Etchers and Engravers

Career Description: Engrave or etch metal, wood, rubber, or other materials for identification or decorative purposes. Includes such workers as etcher-circuit processors, pantograph engravers, and silk screen etchers.

Industry: Production

Other Job Titles for Etchers and Engravers:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• 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.
• Prepare etching chemicals according to formulas, diluting acid with water to obtain solutions of specified concentration.
• Observe actions of cutting tools through microscopes and adjust stylus movement to ensure accurate reproduction.
• Reduce artwork to be used, using reduction cameras.
• Sandblast exposed areas of glass to cut designs in surfaces, using spray guns.
• Set reduction scales to attain specified sizes of reproduction on workpieces, and set pantograph controls for required heights, depths, and widths of cuts.
• Brush or smear abrasives on cutting wheels.
• Neutralize workpieces to remove acid, wax, or enamel, using water, solvents, brushes, or specialized machines.
• Inspect etched work for depth of etching, uniformity, and defects, using calibrated microscopes, gauges, fingers, or magnifying lenses.
• Prepare workpieces for etching or engraving by cutting, sanding, cleaning, polishing, or treating them with wax, acid resist, lime, etching powder, or light-sensitive enamel.
• Insert cutting tools or bits into machines and secure them with wrenches.
• Print proofs or examine designs to verify accuracy of engraving, and rework engraving as required.
• Transfer image to workpiece, using contact printer, pantograph stylus, silkscreen printing device, or stamp pad.
• Sketch, trace, or scribe layout lines and designs on workpieces, plates, dies, or rollers, using compasses, scribers, gravers, or pencils.
• Guide stylus over template, causing cutting tool to duplicate design or letters on workpiece.
• Remove completed workpieces and place them in trays.
• Carve designs and letters onto metal for transfer to other surfaces.
• Remove wax or tape from etched glassware by using a stylus or knife, or by immersing ware in hot water.
• Select and insert required templates into pattern frames beneath the stylus of a machine cutting tool or router.
• Cut outlines of impressions with gravers, and remove excess material with knives.
• Fill etched characters with opaque paste to improve readability.
• Brush or wipe acid over engraving to darken or highlight inscriptions.
• Expose workpieces to acid to develop etch patterns such as designs, lettering, or figures.

Emerging Tasks

• Use computer software to design patterns for engraving.
• Operate forklifts to deliver materials.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• adjust production equipment/machinery setup
• apply protective coating to products
• cast metal objects
• compute production, construction, or installation specifications
• cut, shape, fit, or join wood or other construction materials
• engrave variety of materials and products
• etch or cut designs in glass, metal, or plastic
• examine products or work to verify conformance to specifications
• fabricate, assemble, or disassemble manufactured products by hand
• file, sand, grind, or polish metal or plastic objects
• hand carve objects from stone or other materials
• install equipment or attachments on machinery or related structures
• load or unload material or workpiece into machinery
• maintain safe work environment
• make independent judgment in assembly procedures
• measure, weigh, or count products or materials
• monitor production machinery/equipment operation to detect problems
• monitor the quantity of assembly output
• operate graphic reproduction equipment
• operate metal or plastic fabricating equipment/machinery
• perform repetitive tasks in assembly setting
• precision cast patterns, molds, or dies
• read technical drawings
• read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts
• sharpen metal objects
• understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
• use engraving techniques
• use hand or power tools
• use precision measuring tools or equipment
• read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts
• repair or replace malfunctioning or worn mechanical components
• set up and operate variety of machine tools
• sharpen metal objects
• solder electrical or electronic connections or components
• test mechanical products or equipment
• understand service or repair manuals
• understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
• use acetylene welding/cutting torch
• use arc welding equipment
• use combination welding procedures
• use electrical or electronic test devices or equipment
• use hand or power tools
• use knowledge of metric system
• use knowledge of welding filler rod types
• use machine tools in installation, maintenance, or repair
• use precision measuring devices in mechanical repair work
• use precision measuring tools or equipment
• use soldering equipment
• use technical information in manufacturing or industrial activities
• verify levelness or verticality, using level or plumb bob
• weld together metal parts, components, or structures

Overall Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a teller might benefit from experience working directly with the public, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be a teller with little difficulty.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.

Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.

Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, pharmacy technicians, salespersons (retail), and tellers.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$12.76
• Average annual wage (2007) - $26,540.00

• Employment (2006): 13,625

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