Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

Operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel.

Job Task

• Manipulates controls to ignite burners, adjust fuel mixtures, open and close furnace doors, or to load and discharge materials into or from furnace.
• Observes air and temperature gauges or metal color and turns fuel valves or adjusts controls to maintain required temperature.
• Regulates supply of fuel and air or controls flow of electric current and water coolant to heat furnaces.
• Observes inside of furnace operations by television screen and operates controls to move or discharge metal workpiece.
• Sprinkles chemicals over molten metal to bring impurities to surface and removes impurities, using strainers.
• Inspects furnace and equipment for defects and wear and directs work-crew in cleaning and repairing furnace walls and flooring.
• Draws smelted metal samples from furnace for analysis and calculates type and amount of material required to correct smelting process.
• Scrapes accumulations of metal oxides from floors, molds, and crucibles and sifts and stores for reclamation.
• Records data and maintains production logs.
• Weighs materials to be charged into furnace or to maintain prescribed weight, using scales.
• Examines and prepares material to load into furnace, including cleaning, crushing, or applying chemicals, using crushing-machine, shovel, rake, or sprayer.
• Analyzes metal test sample, according to specific instructions and for specific and for specific element content.
• Kindles fire and shovels fuels and other materials into furnaces or onto conveyors by hand, with hoists, or by directing crane operator.
• Observes color and fluidity of molten metal and obtains test sample of metal from furnace or kettle for analysis.
• Drains, transfers, or removes molten metal from furnace or into molds by hoist or pumps or ladles.

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