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Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders - 51-4051.00

O*NET-SOC Description

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.

Sample of Reported Job Titles

  • Central Melt Specialist
  • Melt Room Operator
  • Melt Supervisor
  • Vessel Operator
  • Arc / Argon Oxygen Decarborization Melter (ARC / AOD Melter)
  • Automatic Furnace Operator
  • Control Room Operator
  • Direct Casting Operator
  • Electric Melt Operator
  • Utility Person

SOC Occupation Groups

51-0000 Production Occupations
51-4000 Metal Workers and Plastic Workers
51-4050 Metal Furnace Operators, Tenders, Pourers, and Casters
51-4051.00 Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

Related Occupations

Tasks

  • Direct work crews in the cleaning and repair of furnace walls and flooring.
  • Drain, transfer, or remove molten metal from furnaces, and place it into molds, using hoists, pumps, or ladles.
  • Draw smelted metal samples from furnaces or kettles for analysis, and calculate types and amounts of materials needed to ensure that materials meet specifications.
  • Inspect furnaces and equipment to locate defects and wear.
  • Kindle fires, and shovel fuel and other materials into furnaces or onto conveyors by hand, with hoists, or by directing crane operators.
  • Observe air and temperature gauges or metal color and fluidity, and turn fuel valves or adjust controls to maintain required temperatures.
  • Observe operations inside furnaces, using television screens, to ensure that problems do not occur.
  • Operate controls to move or discharge metal workpieces from furnaces.
  • Prepare material to load into furnaces, including cleaning, crushing, or applying chemicals, by using crushing-machines, shovels, rakes, or sprayers.
  • Record production data, and maintain production logs.
  • Regulate supplies of fuel and air, or control flow of electric current and water coolant to heat furnaces and adjust temperatures.
  • Remove impurities from the surface of molten metal, using strainers.
  • Scrape accumulations of metal oxides from floors, molds, and crucibles, and sift and store them for reclamation.
  • Sprinkle chemicals over molten metal to bring impurities to the surface.
  • Weigh materials to be charged into furnaces, using scales.

Detailed Work Activities

  • adjust production equipment/machinery setup
  • collect samples for testing
  • compute production, construction, or installation specifications
  • conduct analyses to determine physical properties of materials
  • direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
  • examine products or work to verify conformance to specifications
  • inspect machinery or equipment to determine adjustments or repairs needed
  • load or unload material or workpiece into machinery
  • load, unload, or stack containers, materials, or products
  • maintain production or work records
  • measure, weigh, or count products or materials
  • monitor production machinery/equipment operation to detect problems
  • move or fit heavy objects
  • operate hoist, winch, or hydraulic boom
  • operate ore refining/foundry equipment/machinery
  • operate power driven pumps
  • perform safety inspections in manufacturing or industrial setting
  • signal directions or warnings to coworkers
  • use power or hand tools in metals processing
  • use precision measuring tools or equipment

Military Crosswalk Titles

No information available.

Apprenticeship Crosswalk Titles

  • Cupola Tender
  • Furnace Operator

DOT Crosswalk Titles

  • Cadmium Burner
  • Charger Operator
  • Cupola Tender
  • First Helper
  • Furnace Charger
  • Furnace Operator
  • Furnace Tender
  • Oxygen-Furnace Operator
  • Reclamation Kettle Tender, Metal
  • Stove Tender
  • Tin Recovery Worker