Occupation

Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

Human Advantage 61%

Significant human skills needed

AI Automation Risk Moderate Risk
3.6 / 10

Some tasks in this role may be augmented by AI, but human oversight and interpersonal skills remain important.

Fabricate, position, align, and fit parts of structural metal products.

Also Known As: Component Fabricator, Fabricator, Fitter, Ground Support Equipment Assembler, Hand Former, Industrial Fabricator, Layout Man, Machine Cage Maker +34 more

Video

Core Tasks

  1. Verify conformance of workpieces to specifications, using squares, rulers, and measuring tapes.
  2. Study engineering drawings and blueprints to determine materials requirements and task sequences.
  3. Position, align, fit, and weld parts to form complete units or subunits, following blueprints and layout specifications, and using jigs, welding torches, and hand tools.
  4. Lay out and examine metal stock or workpieces to be processed to ensure that specifications are met.
  5. Tack-weld fitted parts together.
  6. Move parts into position, manually or with hoists or cranes.
  7. Set up and operate fabricating machines, such as brakes, rolls, shears, flame cutters, grinders, and drill presses, to bend, cut, form, punch, drill, or otherwise form and assemble metal components.
  8. Position or tighten braces, jacks, clamps, ropes, or bolt straps, or bolt parts in position for welding or riveting.
  9. Lift or move materials and finished products, using large cranes.
  10. Set up face blocks, jigs, and fixtures.
  11. Align and fit parts according to specifications, using jacks, turnbuckles, wedges, drift pins, pry bars, and hammers.
  12. Hammer, chip, and grind workpieces to cut, bend, and straighten metal.
  13. Locate and mark workpiece bending and cutting lines, allowing for stock thickness, machine and welding shrinkage, and other component specifications.
  14. Remove high spots and cut bevels, using hand files, portable grinders, and cutting torches.
  15. Smooth workpiece edges and fix taps, tubes, and valves.

Supplemental Tasks (8)

  1. Mark reference points onto floors or face blocks and transpose them to workpieces, using measuring devices, squares, chalk, and soapstone.
  2. Design and construct templates and fixtures, using hand tools.
  3. Direct welders to build up low spots or short pieces with weld.
  4. Heat-treat parts, using acetylene torches.
  5. Straighten warped or bent parts, using sledges, hand torches, straightening presses, or bulldozers.
  6. Erect ladders and scaffolding to fit together large assemblies.
  7. Preheat workpieces to make them malleable, using hand torches or furnaces.
  8. Install boilers, containers, and other structures.

Emerging Tasks

New and evolving responsibilities for this role:

  • Troubleshoot and repair electrical or mechanical equipment.

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.

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
77%
Less than a High School Diploma
18%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
3%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
2%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Word

Software (10)

  • Computer aided design and drafting CADD software
  • Dassault Systemes CATIA
  • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Tekla software
  • Three-dimensional modeling software

Tools & Equipment (72)

  • Adjustable wrenches
  • Belt sanders
  • Bench vises
  • Beverly shears
  • Brakes
  • Center punches
  • Chipping tools
  • Circular saws
  • Claw hammers
  • Computerized numerical control CNC metal-cutting machines
  • Computerized numerical control CNC press brakes
  • Cutoff saws
  • Desktop computers
  • Dial indicators
  • Dividers
  • Drift pins
  • Drill presses
  • Edge planers
  • End milling machines
  • Flame cutters
  • Forklifts
  • Hand clamps
  • Hand shears
  • Hand torch welders
  • Hand torches
  • Heating furnaces
  • Jacks
  • Ladders
  • Lathes
  • Layout squares
  • Locking pliers
  • Magnetic drill presses
  • Measuring tapes
  • Metal cutting taps
  • Metal inert gas MIG welders
  • Micrometers
  • Milling machines
  • Overhead cranes
  • Paint spray guns
  • Personal computers
  • Plasma cutters
  • Positioning jigs
  • Power chippers
  • Power grinders
  • Power hacksaws
  • Power hoists
  • Precision files
  • Protractors
  • Pry bars
  • Punches
  • Radial arm saws
  • Radial drills
  • Reamers
  • Rivet guns
  • Roll benders
  • Scaffolding
  • Scribers
  • Sine bars
  • Sledgehammers
  • Steel rules
  • Straight screwdrivers
  • Straightening presses
  • Surface gauges
  • Tack welding equipment
  • Tracked bulldozers
  • Transit levels
  • Tungsten inert gas TIG welding equipment
  • Turnbuckles
  • Unishears
  • Vernier height gauges
  • Wedges
  • Welding torches

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

Production & Automation Advanced Manufacturing

Zone 1
Sewing Machine Operators 80% match
Zone 2
Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters You are here
Zone 3
Model Makers, Wood 80% match
Zone 4
Biomass Power Plant Managers 78% match
Zone 5
Microsystems Engineers 75% match

Engineering Advanced Manufacturing

Zone 2
Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters You are here
Zone 3
Watch and Clock Repairers 78% match
Zone 4
Fuel Cell Engineers 77% match
Zone 5
Biochemists and Biophysicists 76% match

Resume Builder

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Real Talk

Hear from real Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitterss about their work:

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