# Tasks & work activities — metal polisher

Source: O*NET 30.3, occupation 51-4193.00 (Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic).

## Task statements

- **[Core]** Inspect coated or plated areas for defects, such as air bubbles or uneven coverage.
- **[Core]** Immerse workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times.
- **[Core]** 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.
- **[Core]** Maintain production records.
- **[Core]** Remove objects from solutions at periodic intervals and observe objects to verify conformance to specifications.
- **[Core]** Observe gauges to ensure that machines are operating properly, making adjustments or stopping machines when problems occur.
- **[Core]** Adjust dials to regulate flow of current and voltage supplied to terminals to control plating processes.
- **[Core]** Rinse coated objects in cleansing liquids and dry them with cloths, centrifugal driers, or by tumbling in sawdust-filled barrels.
- **[Core]** Examine completed objects to determine thicknesses of metal deposits, or measure thicknesses by using instruments such as micrometers.
- **[Core]** Remove excess materials or impurities from objects, using air hoses or grinding machines.
- **[Supplemental]** Immerse objects to be coated or plated into cleaning solutions, or spray objects with conductive solutions to prepare them for plating.
- **[Supplemental]** Position and feed materials into processing machines, by hand or by using automated equipment.
- **[Supplemental]** Test machinery to ensure that it is operating properly.
- **[Supplemental]** Operate hoists to place workpieces onto machine feed carriages or spindles.
- **[Supplemental]** Adjust controls to set temperatures of coating substances and speeds of machines and equipment.
- **[Supplemental]** Position containers to receive parts, and load or unload materials in containers, using dollies or handtrucks.
- **[Supplemental]** Perform equipment maintenance, such as cleaning tanks and lubricating moving parts of conveyors.
- **[Supplemental]** Clean and maintain equipment, using water hoses and scrapers.
- **[Supplemental]** Determine sizes and compositions of objects to be plated, and amounts of electrical current and time required.
- **[Supplemental]** Suspend sticks or pieces of plating metal from anodes, or positive terminals, and immerse metal in plating solutions.
- **[Supplemental]** Monitor and measure thicknesses of electroplating on component parts to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers.
- **[Supplemental]** Measure or weigh materials, using rulers, calculators, and scales.
- **[Supplemental]** Suspend objects, such as parts or molds from cathode rods, or negative terminals, and immerse objects in plating solutions.
- **[Supplemental]** Measure, mark, and mask areas to be excluded from plating.
- **[Supplemental]** Mix and test solutions, and turn valves to fill tanks with solutions.
- **[Supplemental]** Place plated or coated materials on racks and transfer them to ovens to dry for specified periods of time.
- **[Supplemental]** Read production schedules to determine setups of equipment and machines.
- **[Supplemental]** Position objects to be plated in frames, or suspend them from positive or negative terminals of power supplies.
- **[Supplemental]** Measure and set stops, rolls, brushes, and guides on automatic feeders and conveying equipment or coating machines, using micrometers, rules, and hand tools.
- **[Supplemental]** Preheat workpieces in ovens.
- **[Supplemental]** Replace worn parts and adjust equipment components, using hand tools.
- **[Supplemental]** Clean workpieces, using wire brushes.
- **[Supplemental]** Operate sandblasting equipment to roughen and clean surfaces of workpieces.

## Detailed work activities

- Adjust equipment controls to regulate flow of production materials or products.
- Adjust flow of electricity to tools or production equipment.
- Apply protective or decorative finishes to workpieces or products.
- Clean production equipment.
- Clean workpieces or finished products.
- Conduct test runs of production equipment.
- Determine metal or plastic production methods.
- Feed materials or products into or through equipment.
- Heat material or workpieces to prepare for or complete production.
- Immerse objects or workpieces in cleaning or coating solutions.
- Inspect finishes of workpieces or finished products.
- Load items into ovens or furnaces.
- Load materials into production equipment.
- Lubricate production equipment.
- Maintain production or processing equipment.
- Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
- Measure ingredients or substances to be used in production processes.
- Measure materials to mark reference points, cutting lines, or other indicators.
- Mix substances to create chemical solutions.
- Monitor equipment operation to ensure proper functioning.
- Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
- Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
- Operate grinding equipment.
- Operate painting or coating equipment.
- Position containers to receive materials or workpieces.
- Record operational or production data.
- Remove products or workpieces from production equipment.
- Replace worn equipment components.
- Set equipment guides, stops, spacers, or other fixtures.
- Study blueprints or other instructions to determine equipment setup requirements.
- Trim excess material from workpieces.