Etchers and Engravers

Bookmark Print History Journal
x

Journal

    • Please sign in to view journal entries
x

Your Employment History in this Occupation

Please sign in to view Employment History
x
Rating
x

Please fill out the fields below to e-mail someone a link to this page

x
Please sign in to bookmark occupations

This occupation is part of the Production cluster

About the Job

Engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials. Includes such workers as etcher-circuit processors, pantograph engravers, and silk screen etchers.

It is also Called

  • Acid Etch Operator
  • Block Engraver
  • Bowling Ball Engraver
  • Computer Engraver
  • Decorative Engraver Apprentice
  • Die Cutter
  • Die Maker
  • Dynamic Etching Processor
  • Electronic Engraver Operator
  • Embosser

What They Do

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Select and mount wheels and miters on lathes, and equip lathes with water to cool wheels and prevent dust when grinding glass.

Interests

People who work in this occupation generally have the interest code: RC.

This means people who work in this occupation generally have Realistic interests, but also prefer Conventional environments.

Work Values

People who work in this occupation generally prize Support, but also value Relationships and Independence in their jobs.

Things They Need to Know

  • Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • 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.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Things They Need to Be Able to Do

  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Education Required

These occupations usually require a high school diploma.

Wages

In 2012, the average annual wage in California was $30,400.00 with most people making between $19,350.00 and $45,500.00

Outlook

0.91%
avg. annual growth

During 2010, this occupation employed approximately 1,100 people in California. It is projected that there will be 1,200 employed in 2020.

This occupation will have about 10 openings due to growth and about 10 replacement openings for approximately 20 total annual openings.

Common College Majors

Industries that Employ this Occupation

Similar Occupations


People who viewed this occupation also viewed:


California Career Resource Network