Etchers and Engravers
Engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. Includes such workers as etcher-circuit processors, pantograph engravers, and silk screen etchers.
Sample of reported job titles:
Acid Etch Operator, Award Machine Operator, Chemical Engraver, Electronic Engraver, Engraver, Etcher, Laser Engraver, Photo Engraver, Screen Making Technician, Wet Process Technician
Occupation-Specific Information
Tasks
- Adjust depths and sizes of cuts by adjusting heights of worktables, or by adjusting machine-arm gauges.
- Engrave and print patterns, designs, etchings, trademarks, or lettering onto flat or curved surfaces of a wide variety of metal, glass, plastic, or paper items, using hand tools or hand-held power tools.
- Position and clamp workpieces, plates, or rollers in holding fixtures.
- Determine machine settings, and move bars or levers to reproduce designs on rollers or plates.
- Examine engraving for quality of cut, burrs, rough spots, and irregular or incomplete engraving.
Technology Skills
- Computer aided design CAD and computer aided manufacturing CAM system:Computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing CAD/CAM engraving software
- Computer aided manufacturing CAM software:Delcam ArtCAM Express,Gravograph GravoStyle,Western Engravers Supply Vision EXPERT
- Graphics or photo imaging software:Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
- Operating system software:Microsoft Windows
Occupational Requirements
Work Activities
- Getting Information:Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Controlling Machines and Processes:Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work:Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events:Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Handling and Moving Objects:Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Detailed Work Activities
- Apply protective or decorative finishes to workpieces or products.
- Calculate dimensions of workpieces, products, or equipment.
- Clean workpieces or finished products.
- Cut industrial materials in preparation for fabrication or processing.
- Design templates or patterns.
Work Context
- Face-to-Face Discussions:96% responded"Every day"
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled:83% responded"Every day"
- Consequence of Error:59% responded"Serious"
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate:59% responded"Extremely important"
- Time Pressure:56% responded"Every day"
Worker Requirements
Skills
- Monitoring:Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Operations Monitoring:Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Reading Comprehension:Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Knowledge
- Production and Processing:Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
- Customer and Personal Service:Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Mechanical:Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
- Design:Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Education
How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:
- 54%High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
- 33%Less than a High School Diploma
- 13%Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Worker Characteristics
Abilities
- Near Vision:The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Arm-Hand Steadiness:The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
- Control Precision:The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
- Oral Comprehension:The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Finger Dexterity:The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Interests
- Realistic:Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Conventional:Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
- Support:Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
- Independence:Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Relationships:Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Work Styles
- Attention to Detail:Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Independence:Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
- Dependability:Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Achievement/Effort:Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
- Persistence:Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
More Information
Related Occupations
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
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