Metal polisher

Metal polishers use metal working equipment and machinery to polish and buff almost finished metal workpieces in order to enhance their smoothness and appearance and to remove oxidisation, tarnishing the metal after the other fabrication processes. They may operate equipment using diamond solutions, silicon-made polishing pads, or working wheels with a leather polishing strop, and tend to these materials ensuring their effectiveness.

The following job titles also refer to metal polisher:

circle finisher
air bag finisher
metal buffer
bed finisher
eco pickled surface operator
hand buffer
tube buffer
circle buffer
smooth clean surface operator
machine buffer
tube finisher
mechanical buffer
machine finisher
bed buffer
automatic metal finisher
buffer operator
mechanical finisher
pickling operator
air bag buffer
buffer
hand finisher
automatic metal buffer

A high school diploma is generally required to work as a metal 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.

Metal polisher is a Skill level 2 occupation.

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

tumbling machine operator
laser marking machine operator
deburring machine operator
filing machine operator
metal drawing machine operator

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

automated assembly line operator
pulp control operator
metal production supervisor
welding inspector
industrial robot controller

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of metal polisher.

• Buffing motions: The different processes, or motions, used in polishing, depending on the desired end result concerning the level of smoothness and shininess of the metal workpiece: cut motion or colour motion.
• 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.
• 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.

These skills are necessary for the role of metal polisher.

• 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.
• Spot metal imperfections: Observe and identify various kinds of imperfections in metal workpieces or finished products. Recognise the best fitted manner of fixing the problem, which could be caused by corrosion, rust, fractures, leaks, and other signs of wear.
• 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.
• Ensure equipment availability: Ensure that the necessary equipment is provided, ready and available for use before start of procedures.
• 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.
• Apply polishing lubricants: Apply the appropriate lubricant matching the kind of metal of the processed metal workpiece during polishing processes, such as was or kerosene.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of metal polisher. 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.
• Manufacturing of cutlery: The manufacture of different cutlery items, such as forks, spoons, knives, razors or scissors.
• Ferrous metal processing: Various processing methods on iron and iron-containing alloys such as steel, stainless steel and pig iron.
• Manufacturing of metal household articles: The manufacture of flatware , hollowware , dinnerware and other non-electrical utensils for use at the table or in the kitchen.
• 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 light metal packaging: The manufacture of tins and cans for food products, collapsible tubes and boxes, and of metallic closures.
• 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 smoothing technologies: The various technologies used for the smoothening, polishing and buffing of fabricated metal workpieces.
• Abrasive machining processes: The various machining principles and processes employing abrasives, (mineral) materials that can shape a workpiece by eroding excessive parts of it, such as grinding, honing, sanding, buffing, diamond wire cutting, polishing, abrasive blasting, tumbling, water-jet cutting, 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 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.
• Supply machine with appropriate tools: Supply the machine with the necessary tools and items for a particular production purpose.
• Record production data for quality control: Keep records of the machine’s faults, interventions and irregularities for quality control.
• Metal polishing machine parts: The various parts, their qualities and applications, of a metalworking machine designed for buffing and polishing metal surfaces, such as the brush head, contact roller head, drum, drum base, lock bar, shell, and others.
• 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.
• 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 help and advice to service technicians in case of machine malfunctions and other repair tasks.
• Mark processed workpiece: Inspect and mark parts of the workpiece to indicate how they will fit into the finished product.
• Apply precision metalworking techniques: Comply with precision standards specific to an organisation or product in metalworking, involved in processes such as engraving, precise cutting, welding.
• 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.
• Measure flatness of a surface: Measure the evenness of a workpiece’s surface after it has been processed by checking for deviations from the desired perpendicular state.
• Operate sandblaster: Operate an abrasive blaster using sand to erode and smoothen a rough surface.
• Smooth burred surfaces: Inspect and smooth burred surfaces of steel and metal parts.
• Operate metal polishing equipment: Operate equipment designed to buff and polish metal workpieces, such as diamond solutions, silicon-made polishing pads, or working wheels with a leather polishing strop, and others.
• Keep records of work progress: Maintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.
• Tend metal polishing machine: Tend a metalworking machine designed to buff and polish metal surfaces, monitor and operate it according to regulations.

7224 – Metal polishers, wheel grinders and tool sharpeners

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References

1. Metal polisher – ESCO