Details for Sheet Metal Workers
Description
Fabricate, assemble, install, and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as ducts, control boxes, drainpipes, and furnace casings. Work may involve any of the following: setting up and operating fabricating machines to cut, bend, and straighten sheet metal; shaping metal over anvils, blocks, or forms using hammer; operating soldering and welding equipment to join sheet metal parts; inspecting, assembling, and smoothing seams and joints of burred surfaces.
Tasks
- Convert blueprints into shop drawings to be followed in the construction or assembly of sheet metal products.
- Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.
- Select gauges or types of sheet metal or nonmetallic material, according to product specifications.
- Fasten seams or joints together with welds, bolts, cement, rivets, solder, caulks, metal drive clips, or bonds to assemble components into products or to repair sheet metal items.
- Fabricate or alter parts at construction sites, using shears, hammers, punches, or drills.
- Trim, file, grind, deburr, buff, or smooth surfaces, seams, or joints of assembled parts, using hand tools or portable power tools.
- Finish parts, using hacksaws or hand, rotary, or squaring shears.
- Maintain equipment, making repairs or modifications when necessary.
- Shape metal material over anvils, blocks, or other forms, using hand tools.
- Transport prefabricated parts to construction sites for assembly and installation.
- Hire, train, or supervise new employees or apprentices.
- Construct components for high-performance wind turbine systems.
- Fabricate ducts for high efficiency heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to maximize efficiency of systems.
- Install green architectural sheet metal components, such as cool roofs or hot or cold walls.
- Perform building commissioning activities by completing mechanical inspections of a building's water, lighting, or heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
- Perform sheet metal work necessary for solar panel installations.
- Verify that heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are designed, installed, and calibrated in accordance with green certification standards, such as those of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
- Determine project requirements, such as scope, assembly sequences, or required methods or materials, using blueprints, drawings, or written or verbal instructions.
- Lay out, measure, and mark dimensions and reference lines on material, such as roofing panels, using calculators, scribes, dividers, squares, or rulers.
- Develop or lay out patterns, using computerized metalworking equipment.
- Maneuver completed roofing units into position for installation.
- Inspect individual parts, assemblies, or installations, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, scales, or micrometers.
- Secure metal roof panels in place by interlocking and fastening grooved panel edges.
- Fasten roof panel edges or machine-made moldings to structures by nailing or welding.
Interests
- Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Education, training, experience
- Education - These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
- Training - Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
- Experience - Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Knowledge
- Mathematics -Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Mechanical -Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Skills
None found.
Related careers
- Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Molding and Casting Workers
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Semiconductor Processors
- Tool and Die Makers
