Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

What the job really is

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.

At a glance

• Sector: Production
• O*NET-SOC code: 51-4191
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Read production schedules and work orders to determine processing sequences, furnace temperatures, and heat cycle requirements for objects to be heat-treated.
• Record times that parts are removed from furnaces to document that objects have attained specified temperatures for specified times.
• Adjust controls to maintain temperatures and heating times, using thermal instruments and charts, dials and gauges of furnaces, and color of stock in furnaces to make setting determinations.
• Start conveyors and open furnace doors to load stock, or signal crane operators to uncover soaking pits and lower ingots into them.
• Set up and operate or tend machines, such as furnaces, baths, flame-hardening machines, and electronic induction machines, that harden, anneal, and heat-treat metal.
• Remove parts from furnaces after specified times, and air dry or cool parts in water, oil brine, or other baths.
• Move controls to light gas burners and to adjust gas and water flow and flame temperature.
• Instruct new workers in machine operation.
• Determine flame temperatures, current frequencies, heating cycles, and induction heating coils needed, based on degree of hardness required and properties of stock to be treated.
• Determine types and temperatures of baths and quenching media needed to attain specified part hardness, toughness, and ductility, using heat-treating charts and knowledge of methods, equipment, and metals.
• Examine parts to ensure metal shades and colors conform to specifications, using knowledge of metal heat-treating.
• Set and adjust speeds of reels and conveyors for prescribed time cycles to pass parts through continuous furnaces.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, SAP software, Annealing furnaces, Atmosphere furnaces, Automated salt bath furnaces, Batch type hardening furnaces, Bridge cranes, Carbonitriding equipment, Chain hoists

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
• Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
• Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
• Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.