Profession ornamental metal worker

Ornamental metal workers use finishing equipment and machinery to shape and finish fabricated ornamental metal workpieces, often used for the installation process in construction, such as railings, staircases, open steel flooring, fences and gates, and others.

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Personality Type

  • Realistic / Conventional
  • Realistic / Investigative

Knowledge

  • Torch temperature for metal processes

    Ideal temperature of tools and machinery equiped with torches to perform various metal processing on workpieces.

  • 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.

  • Design drawings

    Understand design drawings detailing the design of products, tools, and engineering systems.

Skills

  • Remove processed workpiece

    Remove individual workpieces after processing, from the manufacturing machine or the machine tool. In case of a conveyor belt this involves quick, continuous movement.

  • Recognise signs of corrosion

    Recognise the symptoms of metal showing oxidation reactions with the environment resulting in rusting, copper pitting, stress cracking, and others, and estimate the rate of corrosion.

  • 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.

  • Use metalworking tools

    Use the appropriate metalworking tools to manipulate metal objects or surfaces. Use adequate instruments to grind, smoothen or sharpen metals.

  • Shape ornamental design

    Form and shape decorative designs from a work piece of various materials, such as metal or wood, using hand tools or semi-automatic equipment.

  • Heat metals

    Heat steel and metals in fire; adjust and regulate heat controls to reach appropriate pouring temperature.

  • Ensure correct metal temperature

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

  • 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.

  • Remove inadequate workpieces

    Evaluate which deficient processed workpieces do not meet the set-up standard and should be removed and sort the waste according to regulations.

  • Cut ornamental design

    Cut decorative designs from a work piece of various materials, such as metal or wood, using hand tools or semi-automatic equipment.

  • Mark a metal workpiece using punch

    Handle and operate a punch and hammer to mark a metal work piece, for example for the purpose of carving a serial number, or for drilling to mark the exact place where a the hole should be places in order to keep the drill steady.

  • Mark designs on metal pieces

    Mark or engrave designs on metal pieces or pieces of jewellery, closely following design specifications.

  • Shape metal over anvils

    Forge pieces of metal over an anvil using the appropriate hand tools and heating equipment.

  • Ensure equipment availability

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

Optional knowledge and skills

apply arc welding techniques types of metal manufacturing processes set up the controller of a machine read standard blueprints apply brazing techniques manufacturing of cutlery perform machine maintenance perform test run engraving technologies precious metal processing manufacturing of doors from metal hot forging troubleshoot apply smithing techniques manufacturing of metal household articles metal coating technologies cutting technologies manufacturing of weapons and ammunition manufacturing of door furniture from metal smooth burred surfaces operate rust proofing spray gun work with blacksmithing hand tools work with blacksmithing power tools operate brazing equipment provide customer follow-up services select filler metal engrave patterns operate engraving equipment mark processed workpiece metal forming technologies operate soldering equipment operate welding equipment cold forging quality standards ferrous metal processing non-ferrous metal processing

Common job titles

  • Ironworker - 1st period apprentice
  • Metal worker
  • Saw operator (steel fabrication shop)
  • Finish carpenter
  • Stuuco installer
  • Welding fabrication supervisor