Metal and Plastic Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders 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, or heat-treat metal or plastic objects.
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- Metal and Plastic Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Manufacturing
What do they typically do
- Remove parts from furnaces after specified times, and air dry or cool parts in water, oil brine, or other baths
- Read production schedules and work orders to decide processing order, furnace temperatures, and heat cycle requirements for objects to be heat-treated
- 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
- Start conveyors and open furnace doors to load stock, or signal crane operators to uncover soaking pits and lower ingots into them
- Teach new workers how to operate machines
- Adjust controls to maintain temperatures and heating times using thermal instruments and charts, furnace dials and gauges, and color of stock in furnaces
- Move controls to light gas burners and to adjust gas and water flow and flame temperature
- Record times that parts are removed from furnaces to show that objects have reached specified temperatures for specified times
Number of Jobs
Average Annual
Job Growth -0.5%
Job Openings 30
Education & Training
- Education These occupations usually require a high school diploma.Associated Programs or MajorsLicense
Private Training Programs
270
258
Change -12