Profession spark erosion machine operator
Spark erosion machine operators set up and tend spark erosion machines designed to cut excess material from a metal workpiece by the use of electrical discharges, or sparks, caused by electric voltage and separated by a dielectric liquid, which removes pieces of metal from the electrodes These applications can involve transmission and optical microscopy.
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Personality Type
- Realistic / Conventional
- Realistic / Investigative
Knowledge
- Electrical discharge
Tthe qualities and applications of electrical discharge, including voltage and electrodes.
- 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 eroding technology
The various eroding technology and techniques, automated or otherwise, such as electrical discharge machining, die sinking, wire eroding and others.
Skills
- Set up the controller of a machine
Set up and give commands to a machine by dispatching the appropriate data and input into the (computer) controller corresponding with the desired processed product.
- 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.
- Monitor automated machines
Continuously check up on the automated machine's set-up and execution or make regular control rounds. If necessary, record and interpret data on the operating conditions of installations and equipment in order to identify abnormalities.
- 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.
- Dispose of cutting waste material
Dispose of possibly hazardous waste material created in the cutting process, such as swarf, scrap and slugs, sort according to regulations, and clean up workplace.
- Supply machine
Ensure the machine is fed the necessary and adequate materials and control the placement or automatic feed and retrieval of work pieces in the machines or machine tools on the production line.
- Consult technical resources
Read and interpret such technical resources such as digital or paper drawings and adjustment data in order to properly set up a machine or working tool, or to assemble mechanical equipment.
- Tend spark erosion machine
Monitor and operate a spark erosion machine according to regulations.
- Apply cross-reference tools for product identification
Employ cross-reference tools and programmes, listing file names and line numbers, to identify part numbers, descriptions, and the vendor as source of origin.
- 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.
- Troubleshoot
Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.