Career Details :: Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
Description
Operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel.
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
- Examines and prepares material to load into furnace, including cleaning, crushing, or applying chemicals, using crushing machine, shovel, rake, or sprayer.
- Observes air and temperature gauges or metal color and turns fuel valves or adjusts controls to maintain required temperature.
- Scrapes accumulations of metal oxides from floors, molds, and crucibles and sifts and stores for reclamation.
- Draws smelted metal samples from furnace for analysis and calculates type and amount of material required to correct smelting process.
- Analyzes metal test sample, according to specific instructions and for specific element content.
- Sprinkles chemicals over molten metal to bring impurities to surface and removes impurities, using strainers.
- Observes inside of furnace operations by television screen and operates controls to move or discharge metal workpiece.
- Weighs materials to be charged into furnace or to maintain prescribed weight, using scales.
- Inspects furnace and equipment for defects and wear and directs work crew in cleaning and repairing furnace walls and flooring.
- Manipulates controls to ignite burners, adjust fuel mixtures, open and close furnace doors, or to load and discharge materials into or from furnace.
- Observes color and fluidity of molten metal and obtains test sample of metal from furnace or kettle for analysis.
- Kindles fire and shovels fuels and other materials into furnaces or onto conveyors by hand, with hoists, or by directing crane operator.
- Records data and maintains production logs.
- Regulates supply of fuel and air or controls flow of electric current and water coolant to heat furnaces.
- Drains, transfers, or removes molten metal from furnace or into molds by hoist or pumps or ladles.
Related Careers
- Bindery Machine Operators and Tenders
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters and Set-Up Operators
- Fiber Product Cutting Machine Setters and Set-Up Operators
- Heat-Treating, Annealing, and Tempering Machine Operators and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Heating Equipment Setters and Set-Up Operators, Metal and Plastic
- Metal-Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Operators and Tenders
- Metal-Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters and Set-Up Operators
- Plastic Molding and Casting Machine Operators and Tenders
- Welding Machine Operators and Tenders
- Welding Machine Setters and Set-Up Operators
Important Abilities
General Work Activities
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Monitor Processes, Material, Surroundings
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, Material
Important Skills
Frequent Work Context
- Degree of Automation
- Indoors
- Hazardous Situations
- Consequence of Error
- Using Hands on Objects, Tools, Controls
Institutions Offering Related Majors
No institutions found.