Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.
Work Activities
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Weld components in flat, vertical, or overhead positions.
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Operate safety equipment and use safe work habits.
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Examine workpieces for defects and measure workpieces with straightedges or templates to ensure conformance with specifications.
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Recognize, set up, and operate hand and power tools common to the welding trade, such as shielded metal arc and gas metal arc welding equipment.
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Weld separately or in combination, using aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, and other alloys.
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Select and install torches, torch tips, filler rods, and flux, according to welding chart specifications or types and thicknesses of metals.
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Ignite torches or start power supplies and strike arcs by touching electrodes to metals being welded, completing electrical circuits.
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Connect and turn regulator valves to activate and adjust gas flow and pressure so that desired flames are obtained.
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Determine required equipment and welding methods, applying knowledge of metallurgy, geometry, and welding techniques.
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Monitor the fitting, burning, and welding processes to avoid overheating of parts or warping, shrinking, distortion, or expansion of material.
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Mark or tag material with proper job number, piece marks, and other identifying marks as required.
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Chip or grind off excess weld, slag, or spatter, using hand scrapers or power chippers, portable grinders, or arc-cutting equipment.
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Prepare all material surfaces to be welded, ensuring that there is no loose or thick scale, slag, rust, moisture, grease, or other foreign matter.
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Preheat workpieces prior to welding or bending, using torches or heating furnaces.
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Develop templates and models for welding projects, using mathematical calculations based on blueprint information.
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Align and clamp workpieces together, using rules, squares, or hand tools, or position items in fixtures, jigs, or vises.
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Position and secure workpieces, using hoists, cranes, wire, and banding machines or hand tools.
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Guide and direct flames or electrodes on or across workpieces to straighten, bend, melt, or build up metal.
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Detect faulty operation of equipment or defective materials and notify supervisors.
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Melt and apply solder to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products, using soldering equipment.
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Clean or degrease parts, using wire brushes, portable grinders, or chemical baths.
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Melt and apply solder along adjoining edges of workpieces to solder joints, using soldering irons, gas torches, or electric-ultrasonic equipment.
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Use fire suppression methods in industrial emergencies.
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Grind, cut, buff, or bend edges of workpieces to be joined to ensure snug fit, using power grinders and hand tools.
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Repair products by dismantling, straightening, reshaping, and reassembling parts, using cutting torches, straightening presses, and hand tools.
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Check grooves, angles, or gap allowances, using micrometers, calipers, and precision measuring instruments.
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Operate metal shaping, straightening, and bending machines, such as brakes and shears.
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Set up and use ladders and scaffolding as necessary to complete work.
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Hammer out bulges or bends in metal workpieces.
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Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
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Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
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Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
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Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
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Arm-Hand Steadiness
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
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Control Precision
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
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Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
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Design
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
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Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
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Currently Employed
19,680
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Yearly Projected Openings
2,200
- Education
High school diploma or equivalent
- Work Experience
No work experience
- Training
1 to 12 months on-the-job training
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Looking for technical training programs?
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Realistic:
People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
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Attention to Detail
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Dependability
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Integrity
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Cooperation
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Independence
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Initiative
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Welding masks
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Power saws
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Gas welding or brazing or cutting apparatus
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Drill press or radial drill
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Blow torch
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Electronic mail software
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Data base user interface and query software
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Computer aided design CAD software
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Calendar and scheduling software
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Analytical or scientific software
