Plating Machine Setters, Operators, & Tenders, Metal & Plastic
Set up, operate, or tend plating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces. Typically, the product being coated is immersed in molten metal or an electrolytic solution.
Technology Tools
Key Tasks
- Immerse workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times.
- Adjust dials to regulate flow of current and voltage supplied to terminals to control plating processes.
- Inspect coated or plated areas for defects, such as air bubbles or uneven coverage.
- Set up, operate, or tend plating or coating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces.
- Maintain production records.
- Remove objects from solutions at periodic intervals and observe objects to verify conformance to specifications.
- Observe gauges to ensure that machines are operating properly, making adjustments or stopping machines when problems occur.
- Remove excess materials or impurities from objects, using air hoses or grinding machines.
- Measure or weigh materials, using rulers, calculators, and scales.
- Test machinery to ensure that it is operating properly.
- Determine sizes and compositions of objects to be plated, and amounts of electrical current and time required.
- Measure, mark, and mask areas to be excluded from plating.
- Examine completed objects to determine thicknesses of metal deposits, or measure thicknesses by using instruments such as micrometers.
- Read production schedules to determine setups of equipment and machines.
- Suspend objects, such as parts or molds from cathode rods, or negative terminals, and immerse objects in plating solutions.
- Immerse objects to be coated or plated into cleaning solutions, or spray objects with conductive solutions to prepare them for plating.
- Suspend sticks or pieces of plating metal from anodes, or positive terminals, and immerse metal in plating solutions.
- Rinse coated objects in cleansing liquids and dry them with cloths, centrifugal driers, or by tumbling in sawdust-filled barrels.
- Adjust controls to set temperatures of coating substances and speeds of machines and equipment.
- Monitor and measure thicknesses of electroplating on component parts to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers.
- Operate hoists to place workpieces onto machine feed carriages or spindles.
- Position and feed materials into processing machines, by hand or by using automated equipment.
- Position objects to be plated in frames, or suspend them from positive or negative terminals of power supplies.
- Operate sandblasting equipment to roughen and clean surfaces of workpieces.
- Clean and maintain equipment, using water hoses and scrapers.
- Clean workpieces, using wire brushes.
- Mix and test solutions, and turn valves to fill tanks with solutions.
- Replace worn parts and adjust equipment components, using hand tools.
- Place plated or coated materials on racks and transfer them to ovens to dry for specified periods of time.
- Measure and set stops, rolls, brushes, and guides on automatic feeders and conveying equipment or coating machines, using micrometers, rules, and hand tools.
- Position containers to receive parts, and load or unload materials in containers, using dollies or handtrucks.
- Perform equipment maintenance, such as cleaning tanks and lubricating moving parts of conveyors.
- Preheat workpieces in ovens.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
99%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
95%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
93%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
90%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
89%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
85%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
82%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
81%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
80%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
79%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
79%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
77%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
73%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
73%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
71%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
67%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
66%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
64%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
63%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
62%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
62%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
61%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
60%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
59%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
59%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
59%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
56%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
55%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
50%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
50%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
45%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
45%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
43%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
39%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
34%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
31%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
31%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
31%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
30%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
29%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
25%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
25%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
22%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
21%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
19%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
16%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
16%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
12%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
11%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
10%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
10%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
8%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
7%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
5%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
3%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
2%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
0%
Education
Less than high school diploma
High school diploma or equivalent
Bachelor's degree
Interests
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Work Styles
Work Values
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