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Etchers and Engravers

Tasks

Core Tasks Include:

Clean and polish engraved areas.
Examine sketches, diagrams, samples, blueprints, or photographs to decide how designs are to be etched, cut, or engraved onto workpieces.
Inspect etched work for depth of etching, uniformity, and defects, using calibrated microscopes, gauges, fingers, or magnifying lenses.

Supplemental Tasks Include:

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.
Measure and compute dimensions of lettering, designs, or patterns to be engraved.
Start machines and lower cutting tools to beginning points on patterns.
Prepare etching chemicals according to formulas, diluting acid with water to obtain solutions of specified concentration.
Sandblast exposed areas of glass to cut designs in surfaces, using spray guns.
Set reduction scales to attain specified sizes of reproduction on workpieces, and set pantograph controls for required heights, depths, and widths of cuts.
Neutralize workpieces to remove acid, wax, or enamel, using water, solvents, brushes, or specialized machines.
Prepare workpieces for etching or engraving by cutting, sanding, cleaning, polishing, or treating them with wax, acid resist, lime, etching powder, or light-sensitive enamel.
Insert cutting tools or bits into machines and secure them with wrenches.
Print proofs or examine designs to verify accuracy of engraving, and rework engraving as required.
Transfer image to workpiece, using contact printer, pantograph stylus, silkscreen printing device, or stamp pad.
Sketch, trace, or scribe layout lines and designs on workpieces, plates, dies, or rollers, using compasses, scribers, gravers, or pencils.
Guide stylus over template, causing cutting tool to duplicate design or letters on workpiece.
Remove completed workpieces and place them in trays.
Remove wax or tape from etched glassware by using a stylus or knife, or by immersing ware in hot water.
Fill etched characters with opaque paste to improve readability.
Brush or wipe acid over engraving to darken or highlight inscriptions.
Expose workpieces to acid to develop etch patterns such as designs, lettering, or figures.
Use computer software to design patterns for engraving.

The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet291)