Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Chicago, IL

Common tasks

• Instruct new workers in machine operation.
• Move controls to light gas burners and to adjust gas and water flow and flame temperature.
• Read production schedules and work orders to determine processing sequences, furnace temperatures, and heat cycle requirements for objects to be heat-treated.
• Record times that parts are removed from furnaces to document that objects have attained specified temperatures for specified times.
• Adjust controls to maintain temperatures and heating times, using thermal instruments and charts, dials and gauges of furnaces, and color of stock in furnaces to make setting determinations.
• Start conveyors and open furnace doors to load stock, or signal crane operators to uncover soaking pits and lower ingots into them.
• Set up and operate or tend machines, such as furnaces, baths, flame-hardening machines, and electronic induction machines, that harden, anneal, and heat-treat metal.
• Remove parts from furnaces after specified times, and air dry or cool parts in water, oil brine, or other baths.
• Determine flame temperatures, current frequencies, heating cycles, and induction heating coils needed, based on degree of hardness required and properties of stock to be treated.
• Determine types and temperatures of baths and quenching media needed to attain specified part hardness, toughness, and ductility, using heat-treating charts and knowledge of methods, equipment, and metals.