Occupation Summary

Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

O*NET 51-4191.00

Description:

Set up, operate, or tend heating equipment, such as heat-treating furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment to temper, harden, anneal, or heat treat metal or plastic objects.

Annual Wages:
$44,871.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by 9.72%.
Education Level:
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED). According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
Business and Industry

  1. Read production schedules and work orders to determine processing sequences, furnace temperatures, and heat cycle requirements for objects to be heat-treated.
  2. Record times that parts are removed from furnaces to document that objects have attained specified temperatures for specified times.
  3. Set up and operate or tend machines, such as furnaces, baths, flame-hardening machines, and electronic induction machines, that harden, anneal, and heat-treat metal.
  4. Determine types and temperatures of baths and quenching media needed to attain specified part hardness, toughness, and ductility, using heat-treating charts and knowledge of methods, equipment, and metals.
  5. Remove parts from furnaces after specified times, and air dry or cool parts in water, oil brine, or other baths.
  6. Position stock in furnaces, using tongs, chain hoists, or pry bars.
  7. Instruct new workers in machine operation.
  8. Adjust controls to maintain temperatures and heating times, using thermal instruments and charts, dials and gauges of furnaces, and color of stock in furnaces to make setting determinations.
  9. Determine flame temperatures, current frequencies, heating cycles, and induction heating coils needed, based on degree of hardness required and properties of stock to be treated.
  10. Load parts into containers and place containers on conveyors to be inserted into furnaces, or insert parts into furnaces.
  11. Mount workpieces in fixtures, on arbors, or between centers of machines.
  12. Move controls to light gas burners and to adjust gas and water flow and flame temperature.
  13. Reduce heat when processing is complete to allow parts to cool in furnaces or machinery.
  14. Signal forklift operators to deposit or extract containers of parts into and from furnaces and quenching rinse tanks.
  15. Test parts for hardness, using hardness testing equipment, or by examining and feeling samples.
  16. Examine parts to ensure metal shades and colors conform to specifications, using knowledge of metal heat-treating.
  17. Repair, replace, and maintain furnace equipment as needed, using hand tools.
  18. Start conveyors and open furnace doors to load stock, or signal crane operators to uncover soaking pits and lower ingots into them.
  19. Heat billets, bars, plates, rods, and other stock to specified temperatures preparatory to forging, rolling, or processing, using oil, gas, or electrical furnaces.
  20. Clean oxides and scales from parts or fittings, using steam sprays or chemical and water baths.
  21. Stamp heat-treatment identification marks on parts, using hammers and punches.
  22. Set and adjust speeds of reels and conveyors for prescribed time cycles to pass parts through continuous furnaces.
  23. Mount fixtures and industrial coils on machines, using hand tools.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic employed Annual Growth Rate
Coating, engraving, heat treating, and allied activities 21.8 -1.21
Motor vehicle parts manufacturing 6.8 -3.13
Aerospace product and parts manufacturing 4.4 0.00
Employment services 4.1 -1.53
Machine shops; turned product; and screw, nut, and bolt manufacturing 3.3 -2.21
Other electrical equipment and component manufacturing 2.9 1.84
Foundries 2.9 -2.21


Labor Market Information


2024 Statewide average hourly wage $21.57
2024 National average hourly wage $23.57
2022 National employment 16,000
2022 Texas employment 2,798
Texas projected employment by 2032 3,070
Texas projected annual employment and Turnover openings through 2032 310




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.


Top 10 Relevant Knowledge Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
78.60%
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
65.00%
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
57.00%
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
55.00%
Chemistry
Knowledge of the 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.
54.20%
Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
51.80%
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
51.60%
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
51.20%
Design
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
49.20%
Physics
Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
48.40%


Top 10 Relevant Skill Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
75.00%
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
75.00%
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
62.40%
Active Listening
Giving 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.
62.40%
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
62.40%
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
62.40%
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
60.00%
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
60.00%
Equipment Maintenance
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
60.00%
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
57.60%


Top 10 Relevant Abilities Relevant Importance Levels
Arm-Hand Steadiness
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
75.00%
Multilimb Coordination
The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
72.40%
Reaction Time
The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
72.40%
Manual Dexterity
The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
70.00%
Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
70.00%
Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
70.00%
Control Precision
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
67.60%
Static Strength
The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
67.60%
Trunk Strength
The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
67.60%
Stamina
The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
65.00%


  • Handling and Moving Objects
    -- Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Controlling Machines and Processes
    -- Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
  • Performing General Physical Activities
    -- Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    -- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
    -- Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
Other Activities


  • Relationships
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
  • Support
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

No certifications found.


Tools

Air exhausters: Exhaust gas collection systems;

Blast freezers: Shock freezers;

Bridge cranes: Bridge cranes;

Carburization and nitrification electric furnace: Carbonitriding equipment;

Claw hammer: Claw hammers;

Conductivity meters: Conductivity testers;

Facial shields: Heat resistant face masks;

Forklifts: Wheeled forklifts;

Fume hoods or cupboards: Suction hoods;

Gas generators: Gas powered generators;

Grease guns: Lubricant guns;

Hand trucks or accessories: Electronic hand trucks;

Hardness testers: Steel hardness testers;

Heat resistant clothing: Protective clothing;

Heat treating age hardening furnace: Shaker hearth furnaces; Induction hardening furnaces; Annealing furnaces; Atmosphere furnaces; Batch type hardening furnaces; Continuous hardening furnaces; Flame-hardening machines; Soaking pits; Tempering furnaces;

High frequency induction vacuum melting furnace: Vacuum heat treating furnaces;

Hoists: Chain hoists;

Jib crane: Free-standing jib cranes;

Leak testing equipment: Vacuum leak detectors;

Magnifiers: Steel hardness scopes;

Manlift or personnel lift: Order pickers;

Open end wrenches: Open end hand wrenches;

Pallet trucks: Pallet jacks; Pallet riders;

Personal computers: Personal computers;

Power grinders: Power grinding tools;

Protective gloves: Kevlar gloves; Fiberglass gloves; Finger protection gloves;

Pry bars: Pry bars;

Quench machine: Quench presses;

Salt bath furnace: Automated salt bath furnaces;

Sand blasting machine: Sand blasters;

Screwdrivers: Slotted screwdrivers;

Shot peening machine: Shot blasters;

Stackers: Winch stackers;

Thermocouples: Digital thermocouples;

Tongs: Industrial furnace tongs;

Vacuum pumps: Mechanical vacuum pumps;


Technology

Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook;

Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Enterprise resource planning ERP software; SAP software;

Office suite software: Microsoft Office software;

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel;

Word processing software: Microsoft Word;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic include:
  • 51-9192.00 Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders
  • 51-9193.00 Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
  • 51-9041.00 Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
  • 51-4022.00 Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  • 51-9051.00 Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
  • 51-4051.00 Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
  • 51-4072.00 Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  • 51-4193.00 Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  • 51-9012.00 Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
  • 51-4122.00 Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders


Sources of Additional Information
  • For more information about metal and plastic machine workers, including training and certification, visit 
  • Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA)
  • National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS)
  • For information about manufacturing careers, machinery, and equipment, visit: Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT)
  • National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA)
  • Precision Machined Products Association (PMPA)
  • Precision Metalforming Association (PMA)
  • Occupational Requirements Survey

  • For a profile highlighting selected BLS data on occupational requirements, see
  • Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders (PDF)
  • Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
  • Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers
  • Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  • Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  • Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  • Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  • Foundry Mold and Coremakers
  • Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  • Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  • Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  • Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
  • Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  • Model Makers, Metal and Plastic
  • Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  • Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  • Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic
  • Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  • Pourers and Casters, Metal
  • Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
  • Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

  • Contact Texas Workforce Commission
    Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
    Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

    ** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.