Metal products assembler

Metal products assemblers fit and fasten metal materials according to strictly laid down procedures in order to produce various parts or final products using power tools, hand tools, and other machinery.

Excludes people performing assembly of electronic, electrical or mechanical elements.

The following job titles also refer to metal products assembler:

assembly technician
production line worker
product assembler
light assembly operative
fabricator assembler
assembler
metal product assembler and fabricator
fabrication assembler
fabrication operator
fabricator assembler metal products
fabrication assembler metal products
metal fabricating operative
fabricator assembly operator
light assembly worker
metal product fabricator
production worker
structural fabrication operator
fabricator assembly operative
metal product assembler
structural fabricator
fabrication apprentice
fabrication assistant
metal fabrication apprentice

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

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 products assembler is a Skill level 2 occupation.

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

fitter and turner
plastic products assembler
motor vehicle body assembler
wood products assembler
metal furniture machine operator

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

metal furnace operator
pulp control operator
automated assembly line operator
pneumatic engineering technician
electromechanical engineering technician

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

• Metal joining technologies: The various technologies used for the joining and assembling of fabricated metal workpieces.
• 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.

These skills are necessary for the role of metal products assembler.

• Perform pre-assembly quality checks: Inspect product parts for faults or damages, using testing equipment if necessary, and check that the received lot is complete before assembling the finished products.
• 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.
• Assemble metal parts: Align and arrange steel and metal parts in order to assemble complete products; use the appropriate hand tools and gauges.
• Join metals: Join together pieces of metal using soldering and welding materials.
• Troubleshoot: Identify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.
• Manipulate metal: Manipulate the properties, shape and size of metal.
• Use metalworking tools: Use the appropriate metalworking tools to manipulate metal objects or surfaces. Use adequate instruments to grind, smoothen or sharpen metals.
• 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.
• Ensure equipment availability: Ensure that the necessary equipment is provided, ready and available for use before start of procedures.
• Fasten components: Fasten components together according to blueprints and technical plans in order to create subassemblies or finished products.
• Use technical documentation: Understand and use technical documentation in the overall technical process.

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

• 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.
• Types of hand-operated printing devices: Process of creating various types hand-operated printing devices, such as stamps, seals, embossing labels or inked pads and their applications.
• Screw types: The various types of screws that can be manufactured, such as a cap screw, setscrew with hollow head, machine screw with oval head, machine screw with Philips head, flat-head wood screw, lag screw, self-tapping screw, and others.
• Rivet types: The various types of rivets used in manufacturing, such as solid head rivets, blind rivets, drive rivets, semi-tubular rivets, oscar rivets, flush rivets, and others.
• Protective safety equipment: The processes and materials used to create safety equipment such as fire-fighting equipment, gas masks or headgear.
• 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.
• Manufacturing of sports equipment: The manufacture of products and equipment used for both outdoor and indoor sports activities, such as balls, rackets, ski’s, surfboards, fishing, hunting, skating or fitness centre equipment.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of metal products assembler. 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.
• Operate welding equipment: Use welding equipment to melt and join together pieces of metal or steel; wear protective eyewear during the working process.
• Tend surface grinding machine: Tend a metalworking machine designed to smoothen a metal surface by applying grinding, abrasive machine processes, 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.
• Pack goods: Pack different kinds of goods such as finished manufactured products or goods in use. Pack goods by hand in boxes, bags and other types of containers.
• Ensure correct goods labelling: Ensure that goods are labeled with all necessary labeling information (e.g. legal, technological, hazardous and others) regarding the product. Ensure that labels respects the legal requirements and adhere to regulations.
• Operate handheld riveting equipment: Operate various kinds of tools and equipment used in riveting processes, such a pin hammer and a rivet set, handheld squeezers, a hammer and bucking bar, a pneumatic hammer, a rivet gun, and others.
• Measure metal to be heated: Measure the amounts of steel or other metals to be heated. Take decisions on the amount of heat to be used, the duration of the heating, and other variables in the process based on the measurement.
• 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.
• Operate drill press: Operate a semi-automated, semi-manual drill press to drill holes in a work piece, safely and according to regulations.
• Cut metal products: Operate cutting and measuring instruments in order to cut/shape pieces of metal into given dimensions.
• Read engineering drawings: Read the technical drawings of a product made by the engineer in order to suggest improvements, make models of the product or operate it.
• Heat metals: Heat steel and metals in fire; adjust and regulate heat controls to reach appropriate pouring temperature.
• Operate lifting equipment: Transport heavy objects using lifting equipment such as cranes, forklifts etc.
• Develop assembly instructions: Develop a code of letters and numbers to label diagrams for assembly instructions.
• Fabricate metal parts: Fabricate metal parts, using equipment such as drill presses and engine lathes.
• 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.
• Tend riveting machine: Tend a metalworking machine designed to join metal pieces by automatically shooting mechanical fasteners, rivets, into them, monitor and operate it according to regulations.
• Perform metal work: Work with metal and iron materials in order to assemble individual pieces or structures.
• Operate soldering equipment: Use soldering equipment, such as a soldering gun, a soldering torch or a gas-powered iron, to melt and join together pieces of metal or steel.

8219 – Assemblers not elsewhere classified

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References

1. Metal products assembler – ESCO
2. Featured image: By Gkbediako – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0