Riveter

Riveters assemble several metal parts together by riveting guns, rivet set and hammers, or by operating a riveting machine that all perform the purpose of drilling holes on the rivet shank of the metal part and of inserting rivets, bolts, into these holes in order to fasten them together.

The following job titles also refer to riveter:

rivet tapper
rivet tosser
rivet driver
rivet machine operator
rivet sticker
rivet passer
metal riveter
bull riveter
rivet machine operative
rivet thrower
rivet bucker
rivet catcher
rivetter
rivetting apprentice

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as a riveter.

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.

Riveter is a Skill level 2 occupation.

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

thread rolling machine operator
screw machine operator
nailing machine operator
stamping press operator
tumbling machine operator

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

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

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

• 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.
• 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.

These skills are necessary for the role of riveter.

• Prepare pieces for joining: Prepare metal or other material workpieces for joining processes by cleaning the workpieces, checking their measurements with the technical plan and marking on the pieces where they’ll be joined.
• Apply preliminary treatment to workpieces: Apply preparatory treatment, through mechanical or chemical processes, to the workpiece preceding the main operation.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Ensure equipment availability: Ensure that the necessary equipment is provided, ready and available for use before start of procedures.

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

• Statistical process control: Method of quality control that uses statistics to monitor processes.
• Riveting machine types: The various types of machines used for riveting purposes, their qualities and applications, such as the impact riveting machine, radial riveting machine, orbital riveting machine, rollerform riveting machine, and others.
• Manufacturing of metal structures: The production of metal structures for construction.
• Metal joining technologies: The various technologies used for the joining and assembling of fabricated metal workpieces.
• Quality and cycle time optimisation: The most optimal rotation or cycle time and over-all quality of a tool or a machine’s processes.
• Ferrous metal processing: Various processing methods on iron and iron-containing alloys such as steel, stainless steel and pig iron.
• Manufacturing of metal containers: The manufacture of reservoirs, tanks and similar containers of metal, of types normally installed as fixtures for storage or manufacturing use. The manufacture of metal containers for compressed or liquefied gas.
• 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 steam generators: The manufacture of steam or other vapour generators, the manufacture of auxiliary plant for use with steam generators: condensers, economisers, superheaters, steam collectors and accumulators. The manufacture of nuclear reactors, parts for marine or power boilers. Also the production of pipe system construction comprising further processing of tubes generally to make pressure pipes or pipe systems together with the associated design and construction work.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of riveter. 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.
• Wear appropriate protective gear: Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.
• Read standard blueprints: Read and comprehend standard blueprints, machine, and process drawings.
• 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.
• Use cam software: Use computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) programmes to control machinery and machine tools in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation as part of the manufacturing processes of workpieces.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Program a CNC controller: Set up the desired product design in the CNC controller of the CNC machine for product manufacturing.
• Keep records of work progress: Maintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.
• 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.
• Interpret geometric dimensions and tolerances: Understand and assess the models and symbolic language of the GD&T system indicating engineering tolerances.

7214 – Structural-metal preparers and erectors

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References

1. Riveter – ESCO