Machinists are used when a part needs to be produced from a material by machining or removal of material. He/she will use machine tools followed by engineering drawings to make, modify or repair a part(s). The materials normally used are metals, plastics and wood. These parts are usually required to be manufactured within very close tolerances or specifications. This may be done by manual or CNC machining.

Machines include milling machines, lathes, grinding machines, drilling machines, saws, CNC, EDM and boring machines. A Machinist must also understand the different properties of metals, plastics and other composite materials.

Machinists may work in many different industry sectors including automotive, aerospace, agriculture or any other manufacturing plants.

A highly experienced machinist may be able to advance his/her career in the field of a supervisory role. He/she may also advance their career as a tool and die/mould making field, CNC programmer and or a millwright, with a little extra training.

 

Industry Changes

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Computer numerical control (CNC) technology and machining has improved the work of a machinist and has even taken over smaller production jobs from manual machining.

CNC machines need machinists or other trained person(s) to perform the necessary programming, tool changes and following the actual machining operations. This is affecting the need for manual machining as CNC machines are becoming ever more versatile.

Never the less, manual machining is still very much in demand in many industry sectors and will continue to be as there are many operations that require only manual machining. This trade will continue to be in great demand whether you prefer manual or CNC.

 

Safety

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Safe working practices and accident prevention are the primary importance to the health and safety of all person(s) at any or all work place environments. All person(s) including employee, employer and government, share this responsibility in order to keep everyone free of any dangers or accidents that may cause an individual(s) serious bodily harm or death.

The Occupational Health and Safety Acts and Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Regulations, should be consistently reviewed and enforced in every work place environment. Educating and understanding these regulations is everyone’s responsibility in order to keep a safe work place environment.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) has contributed to a safer work place environment. Health and safety has become a high priority in the workplace due to increased awareness of dangers and the identifications of hazardous materials.

Practicing health and safety is a tremendous contribution to a safe and accident free work place environment.

 

Job Tasks

• Assembling parts

• Many hand procedures (scraping, polishing, filing etc)

• Machine parts within close tolerances

• Machine set up

• Operates drill presses

• Operates grinding machines

• Operates lathes

• Operates milling machines

• Operates power saws

• Organizes work

• Read and interpret blueprints and schematics

• Re-machines parts

• Sawing

• ...and much more

 

Tools

• acetylene torch

• Allen keys

• bearing extractor

• brushes

• calculator

• chisels

• clamps

• drill bits

• files

• gauge blocks

• hack saw

• hammer

• hammer, ball peen

• hammer, dead blow

• hand protection

• hearing protectors

• machinist’s hand book

• measuring equipment (vernier caliper, micrometer, etc)

• safety equipment (goggles, boots, face shield etc)

• sign bars

• ...and much more

 

Skills

• Critical Thinking

• Decision Making

• Numerical

• Oral Communication

• Problem Solving

• Reading Blueprints and schematics

• Writing

• Computer Knowledge

 

General Wages

• Average -   $23.00/hr

• Minimum -  $16.00/hr

• Maximum - $30.00/hr

 

Sample Q&A

 

1. What properties does carbon give to plain carbon steels?

a. Softness and malleability

b. Ductility and good machinability

c. Ability to be hardened be heating and quenching

d. A course tough grain structure straight from the blast furnace

Ans. C

 

2. Bores of machine parts such as gears and pulleys are not made by drilling in a lathe without further machining because drills?

a. tend to produce undersize holes that run eccentric to the work axis

b. are not made in standard shaft sizes

c. make bell mouthed holes that must be corrected by reaming or boring

d. tend to produce oversize holes that run eccentric to the work axis

Ans. D

 

3. Sixty degree thread cutting is best done with the compound set at 29 degrees so that?

a. It will be swung out of the way to make the cross feed micrometer dial more visible

b. When the cross feed is brought back to zero after each cut and the compound is fed in, a slightly smaller amount is removed from the trailing side of the tool for finished on the next pass

c. Threads can be made more quickly than with straight infeed

d. Most of the cutting is done on the trailing edge of the tool as it is fed in, but the compound is brought back to zero at the end of each cut causing some cutting on the leading edge on the next pass.

Ans. B

 

4. The probably range of grades or hardness for general purpose surface grinding wheel is?

a. G and softer

b. H through K

c. L through P

d. R and finer

Ans. B

 

5. Excessive overhang of the tool and tool holder on roughing cuts cause?

a. the tool to swing into the lathe dog

b. chatter and broken tool points

c. the feed rate to change

d. broken tool cutter

Ans. B

 

6. Cylindrical grinding is mostly done with which kind of wheel?

a. straight

b. straight cup

c. flaring cup

d. cylinder

Ans. A

 

7. What is an advantage of using indexible inserts that have a zero degree relief angle?

a. They are always thicker than those inserts with a relief angle

b. They are always thinner than those inserts with a relief angle

c. They can be mounted in to holders at an angle, creating a negative – rake cutting angle

d. They can be mounted in a tool holder at an angle, creating a positive rake cutting angle

Ans. C