear supplied protective equipment
to minimise heat and noise levels, and guard against corrosive
chemicals.
Required Skills - Engineering Tradesperson Fabrication
- enjoy technical activities
- interested in computer programmable machinery
- physically fit
- strength to handle materials, tools and machines
- good hand-eye coordination
- able to work in a team
- able to work independently
- patience
- accuracy
- no skin or breathing allergies
- safety conscious
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