Description
Set up, operate, or tend heating equipment, such as heat-treating furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment to temper, harden, anneal, or heat treat metal or plastic objects.
Interests
- Realistic
- Conventional
Work Values
- Support
- Relationships
- Independence
Work Styles
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Independence
- Attention to Detail
- Initiative
Tasks
- Read production schedules and work orders to determine processing sequences, furnace temperatures, and heat cycle requirements for objects to be heat-treated.
- Record times that parts are removed from furnaces to document that objects have attained specified temperatures for specified times.
- Adjust controls to maintain temperatures and heating times, using thermal instruments and charts, dials and gauges of furnaces, and color of stock in furnaces to make setting determinations.
- Start conveyors and open furnace doors to load stock, or signal crane operators to uncover soaking pits and lower ingots into them.
- Set up and operate or tend machines, such as furnaces, baths, flame-hardening machines, and electronic induction machines, that harden, anneal, and heat-treat metal.
Work Activities
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
Detailed Work Activities
- Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
- Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
- Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Technology Skills
- Spreadsheet software
- Electronic mail software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Office suite software
- Word processing software
Abilities
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Multilimb Coordination
- Reaction Time
- Manual Dexterity
- Near Vision
Skills
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Quality Control Analysis
Knowledge
- Production and Processing
- Mathematics
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
This information is currently unavailable.
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $38,255 |
| Median (50%) | $44,558 |
| High (90%) | $58,136 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | $44,788 |
| Mid Level | $52,530 |
| Senior Level | $59,167 |
| Expert Level | N/A |
Employability
There are currently 15,200 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to decrease to 13,800 positions, reflecting a projected decline of -10%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of -10%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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