BOILERMAKING
Boilermakers are specialized artisans who mark off and fabricate structural steel and other metal stock to make or repair metal products and structures including boilers and pressure vessels.
WHAT DUTIES & TASKS DOES A BOILERMAKER PERFORM?
- Develops layout and plans sequence of operations for fabricating and assembling structural metal products, applying trigonometry and knowledge of metal.
- Locates and marks bending and cutting lines onto work piece, allowing for stock thickness and machine and welding shrinkage.
- Hammers, chips, and grinds work piece to cut, bend, and straighten metal.
- Reheats work pieces to render them malleable, using hand torch or furnace.
- Positions, aligns, fits, and welds together parts, using jigs, welding torch and hand tools.
- What skills and abilities must I have to become a Boilermaker?
- Active Listening (Giving full attention to what other people say and taking time to understand the points being made);
- Time Management (Must be able to manage their own time and the time of others effectively);
- Equipment Selection (Be able to determine the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job);
- Equipment Maintenance (Perform routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed);
- Quality Control Analysis (Conducting tests and inspection of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance);
- Mathematics (It is used to solve problems);
- Critical Thinking (Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems); and
- Have the ability to Speak (Talk to others to convey information effectively).
What are the working conditions of a Boilermaker?
Most Structural Metal Fabricators or Boilermakers work in workshops that are often noisy, but lighting and ventilation are generally good. The work requires constant physical activity. Most workshops have modern equipment. Possible work hazards are flying metal chips, falling metal objects and burns from welding torches.
ADVICE
Boilermaking requires constant physical activity.
