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Career Details : Electrolytic Plating and Coating Machine Operators and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

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Description

Operate or tend electrolytic plating or coating machines, such as zinc-plating machines and anodizing machines, to coat metal or plastic products electrolytically with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, or other metal to provide protective or decorative surfaces or to build up worn surfaces.

Experience

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a drywall installer might benefit from experience installing drywall, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be an installer with little difficulty.

Education

These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.

Training

Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.

Tasks

  • Monitors and measures thickness of electroplating on component part to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometer.
  • Adjusts dials to regulate flow of current and voltage supplied to terminals to control plating process.
  • Lubricates moving parts of plating conveyor and cleans plating and cleaning solution tanks.
  • Mixes and tests plating solution to specified formula and turns valves to fill tank with solution.
  • Rinses coated object in cleansing liquids and dries with cloth, centrifugal driers, or by tumbling in sawdust-filled barrels.
  • Positions objects to be plated in frame or suspends them from positive or negative terminals of power supply.
  • Immerses objects to be coated or plated into cleaning solutions or sprays with conductive solution to prepare object for plating.
  • Removes object from plating solution after specified time or when desired thickness of metal is deposited on them.
  • Mixes forming acid solution, treats battery plates, and removes and rinses formed plates.
  • Measures or estimates amounts of electric current needed and time required to coat objects.

    Related Careers

    Important Abilities

    General Work Activities

    Important Skills

    Frequent Work Context

    • Degree of Automation
    • Indoors
    • Using Hands on Objects, Tools, Controls
    • Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
    • Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
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