The Metal Refining Furnace Operators job function is to operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel.
Task requirement for Metal Refining Furnace Operators
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operators draw smelted metal samples from furnaces or kettles for analysis and calculate types and amounts of materials needed to ensure that materials meet specifications.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operators drain, transfer, or remove molten metal from furnaces, and place it into molds, using hoists, pumps, or ladles.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operators record production data, and maintain production logs.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operators operate controls to move or discharge metal work pieces from furnaces.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operators weigh materials to be charged into furnaces, using scales.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operators regulate supplies of fuel and air, or control flow of electric current and water coolant to heat furnaces and adjust temperatures.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operators inspect furnaces and equipment to locate defects and wear.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operators observe operations inside furnaces, using television screens, to ensure that problems do not occur.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operators remove impurities from the surface of molten metal, using strainers.
The Metal Refining Furnace Operators need knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods. The Metal Refining Furnace Operator needs knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. The Metal Refining Furnace Operators need knowledge of chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods. The Metal Refining Furnace Operators needs knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Skills for the Metal Refining Furnace Operators
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operators watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operators need the skill to understand written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operators needs the skill to give full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operations needs the skill to control operations of equipment or systems.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operations needs the skill to consider the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operations needs the skill to adjust actions in relation to others’ actions.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operations needs to perform routine maintenance on equipment and determine when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operations needs the skill to monitor performance of you, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operations need the skills to teach others how to do something.
- The Metal Refining Furnace Operations need the skills to conduct tests and inspections of products, services, or processes, to evaluate quality or performance.
The Metal Refining Furnace Operations Work Activities
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events- The Metal Refining Furnace Operations identifies information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems- The Metal Refining Furnace Operations analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Getting Information- The Metal Refining Furnace Operations observes, receives, and otherwise obtains information from all relevant sources.
- Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings- The Metal Refining Furnace Operations monitors and reviews information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Controlling Machines and Processes- The Metal Refining Furnace Operations uses either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes not including computers or vehicles.
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material- The Metal Refining Furnace Operations inspects equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.