Industrial Painters, Coaters, and Metal Finishing Process Operators

Nature of work

Industrial painters and coaters operate and tend machines or use brushes and spray equipment to apply paint, enamel, lacquer or other non-metallic protective and decorative coatings to surfaces of various products. Metal finishing process operators operate machines or equipment to deposit metallized substances on workpieces and surfaces to provide decorative, protective and restorative coatings. They work for manufacturing companies and custom refinishing, coating and plating shops.

Job duties

Industrial painters and coaters:

• Select appropriate paint or mix paints using automated paint mixing equipment according to a pre-determined formula.
• Use or tend equipment to clean, wash, strip, sand, remove corrosion, fill dents, or otherwise prepare items for application of paint, lacquer or other protective or decorative coatings.
• Use or tend automated spray paint, dip or flow coating equipment or other mechanized painting or product coating application equipment.
• Use hand-held spray guns to spray paint or coat stationary items or items on moving conveyor system with protective or decorative coatings.
• Paint small items and apply touch-ups using paint brushes.
• Clean and maintain painting and coating, ventilation, compressed air and personal protective equipment.
• May prepare and apply stencils, computer-generated decals or other decorative items on finished products.

Metal finishing process operators:

• Prepare and mix metallizing solutions according to formulas or specifications.
• Operate or tend equipment to clean, degrease, pickle and etch metal and non-metal surfaces to prepare workpieces with desired surface characteristics.
• Tend automatic metal coating machines which convey objects through a series of cleaning, rinsing and plating solutions.
• Use and control electroplating equipment to coat metal and other workpieces.
• Use hot-dip metal plating equipment to galvanize metal and other workpieces.
• Use spray equipment to build up worn or damaged parts or to bond protective or decorative coatings on various objects.
• Check proper thickness of plating using micrometers, calipers or other devices.
• May operate equipment to polish metallic surfaces of products.
• May tend ovens which cure metal coating.

Sample job titles

• airbrush painter
• assembly line painter
• decal applier
• industrial painter
• production painter
• sign letterer
• spray painter
• undercoater - motor vehicle manufacturing

Skills

These jobs need mechanical skill and physical fitness. Good spatial perception, form perception, and hand-eye coordination are important. You must be accurate and attentive to detail.

Job requirements

• Some high school education is usually required.
• Several months of on-the-job training are usually provided.
• Some industrial painters, like aviation painters, may require specialized training and certification or college courses.

Other considerations

Some experience in operating production machinery or equipment may be required. Movement to supervisor positions is possible with experience.

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