Profession boilermaker

Boilermakers operate a variety of equipment and machinery to create, repipe and retube hot water and steam boilers, producing them in all steps of the production process. They cut, gouge and shape the metal sheets and tubes for the boilers to size, using oxy-acetylene gas torches, assemble them by shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding or gas tungsten arc welding, and finish them by the approprate machine tools, power tools and coating.

Personality Type

• Realistic / Conventional

Knowledge

• Manufacturing of heating equipment

  The manufacture of electrical ovens and water heaters by metalworking processes.

• Quality standards

  The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.

• Types of metal

  Qualities, specifications, applications and reactions to different fabricating processes of various types of metal, such as steel, aluminium, brass, copper and others.

• Metal smoothing technologies

  The various technologies used for the smoothening, polishing and buffing of fabricated metal workpieces.

• Flammable fluids

  The behaviour of liquids and gases that represent a serious explosion and fire danger, and their appropriate handling systems and effective storage.

• Fuel gas

  The various qualities, hazards and applications of gaseous fuels, such as oxy-acetylene, oxy-gasoline, oxy-hydrogen and others.

Skills

• Select filler metal

  Select optimal metal used for metal joining purposes, such as zinc, lead or copper metals, specifically for welding, soldering or brazing practices.

• Handle gas cylinders

  Grip gas cylinders in a safe manner and ensure they are compliant with safety and health regulations.

• Wear appropriate protective gear

  Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.

• Apply precision metalworking techniques

  Comply with precision standards specific to an organisation or product in metalworking, involved in processes such as engraving, precise cutting, welding.

• Read standard blueprints

  Read and comprehend standard blueprints, machine, and process drawings.

• Apply arc welding techniques

  Apply and work with a variety of techniques in the process of arc welding, such as shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, submerged arc welding and flux-cored arc welding.

• Troubleshoot

  Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.

• Smooth burred surfaces

  Inspect and smooth burred surfaces of steel and metal parts.

• Perform test run

  Perform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, and adjust settings accordingly.

• Operate welding equipment

  Use welding equipment to melt and join together pieces of metal or steel; wear protective eyewear during the working process.

• Operate precision measuring equipment

  Measure the size of a processed part when checking and marking it to check if it is up to standard by use of two and three dimensional precision measuring equipment such as a caliper, a micrometer, and a measuring gauge.

• Ensure equipment availability

  Ensure that the necessary equipment is provided, ready and available for use before start of procedures.

• Record production data for quality control

  Keep records of the machine's faults, interventions and irregularities for quality control.

• Operate soldering equipment

  Use soldering equipment, such as a soldering gun, a soldering torch or a gas-powered iron, to melt and join together pieces of metal or steel.

• Ensure correct metal temperature

  Ensure the necessary, usually constant, temperature of processed metal workpieces during metal fabrication processes.

• Operate oxy-fuel cutting torch

  Operate a cutting torch fueled by oxyacetylene gas safely to perform cutting processes on a workpiece.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB