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.  

The following job titles also refer to spot welder:

fitter-welder
weld technician
flash welder
butt welder
spot welding machine operator
tack welder
sheet metal welder
welder-fabricator
electric arc welder
welder-fitter
stitch welder
robotic welder
construction welder
sheet-metal welder
welder fabricator
resistance welder
electric spot welder
ultrasonic metal welder

A high school diploma is generally required to work as a spot welder.

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.

Spot welder is a Skill level 2 occupation.

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

laser beam welder
electron beam welder
brazier
solderer
riveter

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

automated assembly line operator
pulp control operator
welding inspector
metal production supervisor
machine operator supervisor

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

• Spot welding machine parts: Parts of a machine designed to perform spot welding practices on metal workpieces, such as the air or hydraulic cylinder, welding head, spot welding electrodes, upper platen, lower platen, flexible bands, knee, and others.
• Electric current: Flow of electric charge, carried by electrons or ions in a medium such as an electrolyte or a plasma.
• 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.

These skills are necessary for the role of spot welder.

• 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.
• Monitor gauge: Oversee the data presented by a gauge concerning the measurement of pressure, temperature, thickness of a material, and others.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Apply spot welding techniques: Apply and work with a variety of techniques in the process of welding metal workpieces under pressure exercised by electrodes, such as projection welding, radius style electrodes spot welding and eccentric electrodes spot welding.
• 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.
• Wear appropriate protective gear: Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.
• Ensure equipment availability: Ensure that the necessary equipment is provided, ready and available for use before start of procedures.
• Apply precision metalworking techniques: Comply with precision standards specific to an organisation or product in metalworking, involved in processes such as engraving, precise cutting, welding.
• 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.
• Ensure correct metal temperature: Ensure the necessary, usually constant, temperature of processed metal workpieces during metal fabrication processes.
• 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.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of spot welder. 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.
• Manufacturing of cutlery: The manufacture of different cutlery items, such as forks, spoons, knives, razors or scissors.
• 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.
• 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.
• Electrical discharge: The qualities and applications of electrical discharge, including voltage and electrodes.
• Manufacturing of small metal parts: The manufacture of metal cable, plaited bands and other articles of that type, uninsulated or insulated cable not capable of being used as a conductor of electricity, coated or cored wire as well as barbed wire, wire fencing, grill, netting, cloth etc. Manufacture of coated electrodes for electric arc-welding, nails and pins, chain and springs (except watch springs): as well as leaves for springs.
• 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.
• Metal thermal conductivity: The property of metals to conduct heat.
• Manufacturing of heating equipment: The manufacture of electrical ovens and water heaters by metalworking processes.
• 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 doors from metal: The manufacture of metal doors, windows and their frames, shutters and gates, and the metal room partitions for floor attachment.
• Manufacturing of weapons and ammunition: The manufacture of heavy weapons (artillery, mobile guns, rocket launchers, torpedo tubes, heavy machine guns), small arms (revolvers, shotguns, light machine guns), air or gas guns and pistols, and war ammunition. Also the manufacture of hunting, sporting or protective firearms and ammunition and of explosive devices such as bombs, mines and torpedoes.
• Manufacturing of tools: The manufacture of knives and cutting blades for machines or for mechanical appliances, hand tools such as pliers, screwdrivers etc. The manufacture of non-power-driven agricultural hand tools, saws and saw blades, including circular saw blades and chainsaw blades. The manufacture of interchangeable tools for hand tools, whether or not power-operated, or for machine tools: drills, punches, milling cutters etc. The manufacture of press tools, moulding boxes and moulds (except ingot moulds), vices and clamps, and blacksmiths’ tools: forges, anvils etc.
• 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 spot welder. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Apply electrolytes to cathodes and anodes: Immerse the components anode and cathose of an electric circuit in a electrolyte solution safely, consisting of metal salts, acids, bases, and other ions that facilitate the flow of electricity.
• Operate oxy-fuel welding torch: Operate a cutting torch fueled by oxyacetylene gas safely to perform welding processes on a workpiece.
• Supply machine with appropriate tools: Supply the machine with the necessary tools and items for a particular production purpose.
• Apply arc welding techniques: Apply and work with a variety of techniques in the process of arc welding, such as shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, submerged arc welding and flux-cored arc welding.
• Record production data for quality control: Keep records of the machine’s faults, interventions and irregularities for quality control.
• Apply preliminary treatment to workpieces: Apply preparatory treatment, through mechanical or chemical processes, to the workpiece preceding the main operation.
• Use welding equipment: Operate welding equipment in a safe manner; use welding techniques such as shielded metal arc welding or flux-cored arc welding.
• Perform product testing: Test processed workpieces or products for basic faults.
• 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.
• Perform metal active gas welding: Weld metal, mostly steel, workpieces together using active gas mixtures such as concotions of argon, carbon dioxide and oxygen.
• Monitor conveyor belt: Monitor the flow of the work pieces on the conveyor belt as they are processed by the machine to ensure optimal productivity.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Smooth burred surfaces: Inspect and smooth burred surfaces of steel and metal parts.
• 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.
• Adjust temperature gauges: Operate temperature gauges to maintain food and drink items at appropriate temperatures.

7212 – Welders and flamecutters

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References

1. Spot welder – ESCO