Glass polisher

Glass polishers finish plate glass to make a variety of glass products. They polish the edges of the glass using grinding and polishing wheels, and spray solutions on glass or operate vacuum coating machines to provide a mirrored surface.

The following job titles also refer to glass polisher:

glass finisher
plate glass polisher
glass production polisher
glass edge grinder
glass grinder

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as a glass polisher.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Glass polisher is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to glass polisher.

glass beveller
drawing kiln operator
pultrusion machine operator
glass annealer
vacuum forming machine operator

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of glass polisher. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of glass polisher with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

automated assembly line operator
plastic and rubber products manufacturing supervisor
glass installation supervisor
air separation plant operator
pulp control operator

These skills are necessary for the role of glass polisher.

• Remove processed workpiece: Remove individual workpieces after processing, from the manufacturing machine or the machine tool. In case of a conveyor belt this involves quick, continuous movement.
• Inspect glass sheet: Inspect the drawn sheets of glass in order to detect any flows such as blisters or stones, signalling the defective glass sheets.
• Remove defective products: Remove defective materials from the production line.
• Smooth glass edges: Use automated abrasive belts to smooth or shape glass edges.
• Use personal protection equipment: Make use of protection equipment according to training, instruction and manuals. Inspect the equipment and use it consistently.
• Use power tools: Operate power driven pumps. Use hand tools or power tools. Use vehicle repair tools or safety equipment.
• Ensure equipment availability: Ensure that the necessary equipment is provided, ready and available for use before start of procedures.
• Report defective manufacturing materials: Maintain required company records and forms in order to report any defective materials or questionable conditions of manufacturing machinery and equipment.
• Adjust glass sheets: Adjust glass sheets` thickness, according to the gauge readings, using asbestos pads on the sides of the kilns` cooling jacket.
• Smooth glass surface: Smooth glass or lens surfaces of optical instruments with grinding and polishing tools, such as diamond tools.
• Keep records of work progress: Maintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.
• Operate grinding hand tools: Operate a variety of hand tools designed for grinding production materials, such as angle grinders, die grinders, grindstones, bench grinders, and others.
• Use abrasive wheel: Use the specific abrasive wheel or the step in the finishing process according to the type of stone or workpiece.
• Measure materials: Measure the raw materials prior to their loading in the mixer or in machines, ensuring they conform with the specifications.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of glass polisher. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Silvering: Process of evaporating aluminium or silver in a vacuum chamber containing glass objects, such as mirrors or optical instruments, to obtain a reflective coating. Some methods also use pure oxygen or a layer of quartz.
• Basic chemicals: The production and characteristisc of organic basic chemicals such as ethanol, methanol, benzene and inorganic basic chemicals such as oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of glass polisher. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Inspect quality of products: Use various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. Oversee defects, packaging and sendbacks of products to different production departments.
• Adjust measuring machines: Adjust the tension and the position of the belt on the measuring machines` spindles, following the belt-size chart specifications.
• Tend coating machine: Tend manufacturing machines designed to coat workpiece surfaces by applying various coating machine processes, such as powder coating, monitor and operate it according to regulations.
• Perform product testing: Test processed workpieces or products for basic faults.
• Paint with a paint gun: Use a paint gun to coat or paint surfaces of items which are stationary or moving on a conveyor belt. Load the equipment with the suitable type of paint and spray the paint onto the surface in an even and controlled manner to prevent paint from dripping or splashing.
• Maintain equipment: Regularly inspect and perform all required activities to maintain the equipment in functional order prior or after its use.
• Analyse stress resistance of products: Analyse the ability of products to endure stress imposed by temperature, loads, motion, vibration and other factors, by using mathematical formulas and computer simulations.
• Cut glass: Use glass cutting tools or diamond blades to cut pieces out of glass plates, including mirrors.
• Manage waste: Manage or dispose of significant amounts of waste materials or hazardous materials. Ensure required licenses and permits are in place and reasonable management practices, industry standards, or commonly accepted farming practices followed.
• Monitor automated machines: Continuously check up on the automated machine’s set-up and execution or make regular control rounds. If necessary, record and interpret data on the operating conditions of installations and equipment in order to identify abnormalities.
• Apply a protective layer: Apply a layer of protective solutions such as permethrine to protect the product from damage such as corrosion, fire or parasites, using a spray gun or paintbrush.
• Clean equipment: Perform cleaning routines after equipment use.
• Rinse glass: Rinse the glass following the bevelling process using water in order to remove the abrasive residue.
• Supply machine: Ensure the machine is fed the necessary and adequate materials and control the placement or automatic feed and retrieval of work pieces in the machines or machine tools on the production line.
• Consult technical resources: Read and interpret such technical resources such as digital or paper drawings and adjustment data in order to properly set up a machine or working tool, or to assemble mechanical equipment.
• Handle broken glass sheets: Handle the damaged glass sheets so that they do not collapse into the kiln by closing the roll of the drawing kiln.
• Set up the controller of a machine: Set up and give commands to a machine by dispatching the appropriate data and input into the (computer) controller corresponding with the desired processed product.

8181 – Glass and ceramics plant operators

References

1. Glass polisher – ESCO