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

Also called: Furnace Operator, Heat Treat Operator, Heat Treat Technician

Career Cluster: Manufacturing
What they do:
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.
On the job, you would:
  • 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.
KNOWLEDGE

Math and Science
  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Manufactured or Agricultural Goods
  • manufacture and distribution of products
SKILLS

Basic Skills
  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
ABILITIES

Hand and Finger Use
  • keep your arm or hand steady
  • hold or move items with your hands
Controlled Movement
  • use your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down
  • quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat
Endurance
  • exercise for a long time without getting out of breath
Verbal
  • communicate by speaking
PERSONALITY

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.

They do well at jobs that need:
  • Dependability
  • Integrity
  • Independence
  • Attention to Detail
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
TECHNOLOGY

You might use software like this on the job:

Electronic mail software
  • Microsoft Outlook
Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • SAP software
EDUCATION


high school diploma/GED or no high school diploma/GED
usually needed SEARCH ALL PROGRAMS & MAJORS SEARCH COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
JOB OUTLOOK

New job opportunities are less likely in the future.

Salary:
High: $64,290.00
Median: $47,450.00
Low: $35,260.00
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