Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators
Human Advantage 65%
Significant human skills needed
AI Automation Risk Moderate Risk
4.1 / 10
Some tasks in this role may be augmented by AI, but human oversight and interpersonal skills remain important.
Laminate layers of fiberglass on molds to form boat decks and hulls, bodies for golf carts, automobiles, or other products.
Also Known As: Boat Assembler, Boat Builder, Boat Carpenter, Chopper Gun Operator, Composite Bond Technician, Composite Fitter Mechanic, Composite Laminator, Composite Mechanic +28 more
Core Tasks
- Release air bubbles and smooth seams, using rollers.
- Spray chopped fiberglass, resins, and catalysts onto prepared molds or dies using pneumatic spray guns with chopper attachments.
- Mix catalysts into resins, and saturate cloth and mats with mixtures, using brushes.
- Check completed products for conformance to specifications and for defects by measuring with rulers or micrometers, by checking them visually, or by tapping them to detect bubbles or dead spots.
- Pat or press layers of saturated mat or cloth into place on molds, using brushes or hands, and smooth out wrinkles and air bubbles with hands or squeegees.
- Select precut fiberglass mats, cloth, and wood-bracing materials as required by projects being assembled.
- Bond wood reinforcing strips to decks and cabin structures of watercraft, using resin-saturated fiberglass.
- Trim excess materials from molds, using hand shears or trimming knives.
Supplemental Tasks (8)
- Apply layers of plastic resin to mold surfaces prior to placement of fiberglass mats, repeating layers until products have the desired thicknesses and plastics have jelled.
- Inspect, clean, and assemble molds before beginning work.
- Cure materials by letting them set at room temperature, placing them under heat lamps, or baking them in ovens.
- Apply lacquers and waxes to mold surfaces to facilitate assembly and removal of laminated parts.
- Repair or modify damaged or defective glass-fiber parts, checking thicknesses, densities, and contours to ensure a close fit after repair.
- Mask off mold areas not to be laminated, using cellophane, wax paper, masking tape, or special sprays containing mold-release substances.
- Check all dies, templates, and cutout patterns to be used in the manufacturing process to ensure that they conform to dimensional data, photographs, blueprints, samples, or customer specifications.
- Trim cured materials by sawing them with diamond-impregnated cutoff wheels.
Education & Training
Job Zone 2 Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Education: These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Experience: Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.
Technology & Tools
Hot Technologies
Software (5)
Tools & Equipment (27)
Where This Career Leads
Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.
Production & Automation Advanced Manufacturing
Zone 1
Cutters and Trimmers, Hand 79% match
Zone 2
Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators You are here
Zone 3
Machinists 77% match
Zone 4
Fuel Cell Engineers 76% match
Zone 5
Nanosystems Engineers 75% match
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