What Do Etchers And Engravers Do

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Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Etchers And Engravers

Etchers And Engravers engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. Includes such workers as etcher-circuit processors, pantograph engravers, and silk screen etchers.

Salary
$35230
Becoming One
Easy
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Low
Job Growth

Personality


What they do

Etchers And Engravers engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. Includes such workers as etcher-circuit processors, pantograph engravers, and silk screen etchers.

  • Inspect etched work for depth of etching, uniformity, and defects, using calibrated microscopes, gauges, fingers, or magnifying lenses.
  • Prepare workpieces for etching or engraving by cutting, sanding, cleaning, polishing, or treating them with wax, acid resist, lime, etching powder, or light-sensitive enamel.
  • Engrave and print patterns, designs, etchings, trademarks, or lettering onto flat or curved surfaces of a wide variety of metal, glass, plastic, or paper items, using hand tools or hand-held power tools.
  • Prepare etching chemicals according to formulas, diluting acid with water to obtain solutions of specified concentration.

Typical day

On a daily basis, Etchers and Engravers determine machine settings and move bars or levers to reproduce designs on rollers or plates. They expose workpieces to acid to develop etch patterns such as designs, lettering, or figures.

A typical day for an Etcher and Engraver will also include:

  • Adjust depths and sizes of cuts by adjusting heights of worktables, or by adjusting machine-arm gauges.
  • Use computer software to design patterns for engraving.
  • Set reduction scales to attain specified sizes of reproduction on workpieces, and set pantograph controls for required heights, depths, and widths of cuts.
  • Remove completed workpieces and place them in trays.
  • Observe actions of cutting tools through microscopes and adjust stylus movement to ensure accurate reproduction.

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Etchers and Engravers also carve designs and letters onto metal for transfer to other surfaces. They may also observe the actions of cutting tools through microscopes and adjust stylus movement to ensure accurate reproduction.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Etchers and Engravers start machines and lower cutting tools to beginning points on patterns. They might also insert cutting tools or bits into machines and secure them with wrenches.

In addition, they fill etched characters with opaque paste to improve readability.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them prepare etching chemicals according to formulas, diluting acid with water to obtain solutions of specified concentration.

To some Etchers and Engravers, it is also their responsibility to sandblast exposed areas of glass to cut designs in surfaces, using spray guns.

What is the job like

Job satisfaction

Low

Is this job meaningful

Low

61% said they were satisfied with their job and 46% said they found their job meaningful.


Pros

Suitable for people who like practical and hands-on work.

Suitable for people who want to work in a supportive work environment.

It is easy to get into this career. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required to get started.

Normal working hours (40 hours per week).

Cons

Not suitable for people who likes to solve problems mentally.

One of the lowest paying jobs.

Demand for this career is declining.

How much do they make

Average salary

$35230 per year

Average hourly wage

$17 per hour

Entry-level Etchers And Engravers with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $21,620 to $25,630 per year or $10 to $12 per hour.

Salary by experience Annual Hourly
Highest (Top 10%) $55,140 $27
Senior (Top 25%) $42,090 $20
Median $31,790 $15
Junior (Bottom 25%) $25,630 $12
No experience (Bottom 10%) $21,620 $10

This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Etchers And Engravers based on their average annual salary.

Salary by industry Annual Hourly
Machinery Manufacturing $53310 $25.63
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing $45560 $21.91
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods $41570 $19.99
Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities $40640 $19.54
Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers $39160 $18.83
Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing $38590 $18.55
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing $37670 $18.11
Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing $37320 $17.94
Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing $37090 $17.83
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing $36670 $17.63

View more salary by industries here.

Where can they work

Where can Etchers And Engravers work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Etchers And Engravers including the average salary in that industry.

Employers Total Employed Annual Salary Hourly Wages
Other Miscellaneous Store Retailers 2110 $34380 $16.53
Printing and Related Support Activities 1160 $27140 $13.05
Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing 1140 $38590 $18.55
Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities 960 $40640 $19.54
Miscellaneous Store Retailers 660 $30240 $14.54
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods 430 $41570 $19.99
Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses 400 $31240 $15.02
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 320 $34350 $16.51
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing 310 $36670 $17.63
Employment Services 180 $35750 $17.19

What is the work day like

Working hours

Less than 40 hours
25%

40 hours
41%

More than 40 hours
33%

Working schedule

50%

50%

0%

Email

How often do you use email in this job?

Once a week
12%

Every day
47%

Telephone

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Once a week
43%

Every day
35%

Group discussions

How often do you have group discussions in this job?

Once a week
3%

Every day
96%

Public speaking

How often does this job require you to do public speaking?

Never
80%

Once a year
20%

Once a month
0%

Once a week
0%

Every day
0%

Level of competition

How much competitive pressure is in this job?

Not competitive at all
19%

Slightly competitive
25%

Moderately competitive
40%

Highly competitive
8%

Extremely competitive
8%

What is the work environment like

Office-style environment

Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition

Never
14%

Once a year or more
0%

Once a month or more
1%

Once a week or more
2%

Every day
83%

Warehouse-style environment

Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse

Never
55%

Once a year or more
17%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
16%

Every day
11%

Outdoors

Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions

Never
67%

Once a year or more
33%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
0%

Every day
0%

Outdoors – Under Cover

Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)

Never
92%

Once a year or more
8%

Once a month or more
0%

Once a week or more
0%

Every day
0%

How to become one

Difficulty to become one

Easy
You may need some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience. Most careers in this difficulty category usually don’t require a degree. However, you will need a few months of on-the-job training with experienced employees. Similar careers include Customer Service Representatives, Security Guards, and Bank Tellers.

Required level of education

What level of education do you need to perform the job?

Less than a High School Diploma
33%

High School Diploma or equivalent
54%

Post-Secondary Certificate
1%

Some College Courses
0%

Associate’s Degree or similar
13%

Bachelor’s Degree
0%

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
0%

Master’s Degree
0%

Post-Master’s Certificate
0%

First Professional Degree
0%

Doctoral Degree
0%

Post-Doctoral Training
0%

Relevant majors

Relevant work experience

How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?

None
27%

1 month
1%

1 to 3 months
1%

3 to 6 months
13%

6 months to 1 year
1%

1 to 2 years
27%

2 to 4 years
19%

4 to 6 years
13%

6 to 8 years
0%

8 to 10 years
0%

Over 10 years
0%

On The Job Training

How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?

None or short demonstration
0%

1 month
5%

1 to 3 months
34%

3 to 6 months
14%

6 months to 1 year
14%

1 to 2 years
23%

2 to 4 years
4%

4 to 10 years
7%

Over 10 years
0%

Should you become one

Best personality type for this career

The Builder

People with this personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

The Builder
100%

People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.


The Thinker
14%

People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.


The Artist
38%

People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.


The Helper
24%

People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.


The Leader
33%

People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.


The Organizer
48%

People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.


You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tend to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.

Work Values

Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?

Achievement
38%

You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.

Working Conditions
40%

You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.

Recognition
38%

You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.

Relationships
57%

You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Support
62%

You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.

Independence
57%

You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.

FAQ


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