Plastic Fabricators weld, drill, cut, form and shape plastic. They fabricate and assemble plastic products using their knowledge of the properties of plastics and how they bond together.
They use power tools, hand tools and precision equipment to rework and repair plastic products. They are required to read work orders and interpret blueprints in order to plan and carry out the design specifications.
Nature of Work
Plastic fabricators follow patterns laid out on templates, sketches, blueprints or samples with the use of instruments to measure and mark plastic materials. After creating the cutting lines, they cut the plastic material to the specified measurements with knives, cutters, shears, saws or routers depending on the most appropriate tool or equipment. They mix various ingredients called for by the formula they are following such as catalysts, accelerators, resins, colors using tools for this purpose. Plastic fabricators are responsible for setting up and operating the machines used to press, shape or laminate plastic products. They are also involved in operating the oven to cure plastic components or parts. They use the proper tools to trim, drill, ream countersink, grind and finish the different plastic parts according to specifications. Using precision instruments such as calipers and micrometers, plastic fabricators test and verify that the parts’ dimensions are correct. They fit and assemble the finished parts together, and attach the required hardware and fittings to complete the product.
Qualifications
The educational level that candidates must have usually depends on the particular company that is hiring a plastic fabricator. Some companies prefer high school graduates although most of them give more importance to experience and extra training. Workers usually learn more plastic fabrication skills through on-the-job training. They need to have manual dexterity and good eyesight to be able to carry out repetitive and complex tasks, especially for those who are assigned to work with small parts. They must possess good interpersonal and communication skills both written and oral, as well as the ability to work in a team. They must be able to read and understand engineering drawings and documents in order to carry out the instructions according to specifications.