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Date: 04/29/2025

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.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Clean and polish engraved areas.
    • Inspect etched work for depth of etching, uniformity, and defects, using calibrated microscopes, gauges, fingers, or magnifying lenses.
    • Transfer image to workpiece, using contact printer, pantograph stylus, silkscreen printing device, or stamp pad.
    • Clean and polish engraved areas.
    • Expose workpieces to acid to develop etch patterns such as designs, lettering, or figures.
    • 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.
    • Remove wax or tape from etched glassware by using a stylus or knife, or by immersing ware in hot water.
    • Remove wax or tape from etched glassware by using a stylus or knife, or by immersing ware in hot water.
    • Sketch, trace, or scribe layout lines and designs on workpieces, plates, dies, or rollers, using compasses, scribers, gravers, or pencils.
    • Print proofs or examine designs to verify accuracy of engraving, and rework engraving as required.
    • Measure and compute dimensions of lettering, designs, or patterns to be engraved.
    • Set reduction scales to attain specified sizes of reproduction on workpieces, and set pantograph controls for required heights, depths, and widths of cuts.
    • Examine sketches, diagrams, samples, blueprints, or photographs to decide how designs are to be etched, cut, or engraved onto workpieces.
    • Insert cutting tools or bits into machines and secure them with wrenches.
    • Brush or wipe acid over engraving to darken or highlight inscriptions.
    • Guide stylus over template, causing cutting tool to duplicate design or letters on workpiece.
    • Measure and compute dimensions of lettering, designs, or patterns to be engraved.
    • Position and clamp workpieces, plates, or rollers in holding fixtures.
    • 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.
    • Prepare etching chemicals according to formulas, diluting acid with water to obtain solutions of specified concentration.
    • Remove completed workpieces and place them in trays.
    • Start machines and lower cutting tools to beginning points on patterns.
    • 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.
    • Examine engraving for quality of cut, burrs, rough spots, and irregular or incomplete engraving.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • Sandblast exposed areas of glass to cut designs in surfaces, using spray guns.
    • Fill etched characters with opaque paste to improve readability.
    • Start machines and lower cutting tools to beginning points on patterns.
    • Determine machine settings, and move bars or levers to reproduce designs on rollers or plates.
    • Neutralize workpieces to remove acid, wax, or enamel, using water, solvents, brushes, or specialized machines.

    Skills

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    4
    Workplace Documents
    4
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    Knowledge

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    Career Video

    Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 34850/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 16.75/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 230
    • Yearly Projected Openings 40

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Independence
    • Dependability
    • Achievement/Effort
    • Persistence
    • Cooperation

    Tools

    • Adjustable wrenches
    • Applicator brushes
    • Arbors
    • Bench grinder
    • Bench vises
    • Binocular light compound microscopes
    • Burnisher
    • Coating machines
    • Cold chisels
    • Compasses
    • Cross and straight pein hammer
    • Drill press or radial drill
    • Engravers
    • Grinding or polishing machines
    • Horizontal turning center
    • Ink or stamp pads
    • Magnifiers
    • Magnifying lamp
    • Metal engraving machine
    • Paint systems ovens
    • Personal computers
    • Power routers
    • Precision file
    • Printed circuit board making system
    • Rulers
    • Safety glasses
    • Scribers
    • Semiconductor process systems
    • Shears
    • Shot blasting machine
    • Silk screen printing machines
    • Ultraviolet UV lamps
    • Utility knives
    • Work benches

    Technology

    • Computer aided design CAD and computer aided manufacturing CAM system
    • Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
    • Graphics or photo imaging software
    • Operating system software

    Tags

    • Apprenticeships are available for this occupation. These programs can help you get hands-on experience and build your skills.
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