Non-ferrous metal processing

Description

Various processing methods on non-ferrous metals and alloys such as copper, zinc and aluminium.

Excludes precious metals.

Alternative labels

processing of non-ferrous metals
alloy processing
processing non-ferrous metal
processing non-ferrous metals
zinc processing
non-ferrous metals processing
processing of non-ferrous metal
non-ferrous metal processing
copper processing
aluminium processing

Skill type

knowledge

Skill reusability level

sector-specific

Relationships with occupations

Essential knowledge

Non-ferrous metal processing is an essential knowledge of the following occupations:

Metallurgical technician: Metallurgical technicians provide technical support in researching and performing experiments on minerals, metals, alloys, oil and gas. They also assist in improving the methods of extraction.
Casting machine operator: Casting machine operators operate casting machines to manipulate metal substances into shape. They set up and tend casting machines to process molten ferrous and non-ferrous metals to manufacture metal materials. They conduct the flow of molten metals into casts, taking care to create the exact right circumstances to obtain the highest quality metal. They observe the flow of metal to identify faults. In case of a fault, they notify the authorised personnel and participate in the removal of the fault.
Chemical metallurgist: Chemical metallurgists are involved in the extraction of useable metals from ores and recycleable material. They study the properties of metal, such as corrosion and fatigue.
Coppersmith: Coppersmiths craft and repair items made of non-ferrous metals such as copper, brass and similar materials. They shape and form the raw materials into objects of practical or artistic purpose using smithing tools. Professional coppersmiths create detailed and highly technical devices using appropriate smithing techniques.
Process metallurgist: Process metallurgists study the characteristics of ores including copper, nickel and iron ores and the performance of various metals and alloys. 
Metallurgist: Metallurgists specialise in the extraction and processing of metals such as iron, steel, zinc, copper and aluminium. They work to mold or combine both pure and mixed metals (alloys) into new shapes and properties. Metallurgists handle the extraction of metal ores and develop their use in metal processing techniques. They may work in both manufacturing or do scientific research about the performance of metals.

Optional knowledge

Non-ferrous metal processing is optional for these occupations. This means knowing this knowledge may be an asset for career advancement if you are in one of these occupations.

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.
Coating machine operator: Coating machine operators set up and tend coating machines that coat metal products with a thin layer of covering of materials such as lacquer, enamel, copper, nickel, zinc, cadmium, chromium or other metal layering in order to protect or decorate the metal products’ surfaces. They run all coating machine stations on multiple coaters.
Foundry manager: Foundry managers coordinate and implement short and medium term casting production schedules, and coordinate the development, support and improvement of casting processes, and the reliability efforts of the maintenance and engineering departments. They also partner with ongoing remediation initiatives.
Hydraulic forging press worker: Hydraulic forging press workers set up and tend hydraulic forging presses, designed to shape ferrous and non-ferrous metal workpieces including pipes, tubes and hollow profiles and other products of the first processing of steel in their desired form by use of compressive forces generated by a piston and fluid pressure.
Boring machine operator: Boring machine operators prepare, operate, and maintain single or multiple spindle machines using a boring bar with a hardened, rotary, multipointed cutting tool in order to enlarge an existing hole in a fabricated workpiece. 
Coquille casting worker: Coquille casting workers manufacture castings, including pipes, tubes, hollow profiles and other products of the first processing of steel, by operating hand-controlled equipment in a foundry. They conduct the flow of molten ferrous and non-ferrous metals into coquilles, taking care to create the exact right circumstances to obtain the highest quality metal. They observe the flow of metal to identify faults. In case of a fault, they notify the authorised personnel and participate in the removal of the fault.
Solderer: Solderers operate various equipment and machinery such as gas torches, soldering irons, welding machines, or electric-ultrasonic equipment in order to solder together two or more items (usually metals), by melting and forming a metal filler in between the joints, the filler metal has a lower melting point than the adjoining metal. 
Engraving machine operator: Engraving machine operators set up, programme, and tend engraving machines designed to precisely carve a design in the surface of a metal workpiece by a diamond stylus on the mechanical cutting machine that creates small, separate printing dots existing from cut cells. They read engraving machine blueprints and tooling instructions, perform regular machine maintenance, and make adjustments to the precise engraving controls, such as the depth of the incisions and the engraving speed.
Spark erosion machine operator: Spark erosion machine operators set up and tend spark erosion machines designed to cut excess material from a metal workpiece by the use of electrical discharges, or sparks, caused by electric voltage and separated by a dielectric liquid, which removes pieces of metal from the electrodes These applications can involve transmission and optical microscopy.
Production plant crane operator: Production plant crane operators operate the basic technologic cranes during the production process at the given unit by lifting and moving loads (bales, containers, buckets and other facilities) with raw and other materials.
Casting mould maker: Casting mould makers create metal, wooden or plastic models of the finished product to be cast. The patterns are then used to create moulds, eventually leading to the casting of the product of the same shape as the pattern.
Cylindrical grinder operator: Cylindrical grinding operators set up and tend cylindrical grinding machines designed to apply abrasive processes in order to remove small amounts of excess material and smoothen metal workpieces by multiple abrasive grinding wheels with diamond teeth as a cutting device for very precise and light cuts, as the workpiece is fed past it and formed into a cylinder.
Filing machine operator: Filing machine operators set up and tend filing machines such as band files, reciprocating files and bench filing machines in order to smoothen metal, wood or plastic surfaces by precisely cutting and removing small amounts of excess material.
Mouldmaker: Mouldmakers manually create moulds for the production of metal products. They mix sand and hardening materials to obtain a specialised mixture. They then use a pattern and one or more cores to produce the right shape impression in this material. The shaped material is then left to set, later to be used as a mould in the production of ferrous and non-ferrous metal castings.
Computer numerical control machine operator: Computer numerical control machine operators set-up, maintain and control a computer numerical control machine in order to execute the product orders. They are responsible for programming the machines, ensuring the required parameters and measurements are met while maintaining the quality and safety standards.
Lathe and turning machine operator: Lathe and turning machine operators set up, program and tend lathe and turning machines designed to cut excess metal from a metal workpiece using a hardened cutting tool moved by computer-controlled motors. They read lathe and turning machine blueprints and tooling instructions, perform regular machine maintenance, and make adjustments to the lathe controls, such as the depth of cuts and the rotation speed.
Metal nibbling operator: Metal nibbling operators cut detailed patterns from metal surfaces by using manual or powered metal nibblers, such as a handheld nibbling drill or a nibbling machine.
Brazier: Braziers operate various equipment and machinery such as torches, soldering irons, fluxes and welding machines in order to join two metal pieces together, by heating, melting and forming a metal filler inbetween them, often brass or copper. Brazing can join metals such as aluminum, silver, copper, gold, and nickel. Brazing is a similar process to soldering but requires higher temperatures. 

 
Laser marking machine operator: Laser marking machine operators set up and tend laser marking or engraving machines designed to precisely carve a design in the surface of a metal workpiece by use of a moving controller and an engraving laser beam point attached to it that traces patterns on the metal workpiece’s surface. They make adjustments to the machine in terms of laser beam intensity, direction and speed of movement. They also ensure the laser table, used to perform laser machine engravings on and guides the laser beam, is properly set up.
Lacquer spray gun operator: Lacquer spray gun operators operate lacquer spray guns designed to provide otherwise finished metal, wooden or plastic workpieces with a hard, durable finishing coat, through lacquer coating or paint that is either matte, sheen or highly glossy, but is always meant for hard surfaces.
Welder:
Welders operate welding equipment in order to join metal workpieces together. They can use fusion welding processes based on different techniques and materials. They also perform simple visual inspection of welds.
Deburring machine operator: Deburring machine operators set up and tend mechanical deburring machines designed to strip metal workpieces of their rough edges, or burrs, by hammering over their surfaces in order to smoothen them or to roll over their edges in case of uneven slits or sheers in order to flatten them into the surface.
Metal engraver: Metal engravers make incisions of a design onto a metal surface by carving grooves into it, usually for decorative purposes, including metal weaponry. To cut the design into the surface they use tools such as gravers or burins.

 
Drop forging hammer worker: Drop forging hammer workers utilise forging machinery and equipment, specifically machined hammers, in order to form ferrous and non-ferrous metal workpieces to their desired shape. They tend the forging hammers that are dropped onto the workpiece in order to reshape it after the form of the die, which can be closed or open, fully enclosing the workpiece or not.
Spot welder: Spot welders set up and tend spot welding machines designed to press and join metal workpieces together. The metal resistance to the passage of electrical current and the subsequent heat created in the process allows for the local melting and joining of the parts.  
Milling machine operator: Milling machine operators set up, program and control milling machines, designed to cut excess material from metal workpieces using a computer-controlled rotary-cutting, milling cutter. They read milling machine blueprints and tooling instructions, perform regular machine maintenance, and make adjustments to the milling controls, such as the depth of cuts or the rotation speed.
Electroplating machine operator: Electroplating machine operators set up and tend electroplating machines designed to finish and coat the metal workpieces’ (such as future pennies and jewelry) surface by using electric current to dissolve metal cations and to bond a thin layer of another metal, such as zinc, copper or silver, to produce a coherent metal coating to the workpiece’s surface.
Mechanical forging press worker: Mechanical forging press workers set up and tend mechanical forging presses, designed to shape ferrous and non-ferrous metal workpieces including pipes, tubes and hollow profiles and other products of the first processing of steel in their desired form by use of preset, compressive forces provided by cranks, cams and toggles at reproducible strokes.
Laser cutting machine operator: Laser cutting machine operators set up, program and tend laser cutting machines, designed to cut, or rather burn off and melt, excess material from a metal workpiece by directing a computer-motion-controlled powerful laser beam through laser optics. They read laser cutting machine blueprints and tooling instructions, perform regular machine maintenance, and make adjustments to the milling controls, such as the intensity of the laser beam and its positioning.
Metal product quality control inspector: 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.
Ornamental metal worker: Ornamental metal workers use finishing equipment and machinery to shape and finish fabricated ornamental metal workpieces, often used for the installation process in construction, such as railings, staircases, open steel flooring, fences and gates, and others.
Foundry moulder: Foundry moulders manufacture cores for metal moulds, which are used to fill a space in the mould that must remain unfilled during casting. They use wood, plastic or other materials to create the core, selected to withstand the extreme environment of a metal mould.
Dip tank operator: Dip tank operators set up and tend dip tanks, which are coating machines, designed to provide otherwise finished work pieces with durable coating by dipping them in a tank of a specific sort of paint, preservative or molten zinc.
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.
Swaging machine operator: Swaging machine operators set up and tend rotary swaging machines, designed to alter round ferrous and non-ferrous metal workpieces into their desired shape by first hammering them into a smaller diameter through the compressive force of two or more dies and then tagging them using a rotary swager, a process through which no excess material is lost.
Foundry operative: Foundry operative manufacture castings, including pipes, tubes, hollow profiles and other products of the first processing of steel, by operating hand-controlled equipment in a foundry. They conduct the flow of molten ferrous and non-ferrous metals into moulds, taking care to create the exact right circumstances to obtain the highest quality metal. They observe the flow of metal to identify faults. In case of a fault, they notify the authorised personnel and participate in the removal of the fault.
Anodising machine operator: Anodising machine operators set up and tend anodising machines designed to provide otherwise finished metal workpieces, usually aluminum-based, with a durable, anodic oxide, corrosion-resistant finishing coat, by a electrolyctic passiviation process that increases the thickness of the natural oxide layer of the metal workpieces’ surface.
Welding inspector: Welding inspectors examine the connections and bonds between metals. They utilise visual tools and electrical instruments to inspect and ensure the quality and safety of connections. Welding inspectors ensure that all related welding activities, plans and materials follow the appropriate guidelines, in accordance with safety regulations. In addition to working in the field completing their examinations of welding projects, inspectors spend time in an office setting compiling their reports.
Blacksmith: Blacksmiths heat metal, usually steel, in a forge and shape it with a hammer, chisel, and an anvil. Contemporarily, they predominantly create artisanal metal products, including ornamental work, as well as horse shoes, one of the sole metal fabricating processes that has not been industrialised.

 


 

References

  1. Non-ferrous metal processing – ESCO

 

Last updated on September 20, 2022