Woodworking processes

Steps in the processing of wood for the manufacturing of wooden articles and types of machines used for these processes such as drying, shaping, assembling and surface finishing.

woodwork processes
woodworking procedures
wood working processes
woodworking mechanisms
woodworking measures
woodworking systems

knowledge

cross-sector

Woodworking processes is an essential knowledge of the following occupations:

Table saw operator: Table saw operators work with industrial saws that cut with a rotating circular blade. The saw is built into a table. The operator sets the height of the saw to control the depth of the cut. Particular attention is paid to safety, as factors such as natural stresses within the wood may produce unpredictable forces.
Wood technology engineer: Wood technology engineers develop materials and components made of wood, construct production facilities and control and monitor the production. They also examine products and materials and advise customers.
Wood sander: Wood sanders smoothen the surface of a wooden object using various sanding instruments. Each applies an abrasive surface, usually sandpaper, to the workpiece to remove irregularities.
Planer thicknesser operator: Planer thicknesser operators use machinery to shave wood planks to a uniform thickness. The machine usually planes both sides of the plank in one operation. They feed the plank into the machine carefully to prevent excess planing at the edge known as ‘snipe’.
Toymaker: Toymakers create or reproduce hand-made objects for sale and exhibition made of various materials such as plastic, wood and textile. They develop, design and sketch the object, select the materials and cut, shape and process the materials as necessary and apply finishes. In addition, toymakers maintain and repair all types of toys, including mechanical ones. They identify defects in toys, replace damaged parts and restore their functionality.
Debarker operator: Debarker operators operate debarking machines to strip harvested trees of their bark. The tree is fed into the machine, after which the bark is stripped using abrasion or cutting.
Wood products assembler: Wood products assemblers put together products from premade pieces of wood. They operate machines, often hydraulic, that bind the various elements of a product together using joints, glue or other fasteners. Assemblers put the elements in place, operate the machine and look out for problems.
Sawmill operator: Sawmill operators work with automated lumber mill equipment which saws timber into rough lumber. They also handle various sawing machines which further process the lumber in various shapes and sizes. These processes are nowadays often computer controlled.
Manufactured wooden building assembler: Manufactured wooden building assemblers put together wooden elements for use in construction. The elements, or modules, may consist of walls with windows and doors built-in, or may be as large as whole rooms. The assemblers put together the supporting structure, insulation materials, and covering, and fasten it together to obtain usable modules.
Band saw operator: Band saw operators work with industrial saws that feature a continuous flexible blade revolving around two or more wheels. Band saws are most effective at producing irregular shapes.
Woodturner: Woodturners use a lathe to remove superfluous material from wood. The lathe turns the workpiece around its axis, as shape tools are used to obtain the desired shape.
Wood treater: Wood treaters apply treatments to wood to make it resistant to environmental factors like mould, cold, moisture, or staining. Treatments may also contribute to the colour of the wood. Wood treaters may use chemicals, heat, gasses, UV light, or a combination of these to treat wood.
Wood factory manager: Wood factory managers realise planning, commercial and advisory tasks of wood factory and timber trade. They also manage purchasing, sales, customer service and marketing of wood and wood products.
Woodcarver: Woodcarvers manually shape wood into the desired shape using equipment like knives, gouges and chisels. Woodcarvers produce wooden products to serve as decoration, to be integrated into a composite product, as utensils or as toys.
Wood production supervisor: Wood production supervisors monitor processes involved in the conversion of felled trees into usable lumber. They follow the production process and make quick decisions to resolve problems. ​They ensure that production targets, such as quantity and quality of products, timeliness and cost-effectiveness, can be achieved.
Wood router operator: Wood router operators work with industrial routers to cut wood into the desired shape. Routers have a routing head that moves over the wood, going up and down to regulate the depth of the incision. Contemporary industrial wood routers usually are computer controlled for extremely fine and consistent results.

Woodworking processes is optional for these occupations. This means knowing this knowledge may be an asset for career advancement if you are in one of these occupations.

Industrial arts vocational teacher: Industrial arts vocational teachers instruct students in their specialised field of study, industrial arts, which is predominantly practical in nature. They provide theoretical instruction in service of the practical skills and techniques the students must subsequently master for an industrial arts-related profession, working with wood and metal, such as carpenter or sheet metal worker. Industrial arts vocational teachers monitor the students’ progress, assist individually when necessary, and evaluate their knowledge and performance on the subject of industrial arts through assignments, tests and examinations.
Filing machine operator: Filing machine operators set up and tend filing machines such as band files, reciprocating files and bench filing machines in order to smoothen metal, wood or plastic surfaces by precisely cutting and removing small amounts of excess material.
Computer-aided design operator: Computer-aided design operators use computer hardware and software in order to add the technical dimensions to computer aided design drawings. Computer-aided design operators ensure all additional aspects of the created images of products are accurate and realistic. They also calculate the amount of materials needed to manufacture the products. Later the finalised digital design is processed by computer-aided manufacturing machines that produce the finished product.
Manufacturing manager: Manufacturing managers plan, oversee and direct the manufacturing process in an organisation. They ensure products and services are efficiently produced within the timeframe and budget given.
Consumer goods inspector: Consumer goods inspectors evaluate assembled parts of consumer goods and products for compliance with specifications and defects in-line with clients’ requirements and organisational policies. Consumer goods inspectors provide results and findings for reports. Inspected defects can be identified as being cracks, scratches, errors in sanding, and defects of moving parts.
Wooden furniture machine operator: Wooden furniture machine operators run machines that manufacture wooden furniture parts, according to the established operating procedure. They ensure the machine works smoothly and repair parts if necessary.
Wood boring machine operator: Wood boring machine operators use milling machines or specialise boring jigs to cut holes in wood workpieces. Wood boring differs from routing mainly in that the main movement is into the workpiece as opposed to across its surface.
Wood pallet maker: Wood pallet makers create wood pallets for use in storage, shipping and manipulation of goods. Pallet makers operate a machine that takes in usually low-grade softwood planks treated with heat or chemicals and nails them together. The material and shape of the pallets, the treatment methods, and the number and pattern of nails used are all highly standardised to make exchange of used pallets possible.
Lumber grader: Lumber graders inspect lumber, or wood cut into planks. They test the lumber, look for irregularities and grade the wood based on quality and desirability of the pattern.
Dip tank operator: Dip tank operators set up and tend dip tanks, which are coating machines, designed to provide otherwise finished work pieces with durable coating by dipping them in a tank of a specific sort of paint, preservative or molten zinc.
Civil engineer: Civil engineers design, plan, and develop technical and engineering specifications for infrastructure and construction projects. They apply engineering knowledge in a vast array of projects, from the construction of infrastructure for transportation, housing projects, and luxury buildings, to the construction of natural sites. They design plans that seek to optimise materials and integrate specifications and resource allocation within the time constraints.
Wood assembly supervisor: Wood assembly supervisors monitor the various processes in the assembly of wood products. They have a thorough understanding of the production processes under their supervision and take quick decisions when required.

References

1. Woodworking processes – ESCO