Operate furnace

Operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting, to produce specified types of steel, or to finish other materials such as cokes. Set furnace controls to regulate temperatures and heating time.

operation of furnace
control furnace
operating of furnace
furnace tending
controlling furnace
tending of furnace
tend furnace
operating furnace
furnace operation
tending furnace

skill/competence

sector-specific

Operate furnace is an essential skill of the following occupations:

Metal furnace operator: Metal furnace operators monitor the process of making metal before it is cast into forms. They control metal making furnaces and direct all activities of furnace operation, including the interpretation of computer data, temperature measurement and adjustment, loading vessels, and adding iron, oxygen, and other additives to be melted into the desired metal composition. They control the chemicothermal treatment of the metal in order to reach the standards. In case of observed faults in the metal, they notify the authorised personnel and participate in the removal of the fault.
Coking furnace operator: Coking furnace operators monitor the operation of a usually automatic industrial oven that takes in crushed, washed, and blended bituminous coal and heats it to temperatures between 1000 and 2000 °C without the presence of oxygen in order to obtain cokes. The finished cokes are then quenched with water or air and prepared for transport.
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.

Operate furnace is optional for these occupations. This means knowing this skill may be an asset for career advancement if you are in one of these occupations.

Hand brick moulder: Hand brick moulders create unique bricks, pipes, and other heat-resistant products using hand moulding tools. They create moulds according to specifications, clean and oil them, insert and remove the mixture from the mould. Then, they let the bricks dry in kiln before finishing and smoothing the end products.
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.
Plastic rolling machine operator: Plastic rolling machine operators operate and monitor machines to produce plastic rolls, or to flatten and reduce the material. They examine raw materials and finished products to make sure they are according to specifications.
Precast moulder: Precast moulders handcast decorative and structural concrete building products such as fireplace units, blocks or coloured tiles. They use a portable concrete-mixing machine.
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.
Fibre machine tender: Fibre machine tenders operate and maintain extrusion machines that form sliver from filaments. They work with synthetic materials such as fiberglass or liquid polymer or non-synthetic materials such as rayon.

References

1. Operate furnace – ESCO