Will “Plater Apprentice” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

92% Chance of Automation

“Plater Apprentice” will probably be replaced by robots.

This job is ranked #569 out of #702. A higher ranking (i.e., a lower number) means the job is less likely to be replaced.

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Job Description

Set up, operate, or tend plating or coating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces. Includes electrolytic processes.

Job Details

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 51-4193.00
The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 33,690.00
The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 16.00
Currently, there are 35,570 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic”.

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Plater Apprentice”

Monitor and measure thicknesses of electroplating on component parts to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers.
Examine completed objects to determine thicknesses of metal deposits, or measure thicknesses by using instruments such as micrometers.
Set up, operate, or tend plating or coating machines to coat metal or plastic products with chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, or other metal to protect or decorate surfaces.
Measure or weigh materials, using rulers, calculators, and scales.
Suspend sticks or pieces of plating metal from anodes, or positive terminals, and immerse metal in plating solutions.
Preheat workpieces in ovens.
Operate hoists to place workpieces onto machine feed carriages or spindles.
Immerse objects to be coated or plated into cleaning solutions, or spray objects with conductive solutions to prepare them for plating.
Clean workpieces, using wire brushes.
Perform equipment maintenance such as cleaning tanks and lubricating moving parts of conveyors.
Adjust dials to regulate flow of current and voltage supplied to terminals to control plating processes.
Place plated or coated materials on racks and transfer them to ovens to dry for specified periods of time.
Replace worn parts and adjust equipment components, using hand tools.
Position and feed materials into processing machines, by hand or by using automated equipment.
Measure, mark, and mask areas to be excluded from plating.
Immerse workpieces in coating solutions or liquid metal or plastic for specified times.
Test machinery to ensure that it is operating properly.
Position containers to receive parts, and load or unload materials in containers, using dollies or handtrucks.
Plate small objects such as nuts or bolts, using motor-driven barrels.
Observe gauges to ensure that machines are operating properly, making adjustments or stopping machines when problems occur.
Rinse coated objects in cleansing liquids and dry them with cloths, centrifugal driers, or by tumbling in sawdust-filled barrels.
Mix and test solutions, and turn valves to fill tanks with solutions.
Position objects to be plated in frames, or suspend them from positive or negative terminals of power supplies.
Maintain production records.
Remove excess materials or impurities from objects, using air hoses or grinding machines.
Remove objects from solutions at periodic intervals and observe objects to verify conformance to specifications.
Install gears and holding devices on conveyor equipment.
Attach nozzles, position guns, connect hoses, and thread wire to set up metal-spraying machines.
Cut metal or other materials, using shears or band saws.
Adjust controls to set temperatures of coating substances and speeds of machines and equipment.
Measure and set stops, rolls, brushes, and guides on automatic feeders and conveying equipment or coating machines, using micrometers, rules, and hand tools.
Determine sizes and compositions of objects to be plated, and amounts of electrical current and time required.
Clean and maintain equipment, using water hoses and scrapers.
Inspect coated or plated areas for defects such as air bubbles or uneven coverage.
Read production schedules to determine setups of equipment and machines.
Spray coating in specified patterns according to instructions.
Suspend objects such as parts or molds from cathode rods, or negative terminals, and immerse objects in plating solutions.
Operate sandblasting equipment to roughen and clean surfaces of workpieces.

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