About This Career Path
Operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel.
Applied Technology
Operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel.
Applied Technology Field of Study
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
410
Projected job openings through 2030
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
01
Regulate supplies of fuel and air, or control flow of electric current and water coolant to heat furnaces and adjust temperatures.
02
Draw smelted metal samples from furnaces or kettles for analysis, and calculate types and amounts of materials needed to ensure that materials meet specifications.
03
Weigh materials to be charged into furnaces, using scales.
04
Record production data, and maintain production logs.
05
Observe air and temperature gauges or metal color and fluidity, and turn fuel valves or adjust controls to maintain required temperatures.
06
Operate controls to move or discharge metal workpieces from furnaces.
07
Inspect furnaces and equipment to locate defects and wear.
08
Drain, transfer, or remove molten metal from furnaces, and place it into molds, using hoists, pumps, or ladles.
09
Prepare material to load into furnaces, including cleaning, crushing, or applying chemicals, by using crushing machines, shovels, rakes, or sprayers.
10
Remove impurities from the surface of molten metal, using strainers.
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
Common knowledge, skills & abilities needed to get a foot in the door.
KNOWLEDGE
Production and Processing
KNOWLEDGE
Mechanical
KNOWLEDGE
Public Safety and Security
KNOWLEDGE
Administration and Management
KNOWLEDGE
Education and Training
SKILL
Operations Monitoring
SKILL
Operation and Control
SKILL
Monitoring
SKILL
Active Listening
SKILL
Complex Problem Solving
ABILITY
Control Precision
ABILITY
Manual Dexterity
ABILITY
Near Vision
ABILITY
Problem Sensitivity
ABILITY
Arm-Hand Steadiness
Applied Technology
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