skillfactor-pipeline/skills/metal-polisher/references/tasks.md

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.