What Do Heat Treating Equipment Operators Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Heat Treating Equipment Operators 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. They also read production schedules and work orders to determine processing sequences, furnace temperatures, and heat cycle requirements for objects to be heat-treated.

Other tasks include:

• 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.
• Record times that parts are removed from furnaces to document that objects have attained specified temperatures for specified times.
• 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.
• Set up and operate die-quenching machines to prevent parts from warping.
• Examine parts to ensure metal shades and colors conform to specifications, using knowledge of metal heat-treating.
• 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.

We asked Heat Treating Equipment Operators how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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59% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 38% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Heat Treating Equipment Operators 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. They load parts into containers and place containers on conveyors to be inserted into furnaces, or insert parts into furnaces.

A typical day for a Heat Treating Equipment Setter, Operator and Tender, Metal and Plastic will also include:

• Set and adjust speeds of reels and conveyors for prescribed time cycles to pass parts through continuous furnaces.
• Read production schedules and work orders to determine processing sequences, furnace temperatures, and heat cycle requirements for objects to be heat-treated.
• Clean oxides and scales from parts or fittings, using steam sprays or chemical and water baths.
• 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.
• 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.

We asked some Heat Treating Equipment Operators a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	16% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	43% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	44% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	48% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Heat Treating Equipment Operators also position parts in plastic bags, and seal bags with irons. They may also repair, replace, and maintain furnace equipment as needed, using hand tools.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Heat Treating Equipment Operators Mount workpieces in fixtures, on arbors, or between centers of machines. They might also Set up and operate die-quenching machines to prevent parts from warping.

In addition, they Mount fixtures and industrial coils on machines, using hand tools.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Place completed workpieces on conveyors, using cold rods, tongs, or chain hoists, or signal crane operators to transport them to subsequent stations.

To some Heat Treating Equipment Operators, it is also their responsibility to Stamp heat-treatment identification marks on parts, using hammers and punches.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Heat Treating Equipment Setter, Operator and Tender, Metal and Plastic, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends 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.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/production/metal-and-plastic-machine-workers.htm

http://www.fmanet.org/

http://www.amtonline.org/

http://www.ntma.org/