Description
Metal product quality control inspectors perform preventive and operational quality control on the metal products. They examine the materials at various stages to make sure it conforms to the desired standard, test the products, and send them back for repair if necessary.
Other titles
The following job titles also refer to metal product quality control inspector:
metal fabrication supervisor
mechanical supervisor
metal production manager
metal production overseer
metal supervisor
metal grading technician
metal nondestructive testing technician
metal quality superintendent
metal fabricating supervisor
metal testing technician
metal quality control superintendent
testing specialist for weapons and ammunition
Minimum qualifications
A high school diploma is generally required to work as metal product quality control inspector.
ISCO skill level
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 product quality control inspector is a Skill level 2 occupation.
Metal product quality control inspector career path
Similar occupations
These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to metal product quality control inspector.
engineered wood board grader
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Long term prospects
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of metal product quality control inspector. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of metal product quality control inspector with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
welding inspector
metal production supervisor
container equipment assembly supervisor
machine operator supervisor
quality engineering technician
Essential knowledge and skills
Essential knowledge
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of metal product quality control inspector.
- Manufacturing processes: The steps required through which a material is transformed into a product, its development and full-scale manufacturing.
- 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.
- Database quality standards: Techniques and methods of estimation and evaluation of system quality and overall database quality, as well as the set quality standards and regulations.
- Quality assurance methodologies: Quality assurance principles, standard requirements, and the set of processes and activities used for measuring, controlling and ensuring the quality of products and processes.
Essential skills and competences
These skills are necessary for the role of metal product quality control inspector.
- Use a computer: Utilise computer equipment or digital devices to facilitate quality control, data management, and communication. Follow instructions given by a computer programme, create computer files or documents.
- Record survey measurements: Gather and process descriptive data by using documents such as sketches, drawings and notes.
- 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.
- Set quality assurance objectives: Define quality assurance targets and procedures and see to their maintenance and continued improvement by reviewing targets, protocols, supplies, processes, equipment and technologies for quality standards.
- 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.
- Monitor manufacturing quality standards: Monitor quality standards in manufacturing and finishing process.
- Operate precision measuring equipment: Measure the size of a processed part when checking and marking it to check if it is up to standard by use of two and three dimensional precision measuring equipment such as a caliper, a micrometer, and a measuring gauge.
- Define manufacturing quality criteria: Define and describe the criteria by which data quality is measured for manufacturing purposes, such as international standards and manufacturing regulations.
- Ensure public safety and security: Implement the relevant procedures, strategies and use the proper equipment to promote local or national security activities for the protection of data, people, institutions, and property.
- Work in metal manufacture teams: Ability to work confidently within a metal manufacturing group with each doing a part but all subordinating personal prominence to the efficiency of the whole.
- Define data quality criteria: Specify the criteria by which data quality is measured for business purposes, such as inconsistencies, incompleteness, usability for purpose and accuracy.
- Define quality standards: Define, in collaboration with managers and quality experts, a set of quality standards to ensure compliance with regulations and help achieve customers’ requirements.
- Revise quality control systems documentation: Revise quality control documents. Read through the documents, editing them, and revise items in the documentation like the numbering scheme, process to create new documents, revision and follow up process, closure of non-conformities, methods for tracking documents, etc.
- Use non-destructive testing equipment: Use specific non-destructive testing methods and equipment that do not cause any damage to the product, such as X-rays, ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle inspection, industrial CT scanning and others, in order to find defects in and assure quality of a manufactured and a repaired product.
- Maintain test equipment: Maintain equipment used for testing the quality of systems and products.
- Apply safety management: Apply and supervise measures and regulations concerning security and safety in order to maintain a safe environment in the workplace.
- Prepare technical reports: Prepare technical reports that describe results and processes of scientific or technical research, or assess its progress. These reports help researchers to keep up to date with recent findings.
- Perform sample testing: Examine and perform tests on prepared samples; avoid any possibility of accidental or deliberate contamination during the testing phase. Operate sampling equipment in line with design parameters.
- Conduct performance tests: Conduct experimental, environmental and operational tests on models, prototypes or on the systems and equipment itself in order to test their strength and capabilities under normal and extreme conditions.
- Prepare samples for testing: Take and prepare samples for testing, verify their representability; avoid bias and any possibility of accidental or deliberate contamination. Provide clear numbering, labelling and recording of the sample details, in order to make sure that the results can be accurately matched to the original material.
- Apply health and safety standards: Adhere to standards of hygiene and safety established by respective authorities.
- Follow company standards: Lead and manage according to the organisation’s code of conduct.
- Lead inspections: Lead inspections and the protocol involved, such as introducing the inspection team, explaining the purpose of the inspection, performing the inspection, requesting documents, asking appropriate questions, and maintaining a high level of professionalism when investigating subjects.
Optional knowledge and skills
Optional knowledge
This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of metal product quality control inspector. 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.
- Statistical process control: Method of quality control that uses statistics to monitor processes.
- Cutting technologies: The variety of cutting technologies, such as software or mechanics, guiding cutting processes through lasering, sawing, milling etc.
- Metal joining technologies: The various technologies used for the joining and assembling of fabricated metal workpieces.
- Ferrous metal processing: Various processing methods on iron and iron-containing alloys such as steel, stainless steel and pig iron.
- Plastic welding: Methods to join softened plastic surfaces, usually by heating and applying pressure, such as heat sealing, laser welding, high frequency welding and ultrasonic welding.
- Welding techniques: The different methods of welding together pieces of metal using various equipment, such as oxygen-acetylene welding, gas metal arc welding and tungsten inert gas welding.
- Technical drawings: Drawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.
- Electron beam welding processes: The various processes of welding using electron beams, such as electron beam focusing, beam deflection, penetration, and others.
- 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.
- Engraving technologies: The characteristics of various materials and methods used to engrave something on a surface.
- Forging processes: The various processes in the metalforming practices of forging, such as swaging, open-die forging, automatic hot forging, cogging, impression-die forging, roll forging, upsetting, press forging, and others.
- 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.
- Metal smoothing technologies: The various technologies used for the smoothening, polishing and buffing of fabricated metal workpieces.
- Metal coating technologies: The various processes and technologies used for to coating and painting fabricated metal workpieces.
Optional skills and competences
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of metal product quality control inspector. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Create solutions to problems: Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
- Ensure compliance with environmental legislation: Monitor activities and perform tasks ensuring compliance with standards involving environmental protection and sustainability, and amend activities in the case of changes in environmental legislation. Ensure that the processes are compliant with environment regulations and best practices.
- Maintain records of maintenance interventions: Keep written records of all repairs and maintenance interventions undertaken, including information on the parts and materials used, etc.
- Give instructions to staff: Give instructions to subordinates by employing various communication techniques. Adjust communication style to the target audience in order to convey instructions as intended.
- Record production data for quality control: Keep records of the machine’s faults, interventions and irregularities for quality control.
- Speak different languages: Master foreign languages to be able to communicate in one or more foreign languages.
- Operate welding equipment: Use welding equipment to melt and join together pieces of metal or steel; wear protective eyewear during the working process.
- Record test data: Record data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptional or unusual input.
- Perform welding inspection: Inspect and assure the quality of welded metals using diverse testing techniques.
- Report well results: Document and share well results in a transparent way; communicate results to business partners, auditors, collaborating teams and internal management.
- Manage emergency procedures: React quickly in case of emergency and set planned emergency procedures in motion.
- 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.
- Check quality of products on the production line: Check products for quality on the production line and remove defective items before and after packaging.
- Identify hazards in the workplace: Perform safety audits and inspections on workplaces and workplace equipment. Ensure that they meet safety regulations and identify hazards and risks.
- Perform metal active gas welding: Weld metal, mostly steel, workpieces together using active gas mixtures such as concoctions of argon, carbon dioxide and oxygen.
- Ensure quality of final product: Ensure that finished products meet or exceed company specifications.
- 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.
- Analyse test data: Interpret and analyse data collected during testing in order to formulate conclusions, new insights or solutions.
- Evaluate employees work: Evaluate the need for labour for the work ahead. Evaluate the performance of the team of workers and inform superiors. Encourage and support the employees in learning, teach them techniques and check the application to ensure product quality and labour productivity.
- Ensure correct gas pressure: Ensure the necessary, usually constant, pressure of gas which is part of a machine or tool, such as torching equipment, used to process metal workpieces during metal fabrication processes.
- Write work-related reports: Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.
- Supervise staff: Oversee the selection, training, performance and motivation of staff.
- Liaise with quality assurance: Work closely with the relevant quality assurance or grading party involved.
- Weld mining machinery: Cut and weld pieces of metal in order to repair broken metal parts, or to assemble new parts.
- 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.
- Ensure fulfillment of legal requirements: Ensure that all legal requirements are met.
- 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.
- Perform tungsten inert gas welding: Weld metal workpieces together by tungsten intert gas (TIG) welding. This arc welding process welds metal workpieces using the heat generated between an arc of electricity struck between a non-consumable tungsten metal electrode. Use an argon or helium inert gas to shield the weld from atmospheric contamination.
- Adhere to organisational guidelines: Adhere to organisational or department specific standards and guidelines. Understand the motives of the organisation and the common agreements and act accordingly.
- Recognise signs of corrosion: Recognise the symptoms of metal showing oxidation reactions with the environment resulting in rusting, copper pitting, stress cracking, and others, and estimate the rate of corrosion.
- Recommend product improvements: Recomend product modifications and process improvements.
- Keep records of work progress: Maintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.
- Perform metal inert gas welding: Weld metal workpieces together using inert gasses or gas mixtures such as argon and helium. This technique is usually used for welding aluminium and other non-ferrous metals.
- Liaise with managers: Liaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical.
- Conduct chemical testing on basic metals: Perform examinations and tests on all kinds of metals in order to ensure high quality and chemical resistance.
- Write records for repairs: Write records of the repairs and maintenance interventions undertaken, of parts and materials used, and other repair facts.
- Draw design sketches: Create rough pictures to assist in creating and communicating design concepts.
ISCO group and title
7543 – Product graders and testers (excluding foods and beverages)
References