Career Details :: Press and Press Brake Machine Setters and Set-Up Operators, Metal and Plastic
Description
Set up or set up and operate power-press machines or power-brake machines to bend, form, stretch, notch, punch, or straighten metal or plastic plate and structural shapes, as specified by work order, blueprints, drawing, templates, or layout.
Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a drywall installer might benefit from experience installing drywall, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be an installer with little difficulty.
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.
Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.
Tasks
- Lifts, positions, and secures workpiece between dies of machine, using crane and sledge.
- Operates power press, power brake, apron brake, swaging machine, foot-powered press, hydraulic press, or arbor press according to specifications.
- Grinds out burrs and sharp edges, using portable grinder, speed lathe, and polishing jack.
- Preheats workpiece, using heating furnace or hand torch.
- Lubricates workpiece with oil.
- Selects and positions flat, block, radius, or special-purpose die sets into ram and bed of machine, using hoist, crane, measuring instruments, and hand tools.
- Inspects workpiece for defects.
- Installs, aligns, and secures gears, holding fixtures, and dies to machine bed, using gauges, templates, feelers, shims, and hand tools.
- Sets stops on machine bed, changes dies, and adjusts components, such as ram or power press, when making multiple or successive passes.
- Hand-forms, cuts, or finishes workpiece, using tools, such as table saw, hand sledge and anvil, flaring tool, and gauge.
- Plans sequence of operations, applying knowledge of physical properties of metal.
- Measures workpiece and verifies dimensions and weight, using micrometer, template, straightedge, and scale.
Related Careers
- Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
- Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Foundry Mold and Coremakers
- Grinding, Honing, Lapping, and Deburring Machine Set-Up Operators
- Nonelectrolytic Plating and Coating Machine Setters and Set-Up Operators, Metal and Plastic
- Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
- Shear and Slitter Machine Setters and Set-Up Operators, Metal and Plastic
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
- Woodworking Machine Operators and Tenders, Except Sawing
Important Abilities
General Work Activities
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, Material
- Getting Information Needed to Do the Job
Important Skills
Frequent Work Context
- Indoors
- Degree of Automation
- Consequence of Error
- Hazardous Equipment
- Hazardous Equipment
Institutions Offering Related Majors
No institutions found.