Metal Forming Machine Operator
About The Position
The Metal Forming Machine Operator sets up and operates metal-forming, piercing, and related equipment to form, pierce, trim, and finish sheet metal, extruded, and other production parts. The role also includes making open and closed molds, cast tooling, and parts. Work may involve production, experimental, or developmental parts and cold and hot forming operations. The operator aligns punches and dies, adjusts machine controls and operating conditions, applies lubricants, secures tooling, checks machine and setup performance, and makes minor corrections. The role includes foundry and molding operations, trimming and finishing preformed parts, checking setups and dimensions with precision measuring equipment, performing rework, and maintaining production records and setup charts.
Requirements
- High school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
- Basic computer data-entry skills.
- Ability to lift parts and fixtures.
- Ability to work overtime as needed.
- Willingness to work any shift.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with piercing machines.
- Experience with drop hammers.
- Experience with hydraulic presses.
- Experience with punch presses.
- Experience with spinning lathes.
- Experience with expander-shrinker machines and trimming tools.
- Precision measuring skills and experience using precision measuring tools.
- Ability to read production blueprints.
Responsibilities
- Set up and operate metal-forming and hydraulic piercing machines, including brakes, metal-cutting equipment, and hot-forming presses.
- Set up and operate drop hammers to form parts with complex contours, sharp angles, or deep draws.
- Align and center punches and dies to specified clearances and heights using indicators, gauges, production aids, shims, spacers, and wedges.
- Adjust cams, hydraulic valves, electrical timing, microswitches, ram stroke, index rings, and automatic feed heads.
- Maintain hydraulic pressure and oil temperature according to the metal's hardness or gauge, and adjust punch air pressure when required.
- Apply appropriate lubricants and secure dies and punches using molten metal, clamping dogs, or bolts.
- Determine rubber pressure pad location, size, and thickness; inspect punches and dies; and correct improper machine functioning as needed.
- Perform cold and hot forming, hand peening, and finishing operations.
- Operate saws, lathes, nibblers, planishing hammers, spinning lathes, hydraulic forming machines, and trimming tools as required.
- Perform foundry operations, including selecting flash size, positioning patterns and cores, preparing sand molds, setting vents and gates, and pouring metal at the proper temperature and by the proper method.
- Make open and closed molds to exacting tolerances and remove casting irregularities by die grinding.
- Use blueprints or templates to determine trim lines and optical comparators to verify setups.
- Use precision measuring devices to check setups and dimensions of pierced parts.
- Perform rework of comparable difficulty and maintain production logs and setup charts.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits.
- Paid time off, including vacation, holidays, and volunteer time.
- 401(k) savings plans.
- Health Savings Account (HSA).
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs).
- Health Lifestyle Programs.
- Employee Assistance Program.
- Voluntary benefits and employee discounts.
- Career development.
- Incentive bonus.
- Disability benefits.
- Life insurance.
- Parental leave.
- Adoption benefits.
- Tuition reimbursement.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
