What does the machine operator do? Profession “Machine operator” Profession “Machine operator. Disadvantages of the machine operator profession
“He has no equal in skill,” the Nadym repair and mechanical section of the Nadymgazremont vocational training institution of the Yugorsky branch of Gazprom Centerenergogaz JSC unanimously speaks about the level of qualifications of the general-purpose machine operator, site foreman Yuri Gustov. His professionalism is equally highly appreciated by both managers and colleagues: nothing is impossible for him in terms of repair and production of components and parts for gas pumping equipment.
Northern "cradle"
Yuri Gustov is a native of the North, a true son of his small Motherland. Like his own parents, he was born in the village of Bolshaya Galka, Bakcharsky district, Tomsk region, and spent his entire childhood there.
Later, the North gave Yuri his life’s work. He acquired the profession of a wide-ranging machine operator at the radio-mechanical vocational lyceum of the city of Tomsk, and after serving in the army, Yuri cameto Nadym: the young man was then engaged in industrial mountaineering and came there to earn money. He immediately liked the city - “ small and clean, people are friendly”. At the end of the working season, Gustov decided to stay in Nadym forever. Soon he was offered a job at the Nadymgazremont vocational school as a fourth-grade turner, where he has been working ever since, never regretting his choice.
Since January of this year, Yuri Alekseevich has been working as a foreman of the mechanical repair department.
Location - "Nadymgazremont"
The industrial world of the North turned out to be generous with new experiences and new impressions. At the very beginning of his “gas” career, Yuri Alekseevich worked for two years on a rotational basis in Western Siberia at the Priozernaya compressor station, working as a turner and mechanic in one person. Despite the fact that the area was remote and practically impassable, the activities were varied: they carried out routine work on gas air cooling units at minus 35 degrees, and replaced the NK-16 ST power unit at minus 40 ºС. “It’s easy for young people everywhere,” Yuri Alekseevich says with a smile. - True, sometimes we were physically very tired, and it’s difficult for families without husbands and fathers, especially in winter. But nature has always generously given us gifts. In the summer, after a shift, it happened that you had time to pick mushrooms and fry them with potatoes, and in the winter we even caught hares in a noose literally next to the CS. The meat of a wild hare is tasty, no match for a domestic rabbit.”
This is probably how it is in life: the more interesting the profession, the more complex it is and the more it demands from a person. Yuri Alekseevich considers his profession to be exactly like this - both difficult and interesting. He has perfectly studied the design of components and parts of gas pumping units and auxiliary equipment, knows very well the design and rules for checking the accuracy of RMU machine tools - lobe lathes, rotary lathes, milling machines of various types and designs and a whole range of other equipment.
The components repaired on site are installed on gas field equipment, on gas pumping units of compressor stations of main gas pipelines, which transport gas to Russian regions and to foreign countries.
Yuri Gustov: “Metal cutting is a special matter. A person, like a sculptor, can make anything from a piece of alloy - from a simple bolt to a complex shaped part. This is why I like my profession so much. I process every detail with pleasure, sometimes I don’t notice how the shift goes by. At the same time, you always need a cool head - you can’t make a mistake even by a hundredth of a millimeter, otherwise it’s a defect. The slightest mistake means not only the lost work of many people, but and equipment downtime for customers who are waiting for this part at the compressor station.”
"Northern" nature of production
In the North, people are special: the more you get to know them, the more they open up, and this does not at all mean “opening their hearts.” The main character traits of a “northern” person are resilience, composure, and a sense of comradeship.
So the team of the Nadym section of the vocational school “Nadymgazremont” is very united. Over many years of work, people have become accustomed to looking into the future with optimism; mutual support and trust are always present in the work process.
From the outside it may seem that the work of a machine operator, although important for the common cause, is boring and monotonous. Is this so, is there room for creativity in work? Yuri Alekseevich answers these questions like this: “yes, the work is important and difficult, but it definitely cannot be called boring and monotonous”. On the contrary, in his understanding, the repair process is often associated with making extraordinary decisions. “Although repair technologies have long been developed and are in use, many technical decisions are made directly during the repair process”, - Gustov is convinced. - Each unit that is repaired is, in fact, individual in its condition, types of defects and approach to its restoration.”
The site’s employees strictly observe labor safety rules, since powerful machines with rotating mechanisms are used in the daily activities of the site.
Appreciation of good work
Work Yuri Alekseevichis highly valued by the management of the enterprise. One of the confirmations of professional recognition is the nomination of Yuri Gustov for the award of Gratitude JSC Gazprom Centerenergogaz in honor of Oil and Gas Industry Workers Day.
When asked what principles he is guided by in his daily work, Yuri Alekseevich answers briefly: “Do as you would like to be done to you, that’s the main thing. The rest - skill, experience, qualifications, responsibility, creative attitude to work - is inherent in all good production workers. We have a lot of such people.” According to him, in an educational institution a person receives only basic theoretical education; practical experience is acquired directly at the workplace. Today, in order to become a highly qualified specialist who will be respected, you need to work for at least five to six years. In the future, such a specialist will be able to independently make production decisions and be responsible for his work, so that the customer is satisfied with its quality, so that there are no complaints either about the quality of the repair or about the further operation of the repaired equipment.
This is how it is at Nadymgazremont: young specialists initially work under the guidance of experienced mentors - foremen, highly qualified workers. Yuri Alekseevich himself combines independent self-improvement of his qualifications with support for less experienced workers, helping them master complex machinery, equipment and repair technology. “A person well trained in his specialty is always valued, and finding such people is not easy. During almost twelve years of my work at Nadymgazremont, many young specialists came to our site, but only a few of them remained to work. Over time, they became real professionals. You can’t do everything at once, you need to gradually immerse yourself in work with your head.”
Since work occupies a very important place in Yuri Gustov’s life, he has practically no free time. However, when he does get it, a walk for mushrooms, as well as hunting and fishing, is the greatest pleasure for him, as for a true Siberian.
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Reference
A machine operator is a worker who produces parts for various mechanisms on special machines. The working material for the parts can be metal or wood. This profession became most widespread in our country in 1930-41, during the industrial revolution, when many machine-building enterprises were built. During the Great Patriotic War, most factories were repurposed to produce products for the front (cartridges, shells, guns, tanks, etc.), and mostly girls and women worked as machine operators.
Demand for the profession
Very in demand
Currently, profession Machine operator considered to be in high demand in the labor market. Many firms and many enterprises need qualified specialists in this field, because the industry is developing rapidly, and specialists are still receiving education.
Description of activity
The profession of a machine operator combines the activities of a turner, milling machine, grinder, driller, gear cutter and many other specialists. Therefore, the machine operator can perform actions on the appropriate machines (lathe, milling, etc.) and use a variety of cutting tools in his work: drills, cutters, reamers, cutters and others.
Modern enterprises today increasingly use computer-controlled machines. This means that the machine operator must also be an operator. He must understand computer technology and, if necessary, be able to troubleshoot problems.
Thanks to the existence of the profession of a machine operator, it is possible to quickly produce parts of varying complexity for many types of industry.
Working on various machines requires strict adherence to safety rules. At the workplace, machine operators wear a uniform, special hats and safety glasses.
Wage
Moscow average:average for St. Petersburg:
Uniqueness of the profession
Very common
According to the results of the survey, profession Machine operator is currently very common, since for quite a long period there has been a high demand for specialists in this field among employers. This area needed and continues to need specialists.
How users rated this criterion:What education is needed
Secondary vocational education (college, technical school)
To work in a profession Machine operator, it is not necessary to have a higher professional education in the relevant specialty. For this profession, it is enough to have a diploma of secondary vocational education obtained from a college or technical school, or, for example, it is enough to complete special courses.
How users rated this criterion:Job responsibilities
Before starting to manufacture a part, the machine operator studies its drawing, makes the necessary calculations and builds a sequence of work. At the same time, he determines what types of machines and tools will be needed to manufacture the part. At the preparatory stage of work, the machine operator sometimes has to use reference books.
Based on the material used, the machine operator adjusts the machine. Having made a part, the worker still has to process it: grinding and finishing of external and internal surfaces. After which the machine operator checks the dimensions of the part and the quality of processing using optical instruments.
Type of labor
Mostly physical labor
As the survey results show, profession Machine operator involves primarily physical labor. Machine operator must have good physical fitness, high strength endurance and good health.
How users rated this criterion:Features of career growth
Not a single metalworking enterprise can operate without machine operators. In addition to factories, they can work in repair shops.
Career Opportunities
Minimum career opportunities
According to the results of the survey, Machine operators have minimal career opportunities. It doesn’t depend at all on the person himself, it’s just a profession Machine operator does not have a career path.
How users rated this criterion:The life of a modern person depends entirely on various mechanisms. Electric generators and thermal power plants supply electricity to homes, pumps and compressors lift clean water to the tenth floor, and mechanical clocks count down time. And this is not to mention the electronic gadgets and devices that surround us on all sides.
Therefore, there is now a special demand for specialists who can create any devices and equipment. And also for those who produce spare parts for mechanisms - machine operators.
Responsibilities of a machine operator and features of his work
A machine operator is a specialist worker who creates parts that are subsequently used for various mechanisms. For production, he uses special machines, which is where the name of his profession comes from. At the same time, the machine operator works not only with metal and alloys, but also with various plastics, glass, ceramics, and wood.
The list of specialist responsibilities can also include the following:
creating drawings of future products, carrying out calculations;
regulating the operation of the machine, setting the necessary characteristics;
assessment of the quality of created parts.
It is also worth noting that the work of a machine operator has many similarities with other working specialties: lathe, milling operator, grinder, driller. Therefore, the worker has an idea of the structure and operating principles of the relevant tools, which can be classified as: lathes, drills, cutters.
In addition, workers' equipment is constantly being modernized and developed. Today, many machines are already equipped with program control in order to be able to operate on an industrial scale and produce a large volume of products daily. So modern machine operators are already required to have knowledge of computer technology and the ability to work with CNC machines.
And in order to carry out all the tasks assigned to him, the machine operator must know:
design, principles of operation and adjustment of various machines, as well as related tools;
techniques for creating various elements of mechanisms;
features of the materials used;
methods of quality assessment, culling rules.
At the same time, depending on the material with which the machine operator works, several narrower specializations are distinguished:
woodworking machine operator;
machine operator of metalworking machines;
wide profile machine operator.
It is worth noting that the latter specialty assumes that the worker knows how to work with both wood and metal and knows the features of a whole variety of equipment. In other words, he can be called a universal specialist.
Training of machine operators: conditions and options
As mentioned above, this specialty combines many other working professions: turner, milling machine, grinder, driller, gear cutter and many others.
Naturally, this profession can be entered by a person who already has education or work experience in one of the practical specialties. In this case, the enterprise will offer him to work for some time under the guidance of an experienced machine operator in order to master and understand the nuances that are inherent in this particular profession.
Another option to obtain the necessary profession is to study at a specialized technical school. Most often, for this you need to undergo training in the areas of “Woodworking Technology” or “Metalworking Technology”. They accept both graduates of 11th grade and 9th grade. And the educational program includes practical training, thanks to which, even while receiving education, the future specialist can hone his practical skills and immerse himself in the work processes of enterprises.
Don’t forget about special courses for training workers. They offer to gain professional knowledge in a short time. But it is necessary to remember that only adults can take courses, and training centers do not provide budget places.
And due to the constant development of technology, a machine operator must constantly improve his level of knowledge, since career growth and income level will depend on his professional skills. To do this, you need to regularly attend advanced training courses.
Classes of the profession of machine operator according to ETKS
Regardless of the focus of a given profession, the level of qualification determines the complexity of the part and the skill of the performer. So, a 2nd category machine operator deals with the simplest elements. But a 6th category machine operator is most often involved in work when it is necessary to create very complex, even unique parts. In this case, the specialist is required not only to perform precise work, but also to have great knowledge in the field of mechanics, an analytical mind and spatial imagination.
Personal qualities of the profession of machine operator
Even though the profession of a machine operator belongs to the category of workers, in many ways it is intellectual work. A specialist needs not only to create parts on a machine using templates, but also to independently make drawings and sketches. For such work it is necessary to have good knowledge in various fields, as well as a keen eye, good fine motor skills, an analytical mind and spatial imagination.
But without endurance and a willingness to do long and painstaking work, most often in an uncomfortable position, it is most often impossible to achieve the desired result.
Therefore, the list of qualities required to work as a machine operator should include:
attentiveness;
responsibility;
accuracy;
perseverance;
focus on results;
the ability to take a non-standard approach to solving problems.
Machine operator vacancies and their salary levels
The profession of a machine operator enjoys well-deserved popularity in mechanical engineering or woodworking enterprises. Judging by the vacancies, specialists who can operate CNC machines are especially valued. At the same time, machine operator vacancies almost always require at least 1 year of experience in a similar position.
The average wage for a machine operator in Russia is about 40,000 rubles. At the same time, there are enterprises that offer a salary of 60,000 rubles.
Pros and cons of the profession of machine operator
Among the positive aspects it should be noted:
relevance and relevance;
decent level of monthly income;
obtaining knowledge and skills that allow you to realize your potential in other areas.
The disadvantages of the profession include:
difficult working conditions;
the need to constantly improve your own skills;
Experience required for employment.
Qualification:
Operator of computer-controlled machines;
Generalist machine operator.
1. General characteristics of the profession
Works in metalworking production, repair shops, repair shops of various industries. The specialty arose in connection with the need for the rapid production of small batches of parts of varying complexity for the repair of machine tools and mechanisms. A wide-profile machine operator processes parts made of metal and other materials on lathes, milling, drilling and grinding machines.
Guided by the drawing of the part, he determines the sequence of its manufacture. Selects the necessary tools for this. Uses reference books and makes the necessary calculations. Selects the cutting mode, sets up the machine, installs the tool and workpiece, and processes the part. Verifies the dimensions of the part and the quality of its processing using optical instruments.
There are advanced training courses in production, upon completion of which the next rank is assigned. In pilot production, highly qualified machine operators can be assigned ranks 7 and 8.
2. Requirements for the individual characteristics of a specialist
Physical strength, normal visual and hearing acuity, accurate color discrimination, fine tactile and kinesthetic sensitivity, accurate linear and volumetric eye measurement, accurate hand-eye coordination, good spatial imagination and visual-figurative thinking.
3. Medical contraindications
Work is not recommended for people suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system (poro heart failure, heart failure, etc.), organsdigestion (peptic ulcer, chronic gastritisetc.), musculoskeletal system (chronicrheumatism, chest deformities, etc.), nervoussystems (fainting, meningitis, etc.), visual organs(reduced visual acuity and color discrimination, impaired binocularity, etc.), hearing organs (reduced hearing acuity), skin, localized on the hands(eczema, etc.).
4. Training requirements
Must know:
geometry, trigonometry, physics, drawing(at the level of secondary school), basic materialsscience, theory of material resistancefishing, electrical engineering, technical mechanics,technical measurements;
device, rules for setting up machines and checking them for accuracy, device and rulesuse of measuring instruments,heat treatment technology, sharpening, finishing ki of the instrument;
principles of calibration of part profiles,classes of accuracy and purity of processing.
Should be able to:
calculate the processing modes of partsfrom various materials, usingwaxing materials;
set up machines;
perform processing of parts from different materials on different machines;
check the dimensions of parts usingmeasuring instruments.
5. Related professions
Sharpener, driller, toolmakerworker, fitter-patterner, planer, general-purpose turner, milling machine operator, grinder.
6. Ways to obtain professional education
Machine operators work with different materials, so they can specialize in metal or wood processing.
Average salary: 30,000 rubles per month
Demand
Payability
Competition
Entry barrier
Prospects
A machine operator is a generalist who produces various products and parts from metal or other materials using special equipment.
History of the profession
Even in ancient times, people noticed that by mechanical action on stone, wood, bone and other natural materials, they could be given the necessary, more convenient form for use. To improve processing, special devices (machines) were invented. About 6 thousand years ago, a bow drive was used in Ancient Egypt. The ancient Hellenes developed a lathe with a foot drive and a moving bed.
In Russia, at the beginning of the 18th century, mechanic Andrei Nartov created a turning-copying device using a support, that is, the cutting tool was not in a person’s hand, but in a special holder. Tula craftsmen used this invention to make gun barrels. During the Second World War in the USSR, instead of men being drafted into the army, women were forced to mass produce products for the army on machines.
With the development of scientific thought, more and more progressive methods of energy transmission were used to create torque: the impact of water and steam falling from a height. Over the last century, reliable and efficient electric drives have played a leading role.
Description of the profession
The profession of a machine operator is one of the main ones in mechanical engineering; its representatives process workpieces in strict accordance with the given drawings. As a result, the output is a part that can be combined into a complex structure with other elements. The quality of the product the consumer will receive in the end will depend on the skill of the work.
It is not easy to answer unequivocally who a machine operator is. This working specialty in the 20th century was divided into several areas:
- Woodworking machine operator Most often works in the furniture industry. He makes solid panels from individual boards, grinds parts, drills holes for installing fasteners, and makes blanks for veneer. The sawmill operator is engaged in the production and cutting of boards and beams, as well as facing slab materials.
- Machine operator (metalworking). There are four specializations in this profession: driller, miller, grinder and turner. Some craftsmen turn parts, others process them, creating grooves, recesses and internal cavities, others cut threads and drill holes of the required diameter, and still others, using abrasive materials, bring the workpiece to its final form.
- General machine operator works with metal and wood using a variety of technological equipment. He has the skills to manufacture a wide variety of parts.
Nowadays, an increasing number of numerically controlled machines are being introduced. The job responsibilities of the specialists serving them include the function of an operator using a CNC console.
What specialties are best to study in?
Colleges offer several areas of training for machine operators working on various technological equipment:
- general machine operator;
- machine saw operator;
- woodworking machine operator.
There are also specialists in servicing miter, ridge gluing, and edge jointing units.
It is not difficult to enter a secondary specialized educational institution. It is enough to write an application and provide a certificate for grade 9 or 11. Students are selected based on their average score.
The best colleges and courses for study
Among the secondary professional institutions, of which there are many in our country, the most famous are:
- The Industrial and Technological College (St. Petersburg) trains machine tool and equipment adjusters in machining. Students gain skills in working with turning, grinding, milling, keying and copying equipment, including program-controlled ones. The institution has a large number of partners who then hire graduates: Kirov Plant LLC, Nevsky Instrumental Plant LLC, St. Petersburg State Unitary Enterprise Gorelektrotrans, etc.
- College of Architecture, Design and Reengineering No. 26. This is one of the leading educational institutions in Moscow, offering education in a number of areas. One of them is a woodworking machine operator. The college is a member of the Association of Wooden House Construction and has modern equipment for classes: thickness planers, format-cutting machines, jointers, tenoning machines and other machines. They also teach you how to use the latest computer programs: AutoCAD, CorelDRAW, ArchiCAD.
- The Nizhny Novgorod Radio Engineering College trains masters in the specialty “machine operator (metalworking)”, who can work on manual units of a wide range and on CNC machines. Students undergo practical training at leading enterprises in the region: OJSC “Plant named after. G.I. Petrovsky”, JSC “Nizhny Novgorod Scientific and Production Association named after. M. V. Frunze, OJSC Gidromash, NPP Polet. There are two equipped resource centers in the college.
- Ural Polytechnic College - Interregional Competence Center (Ekaterinburg) provides the region's industry with operators of computer-controlled machine tools. After grade 11, the course lasts only 10 months. Employment is provided by Ural Instrument-Making Plant OJSC, Uraltransmash OJSC, Ural Optical-Mechanical Plant named after. E. S. Yalamova" and other enterprises.
- Restoration College "Kirovsky" (St. Petersburg) focuses on training specialists in the restoration of historical buildings and artistic wooden products. Among the profiles offered are a number of rare specialties, as well as a woodworking machine operator. Graduates work in restoration workshops in the Northern capital and throughout the country, as well as in wood processing enterprises.
You can quickly obtain a specialty or master a new profession in addition to your existing one through courses at professional training centers, for example:
Based on the results of the classes, students take exams and receive a state-issued certificate, which is accepted throughout the country. If the courses were completed in a distance format, then a confirming document is sent by mail.
Responsibilities at work
The functions of a machine operator depend on the type of production (wood or metalworking) and the list of technological equipment available at the plant. For example, the job responsibilities of a woodworking machine operator include:
- selection of raw materials for processing;
- securing the workpiece on the work table;
- installation and adjustment of cutting tools;
- execution of turning works according to the provided sketches, samples or drawings;
- planing of parts, edges, bars, shavings, veneer on special machines (edging, molding, thicknessing);
- set of shields and stitching of parts;
- perforating slabs and removing rust in them;
- drilling holes and sockets;
- milling of recesses and cavities;
- product quality control and rejection of substandard elements;
- maintenance and participation in equipment repair.
A metalworking machine operator has his own set of functions, including cutting threads of various types, milling internal and external surfaces, grinding parts using coolant, boring and drilling holes in hard alloys. Such craftsmen can produce objects from stone and ceramics in small-scale production.
In general, employers require the following professional skills:
- knowledge of the basics of materials science and mechanics;
- good level of knowledge of drawing, trigonometry, geometry;
- understanding the internal structure of different machines, the ability to set them up, sharpen and maintain them, and perform minor repairs;
- ability to use measuring instruments;
- skill in reading drawings and reference materials;
- performing the work efficiently and in accordance with the specified parameters.
All these skills can be acquired in specialized colleges.
Who is it suitable for?
Important personal qualities of a machine operator are:
- physical strength and endurance;
- good color discrimination, acute hearing and vision;
- tactile sensitivity and excellent eye;
- imaginative thinking and spatial imagination;
- precise coordination of movements; . patience and accuracy.
Positive aspects of the profession: demand in the labor market, good earnings from experienced specialists, ability to perform various types of work. Disadvantages: high level of responsibility, constant physical and psychological stress, often hazardous work, risk of injury or occupational disease.
How much do they get
On average across the country, a machine operator earns 25-35 thousand rubles. A generalist with a rank higher than fourth can count on 40-55 thousand rubles. The salary of a highly qualified specialist who can be entrusted with a responsible unique product is even higher. In some regions (Tuva and Altai Republics, Nenets and Chukotka Autonomous Okrugs) they pay more due to northern allowances.
How to build a career
The profession of a machine operator is considered to be a blue-collar job, so there are no great career prospects; growth mainly occurs through increased qualifications.
Prospects for the profession
Modern production is constantly being modernized, more and more products are produced on automatic equipment, so employees capable of working on machines and servicing them will always be needed.