An official State of Ohio site. Here’s how you know
Live Chat
Contact

Welcome,
New User

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies. Includes workers who operate laser cutters or laser-beam machines.

View All

    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Clean, lubricate, maintain, and adjust equipment to maintain efficient operation, using air hoses, cleaning fluids, and hand tools.
    • Load or feed workpieces into welding machines to join or bond components.
    • Load or feed workpieces into welding machines to join or bond components.
    • Add chemicals or materials to workpieces or machines to facilitate bonding or to cool workpieces.
    • Set dials and timing controls to regulate electrical current, gas flow pressure, heating or cooling cycles, or shut-off.
    • Fill hoppers and position spouts to direct flow of flux or manually brush flux onto seams of workpieces.
    • Fill hoppers and position spouts to direct flow of flux or manually brush flux onto seams of workpieces.
    • Give directions to other workers regarding machine set-up and use.
    • Start, monitor, and adjust robotic welding production lines.
    • Compute and record settings for new work, applying knowledge of metal properties, principles of welding, and shop mathematics.
    • Set up, operate, or tend welding machines that join or bond components to fabricate metal products or assemblies.
    • Tend auxiliary equipment used in welding processes.
    • Inspect, measure, or test completed metal workpieces to ensure conformance to specifications, using measuring and testing devices.
    • Record operational information on specified production reports.
    • Compute and record settings for new work, applying knowledge of metal properties, principles of welding, and shop mathematics.
    • Dress electrodes, using tip dressers, files, emery cloths, or dressing wheels.
    • Remove completed workpieces or parts from machinery, using hand tools.
    • Observe meters, gauges, or machine operations to ensure that soldering or brazing processes meet specifications.
    • Conduct trial runs before welding, soldering, or brazing, and make necessary adjustments to equipment.
    • Select torch tips, alloys, flux, coil, tubing, or wire, according to metal types or thicknesses, data charts, or records.
    • Prepare metal surfaces or workpieces, using hand-operated equipment, such as grinders, cutters, or drills.
    • Assemble, align, and clamp workpieces into holding fixtures to bond, heat-treat, or solder fabricated metal components.
    • Prepare metal surfaces or workpieces, using hand-operated equipment, such as grinders, cutters, or drills.
    • Transfer components, metal products, or assemblies, using moving equipment.
    • Assemble, align, and clamp workpieces into holding fixtures to bond, heat-treat, or solder fabricated metal components.
    • Devise or build fixtures or jigs used to hold parts in place during welding, brazing, or soldering.
    • Set dials and timing controls to regulate electrical current, gas flow pressure, heating or cooling cycles, or shut-off.
    • Select, position, align, and bolt jigs, holding fixtures, guides, or stops onto machines, using measuring instruments and hand tools.
    • Devise or build fixtures or jigs used to hold parts in place during welding, brazing, or soldering.
    • Lay out, fit, or connect parts to be bonded, calculating production measurements, as necessary.
    • Turn and press knobs and buttons or enter operating instructions into computers to adjust and start welding machines.
    • Clean, lubricate, maintain, and adjust equipment to maintain efficient operation, using air hoses, cleaning fluids, and hand tools.
    • Read blueprints, work orders, or production schedules to determine product or job instructions or specifications.
    • Read blueprints, work orders, or production schedules to determine product or job instructions or specifications.
    • Prepare metal surfaces or workpieces, using hand-operated equipment, such as grinders, cutters, or drills.
    • Clean, lubricate, maintain, and adjust equipment to maintain efficient operation, using air hoses, cleaning fluids, and hand tools.
    • Mark weld points and positions of components on workpieces, using rules, squares, templates, or scribes.
    • Immerse completed workpieces into water or acid baths to cool and clean components.
    • Correct problems by adjusting controls or by stopping machines and opening holding devices.
    • Add chemicals or materials to workpieces or machines to facilitate bonding or to cool workpieces.
    • Lay out, fit, or connect parts to be bonded, calculating production measurements, as necessary.
    • Select, position, align, and bolt jigs, holding fixtures, guides, or stops onto machines, using measuring instruments and hand tools.
    • Anneal finished workpieces to relieve internal stress.

    Skills

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    4
    Workplace Documents
    4
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    Knowledge

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • 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.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    Career Video

    Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 46410/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 22.31/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 1,770
    • Yearly Projected Openings 170

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Self Control
    • Cooperation
    • Independence

    Tools

    • Adjustable widemouth pliers
    • Automatic soldering machine
    • Ball peen hammer
    • Bench vises
    • Blow torch
    • Braze welding machine
    • C clamps
    • Calipers
    • Claw hammer
    • Cleaning scrapers
    • Cold pressure or contact welding machine
    • Demolition hammers
    • Desktop computers
    • Electron beam welding EBW machine
    • End cut pliers
    • Facial shields
    • Gas welding or brazing or cutting apparatus
    • Goggles
    • Hand clamps
    • Hoists
    • Hydraulic truck cranes
    • Induction heaters
    • Laser cutting machine
    • Laser welding machine
    • Lifts
    • Loading equipment
    • Locking pliers
    • Magnifiers
    • Micrometers
    • Mill saw file
    • Positioning jig
    • Power grinders
    • Protective gloves
    • Punches or nail sets or drifts
    • Rulers
    • Shielded metal arc welding or stick welding machine
    • Slip or groove joint pliers
    • Spot welding machine
    • Squares
    • Tape measures
    • Thickness measuring devices
    • Tongs
    • Tungsten inert gas welding machine
    • Welding electrode
    • Welding masks
    • Welding or brazing tip cleaner file
    • Welding or cutting tip
    • Welding robots
    • Welding tip dresser or accessories
    • Winches
    • Wire brushes

    Technology

    • Electronic mail software
    • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
    • Industrial control software
    • Office suite software
    • Operating system software
    • Presentation software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software

    Tags

    • InDemand occupations are considered a priority by the state of Ohio.
    • Apprenticeships are available for this occupation. These programs can help you get hands-on experience and build your skills.

    Budget Calculator

    Answer a few questions to determine your target salary. Use this target salary to help choose the right occupation for you.

    Lifestyle Calculator

    Answer a few questions to determine your target salary. Use this target salary to help choose the right occupation for you.

    Workforce Supply Tool

    Workforce Supply Tool

    The Workforce Supply Tool provides statistics for the occupations in highest demand throughout Ohio.

    You can view statewide statistics as well as more region specific information.

    Visit Site
    Powered By: