Metal drawing machine operator

Metal drawing machine operators set up and operate drawing machines for ferrous and non-ferrous metal products, designed to provide wires, bars, pipes, hollow profiles and tubes with their specific form by reducing its cross-section and by pulling the working materials through a series of drawing dies.

The following job titles also refer to metal drawing machine operator:

metal drawing machine technician
metal drawing machine operative
wire drawer
draw machine operative
forming machine technician
draw machine operator
wiredrawing setter
wirer drawer machine operator
forming machine operative
draw machine technician
wiredrawing machine tender

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as metal drawing machine operator.

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.

Metal drawing machine operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to metal drawing machine operator.

chain making machine operator
wire weaving machine operator
spring maker
tumbling machine operator
laser marking machine operator

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

automated assembly line operator
pulp control operator
metal production supervisor
machine operator supervisor
metal furnace operator

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of metal drawing machine operator.

• Quality and cycle time optimisation: The most optimal rotation or cycle time and over-all quality of a tool or a machine’s processes.
• Types of metal: Qualities, specifications, applications and reactions to different fabricating processes of various types of metal, such as steel, aluminium, brass, copper and others.
• Dies: The qualities and applications of various kinds of dies, the different components of a die (such as the die block, punch plate, pierce punch and others) and the types of die used in specialised manufacturing processes ( such as extrusion dies, drawing dies, forming dies, cutting dies, compound dies, and others).
• Quality standards: The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.
• Cold drawing processes: The various kinds of metalworking drawing processes performed at room temperature, such as wire drawing, tube drawing, ironing, embossing, sheet metal drawing, spinning, stretch forming, and others.

These skills are necessary for the role of metal drawing machine operator.

• Monitor gauge: Oversee the data presented by a gauge concerning the measurement of pressure, temperature, thickness of a material, and others.
• Remove inadequate workpieces: Evaluate which deficient processed workpieces do not meet the set-up standard and should be removed and sort the waste according to regulations.
• Troubleshoot: Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
• 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.
• Monitor moving workpiece in a machine: Monitor the processing of a workpiece in motion, such as a piece of metal or wood moved linearly over a static manufacturing machine.
• Perform test run: Perform tests putting a system, machine, tool or other equipment through a series of actions under actual operating conditions in order to assess its reliability and suitability to realise its tasks, and adjust settings accordingly.
• Ensure equipment availability: Ensure that the necessary equipment is provided, ready and available for use before start of procedures.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

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

• Non-ferrous metal processing: Various processing methods on non-ferrous metals and alloys such as copper, zinc and aluminium.
• Ferrous metal processing: Various processing methods on iron and iron-containing alloys such as steel, stainless steel and pig iron.
• Metal forming technologies: The variety of technologies and techniques, such as forging, pressing, stamping, rolling and others, used for the forming processes of metal product manufacturing.
• Manufacturing of small metal parts: The manufacture of metal cable, plaited bands and other articles of that typr, uninsulated or insulated cable not capable of being used as a conductor of electricity, coated or cored wire as well as barbed wire, wire fencing, grill, netting, cloth etc. Manufacture of coated electrodes for electric arc-welding, nails and pins, chain and springs (except watch springs): as well as leaves for springs.
• Manufacturing of metal assembly products: The manufacture of rivets, washers and similar non-threaded products, screw machine products, screws, nuts and similar threaded products.
• Types of metal manufacturing processes: Metal processes linked to the different types of metal, such as casting processes, heat treatment processes, repair processes and other metal manufacturing processes.
• Manufacturing of door furniture from metal: The manufacture of metal items that can be attached to a door in order to support its function and appearance. The manufacture of padlocks, locks, keys, hinges and the like, and hardware for buildings, furniture, vehicles etc.
• Manufacturing of weapons and ammunition: The manufacture of heavy weapons (artillery, mobile guns, rocket launchers, torpedo tubes, heavy machine guns), small arms (revolvers, shotguns, light machine guns), air or gas guns and pistols, and war ammunition. Also the manufacture of hunting, sporting or protective firearms and ammunition and of explosive devices such as bombs, mines and torpedoes.
• Metal drawing processes: The various types of drawing processes in metal fabrication, such as wire drawing, bar drawing, tube drawing, and others.
• Precious metal processing: Various processing methods on precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum.

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

• Record production data for quality control: Keep records of the machine’s faults, interventions and irregularities for quality control.
• Perform product testing: Test processed workpieces or products for basic faults.
• Tend bar drawing machine: Tend a drawing machine designed for forming cold or hot metal into bars, monitor and operate it, according to regulations.
• Tend tube drawing machine: Tend a drawing machine designed for forming cold or hot metal into tubes, monitor and operate it, according to regulations.
• Wear appropriate protective gear: Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.
• Monitor conveyor belt: Monitor the flow of the work pieces on the conveyor belt as they are processed by the machine to ensure optimal productivity.
• Tend wire drawing machine: Tend a drawing machine designed for forming cold or hot metal into wire, monitor and operate it, according to regulations.
• Perform machine maintenance: Perform regular maintenance, possibly including corrections and alterations, on a machine or machine tool to ensure it remains in a proper productive state.
• Provide advice to technicians: Offer advice to service technicians in case of machinery malfunctions and other technical repair tasks.
• Mark processed workpiece: Inspect and mark parts of the workpiece to indicate how they will fit into the finished product.
• Consult technical resources: Read and interpret 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.
• Operate lifting equipment: Transport heavy objects using lifting equipment such as cranes, forklifts etc.
• Keep records of work progress: Maintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.
• Safely handle metal wire under tension: Handle fabricated, drawn metal wire safely by calculating the risks and dangers of its unreliable nature due to spring force and resilience.

8121 – Metal processing plant operators

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References

1. ESCO