Career summary

Details for Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment


Description

Repair, test, adjust, or install electronic equipment, such as industrial controls, transmitters, and antennas.

Tasks

  • Perform scheduled preventive maintenance tasks, such as checking, cleaning, or repairing equipment, to detect and prevent problems.
  • Examine work orders and converse with equipment operators to detect equipment problems and to ascertain whether mechanical or human errors contributed to the problems.
  • Set up and test industrial equipment to ensure that it functions properly.
  • Operate equipment to demonstrate proper use or to analyze malfunctions.
  • Test faulty equipment to diagnose malfunctions, using test equipment or software, and applying knowledge of the functional operation of electronic units and systems.
  • Repair or adjust equipment, machines, or defective components, replacing worn parts, such as gaskets or seals in watertight electrical equipment.
  • Calibrate testing instruments and installed or repaired equipment to prescribed specifications.
  • Advise management regarding customer satisfaction, product performance, or suggestions for product improvements.
  • Inspect components of industrial equipment for accurate assembly and installation or for defects, such as loose connections or frayed wires.
  • Study blueprints, schematics, manuals, or other specifications to determine installation procedures.
  • Maintain equipment logs that record performance problems, repairs, calibrations, or tests.
  • Coordinate efforts with other workers involved in installing or maintaining equipment or components.
  • Maintain inventory of spare parts.
  • Consult with customers, supervisors, or engineers to plan layout of equipment or to resolve problems in system operation or maintenance.
  • Send defective units to the manufacturer or to a specialized repair shop for repair.
  • Install repaired equipment in various settings, such as industrial or military establishments.
  • Determine feasibility of using standardized equipment or develop specifications for equipment required to perform additional functions.
  • Enter information into computer to copy program or to draw, modify, or store schematics, applying knowledge of software package used.
  • Sign overhaul documents for equipment replaced or repaired.
  • Develop or modify industrial electronic devices, circuits, or equipment, according to available specifications.

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.
  • Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
  • Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Education, training, experience

  • Education - Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
  • Training - Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
  • Experience - Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Knowledge

  • Clerical -Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Public Safety and Security -Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Production and Processing -Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • English Language -Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • 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.
  • Building and Construction -Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
  • Mathematics -Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Design -Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  • 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.
  • Mechanical -Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • Computers and Electronics -Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills

  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

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