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Plating Machine Worker

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AVG. SALARY

$46,820

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EDUCATION

High school preferred +

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JOB OUTLOOK

Stable

What They Do

Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Career Video

About This Career

Sets up, operates, or tends plating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces. Typically, the product being coated is immersed in molten metal or an electrolytic solution.

This career is part of the Manufacturing cluster Production pathway.

A person in this career:

  • Immerses workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times.
  • Adjusts dials to regulate flow of current and voltage supplied to terminals to control plating processes.
  • Inspects coated or plated areas for defects, such as air bubbles or uneven coverage.
  • Sets up, operates, or tends plating or coating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces.
  • Observes gauges to ensure that machines are operating properly, making adjustments or stopping machines when problems occur.
  • Removes objects from solutions at periodic intervals and observes objects to verify conformance to specifications.
  • Maintains production records.
  • Removes excess materials or impurities from objects, using air hoses or grinding machines.
  • Examines completed objects to determine thicknesses of metal deposits, or measures thicknesses by using instruments such as micrometers.
  • Rinses coated objects in cleansing liquids and dries them with cloths, centrifugal driers, or by tumbling in sawdust-filled barrels.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

  • You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
  • Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
  • Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
  • Conditions are very hot (above 90 F) or very cold (under 32 F)
  • Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
  • Exposed to conditions such as high voltage electricity, combustibles, explosives, and chemicals more than once a month
  • Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
  • Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

  • Seeing clearly up close
  • Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
  • Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
  • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying objects
  • Using abdominal and lower back muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring

Work Hours and Travel

  • Overtime work
  • Rotating shift work

Specialty and Similar Careers

Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:

  • Anodizer
  • Anodizing Line Operator
  • Chrome Plater
  • Coater Associate
  • Coater Operator
  • Electro Plater
  • Galvanizer
  • Line Operator
  • Machine Operator
  • Plater

Contact

  • Email Support

  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900

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