Surface treatment operator

Surface treatment operators apply chemicals and paint to the material surface in order to protect against corrosion. They calculate the materials needed for surface protection.

The following job titles also refer to surface treatment operator:

marine vessel painter
anti-corrosion surface treatment worker
anti-corrosion paint technician
surface treatment operative
surface treatment worker
ship painter
vessel painter
anti- corrosion surface treatment operative
surface treatment technician
surface coatings technician
anti-corrosion surface treatment operator

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as a surface treatment operator.

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.

Surface treatment operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to surface treatment operator.

aircraft de-icer installer
motor vehicle upholsterer
automotive battery technician
automotive brake technician
fiberglass laminator

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

hydroelectric plant operator
geothermal power plant operator
solar power plant operator
machine operator supervisor
machinery assembly supervisor

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of surface treatment operator.

• Corrosion types: The various types of oxidation reactions with the environment, such as rusting, copper pitting, stress cracking, and others.
• Material mechanics: The behaviour of solid objects when subjected to stresses and strains, and the methods to calculate these stresses and strains.
• 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 surface treatment operator.

• 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.
• Work with chemicals: Handle chemicals and select specific ones for certain processes. Be aware of the reactions which arise from combining them.
• 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.
• Apply health and safety standards: Adhere to standards of hygiene and safety established by respective authorities.

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

• Dip-coating process: The various steps in the process of dipping a workpiece in a coating material solution, including immersion, start-up, deposition, drainage, and, possibly, evaporation.
• Electroplating: The process of plating together different types of metals through hydrolysis, silver plating, chromium plating, or copper plating. Electroplating allows for the combination of different metals with different properties in product manufacturing.
• Industrial paint: The various kinds of paint used as coating in manufacturing finishing processes, such as primers, intermediate coats, finish coats, stripe coats, and others.
• Anodising process: The various steps necessary in the process of forming an electrical circuit’s anode electrode in order to increase the density of the natural oxide layer on the surface of a metal workpiece hereby enhancing corrosion and wear. These steps include: pre-cleaning, masking and racking, degreasing and rinsing, etching and rinsing, deoxidising and rinsing, anodising and rinsing, sealing and drying, and inspection.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of surface treatment operator. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Monitor painting operations: Monitor the painting in progress to prevent flaws.
• Mix chemicals: Mix chemical substances safely according to recipe, using the proper dosages.
• Maintain equipment: Regularly inspect and perform all required activities to maintain the equipment in functional order prior or after its use.
• 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.
• Tend electroplating machine: Tend a metalworking machine designed to coat metal surfaces by using electric current to form metal coatings on an electrode and on the workpiece, monitor and operate it according to regulations.
• Tend anodising machine: Tend the different stations of a metalworking machine designed to form anode electrodes as part of the anodising process. This includes tending the coil feed operation station, the pre-treatment and cleaning tanks, the anodise tanks, the post treatment facility and the coil rewind equipment; monitor and operate all according to regulations.
• Tend dip tank: Tend a manufacturing machine designed to coat workpiece surfaces by applying dip-coating machine processes, monitor and operate it according to regulations.

7132 – Spray painters and varnishers

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References

1. Surface treatment operator – ESCO