Water jet cutter operator

Water jet cutter operators set up and operate a water jet cutter, designed to cut excess material from a metal workpiece by using a high-pressure jet of water, or an abrasive substance mixed with water.

The following job titles also refer to water jet cutter operator:

CNC waterjet cutter operator
abrasive jet cutting machine operator
water jet operator
CNC water jet cutting machine operator
abrasive jet cutter operator
water jet cutting machine technician
water-jet technician
water jet technician
waterjet cutter operator
water jet cutting machine operator
waterjet cutter operative
water jet cutting machine operative
waterjet cutting machine operative
waterjet cutter apprentice
abrasive jet cutting machine operative
abrasive jet cutter technician
waterjet cutting machine operator
CNC waterjet cutting machine operator
abrasive jet cutter operative
waterjet technician
abrasive jet cutting machine technician
waterjet cutting machine technician

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as water jet cutter operator. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

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.

Water jet cutter operator is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to water jet cutter operator.

plasma cutting machine operator
drilling machine operator
punch press operator
lathe and turning machine operator
grinding machine operator

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

automated assembly line operator
industrial robot controller
pulp control operator
product development engineering technician
metal production supervisor

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of water jet cutter operator.

Water pressure: Physical laws, qualities and applications of liquid or water pressure.
Cam software: Different tools for computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) to control machinery and machine tools in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation as part of the manufacturing processes of workpieces.
Manufacturing processes: The steps required through which a material is transformed into a product, its development and full-scale manufacturing.
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 water jet cutter operator.

Tend water jet cutter machine: Tend a jet cutter machine, operating and monitoring the machine, according to regulations.
Supply machine with appropriate tools: Supply the machine with the necessary tools and items for a particular production purpose.
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.
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 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.
Dispose of cutting waste material: Dispose of possibly hazardous waste material created in the cutting process, such as swarf, scrap and slugs, sort according to regulations, and clean up workplace.
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 cross-reference tools for product identification: Employ cross-reference tools and programmes, listing file names and line numbers, to identify part numbers, descriptions, and the vendor as source of origin.
Use automatic programming: Utilise specialised software tools to generate computer code from specifications, such as diagrams, structured informations or other means of describing functionality.
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.
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.
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 water jet cutter operator. 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.
Abrasive blasting processes: The various processes, methods and materials used in abrasive blasting technologies, such as wet abrasive blasting, wheel blasting, hydro-blasting, sand blasting, and others.
Cutting technologies: The variety of cutting technologies, such as software or mechanics, guiding cutting processes through lasering, sawing, milling etc.
Manufacturing of metal structures: The production of metal structures for construction.
Manufacturing of cutlery: The manufacture of different cutlery items, such as forks, spoons, knives, razors or scissors.
Cadd software: The computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) is the use of computer technology for design and design documentation. CAD software replaces manual drafting with an automated process.
Quality and cycle time optimisation: The most optimal rotation or cycle time and over-all quality of a tool or a machine’s processes.
Electrical engineering: Understand electrical engineering, a field of engineering that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism.
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.
Cae software: The software to perform computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis tasks such as Finite Element Analysis and Computional Fluid Dynamics.
Manufacturing of steel drums and similar containers: The manufacture of pails, cans, drums, buckets, boxes, through metalworking processes.
Cad software: The computer-aided design (CAD) software for creating, modifying, analysing or optimising a design.
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 light metal packaging: The manufacture of tins and cans for food products, collapsible tubes and boxes, and of metallic closures.
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.
Mechanics: Theoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.
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 water jet cutter operator. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Work ergonomically: Apply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.
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.
Record production data for quality control: Keep records of the machine’s faults, interventions and irregularities for quality control.
Monitor stock level: Evaluate how much stock is used and determine what should be ordered.
Read standard blueprints: Read and comprehend standard blueprints, machine, and process drawings.
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.
Procure mechanical machinery: Procure adequate machinery. Research the market to find the best machinery, staying within budget limits, and negotiate the purchase. Maintain records.
Provide advice to technicians: Offer help and advice to service technicians in case of machine malfunctions and other repair tasks.
Mark processed workpiece: Inspect and mark parts of the workpiece to indicate how they will fit into the finished product.
Maintain mechanical equipment: Observe and listen to machinery operation to detect malfunction. Service, repair, adjust, and test machines, parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical principles. Maintain and repair vehicles meant for cargo, passengers, farming and landscaping.
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.
Interpret geometric dimensions and tolerances: Understand and assess the models and symbolic language of the GD&T system indicating engineering tolerances.

7223 – Metal working machine tool setters and operators

References

1. Water jet cutter operator – ESCO