Welding Machine Operator Submerged Arc Salary
in Virginia, United States

• Sets up and operates arc welding machine that welds together parts of fabricated metal products, as specified by blueprints, layouts, welding procedures, and operating charts: welds flat, cylindrical, or irregular parts that may be clamped, tack-welded, or otherwise positioned.
• May position weld line parallel to carriage.
• Turns cranks or pushes buttons to align electrode on welding head over weld joint to weld linear joints, or adjust length of radial arm to position electrode over weld joint when welding radial joints.
• Clamps cylindrical workpieces onto turning rolls under stationary head to weld circular joints.
• Threads specified electrode wire from reel through feed rolls and welding head.
• Turns welding head to set specified angle of electrode.
• May fill hopper with specified flux and direct nozzle or gravity feed over weld line, or adjust shielding gas or gas mixture flow rate.
• Turns knobs to set current, voltage, and slope, and synchronize feed of wire and flux with speed of welding action.
• May set limit switch which automatically stops machine at end of weld.
• Starts machine and observes meters and gauges, or observes welding action for compliance with procedures.
• Visually examines welds for adherence to specifications.
• May grind welded surfaces for penetrant test.
• Adjusts machine setup to vary size, location, and penetration of bead.
• May install track template to weld irregularly shaped seams.
• May make trial run before welding and record setup and operating data.
• May layout, fit, and tack workpieces together.
• May preheat workpiece, using hand torch or heating furnace.

Welding Machine Operator Submerged Arc Job Prevalence in Virginia, United States

Job family: Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Job family population: 38,750

Estimated population of Welding Machine Operator Submerged Arc jobs: 1,538

Rate of error: 2.7%