Check equipment, PPE, and workspace before anyone touches metal.
Study the day's drawings; mark key dimensions and flag anything unclear.
Lay out cut lines on raw stock — re-check twice before committing.
Plasma cutter and saw turn flat steel into the right blanks.
Press brake bends pieces to spec; rollers curve what the brake can't.
Tack, check alignment, then run full welds to lock the structure together.
Grinder smooths rough beads and sharp edges until surfaces pass inspection.
Measure every critical dimension; a bad weld gets cut out and redone.
Tools cleaned, consumables restocked, shop floor swept before close-out.
- Cut and shape raw metal using plasma cutters, saws, and grinders.
- Weld metal pieces together to build structures or parts.
- Read blueprints and translate measurements into real metal pieces.
- Measure and mark metal precisely before every cut or bend.
- Inspect finished parts to make sure they match exact specs.
- Does this measurement look right, or should I re-check before I cut?
- Is this weld strong enough, or do I need to redo it?
- Can I work around this flaw in the metal, or do I need a new piece?
- Should I stick to the blueprint exactly, or flag this design issue to the engineer?
- Is this setup safe enough to keep going, or do I stop and fix it now?
People usually reach this work through experience rather than a college program.
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