How to become Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic in 2024

Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic Lay out reference points and dimensions on metal or plastic stock or workpieces, such as sheets, plates, tubes, structural shapes, castings, or machine parts, for further processing. Includes shipfitters.

Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic is Also Know as

In different settings, Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic is titled as

  • Development Mechanic
  • Layout Fabricator
  • Layout Fitter
  • Layout Inspector
  • Layout Man
  • Layout Mechanic
  • Layout Technician (Layout Tech)
  • Layout Worker

Education and Training of Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic is categorized in Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Experience Required for Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.

Education Required for Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

These occupations usually require a high school diploma.

Degrees Related to Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

Training Required for Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Related Ocuupations

Some Ocuupations related to Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic in different industries are

What Do Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic do?

  • Fit and align fabricated parts to be welded or assembled.
  • Plan and develop layouts from blueprints and templates, applying knowledge of trigonometry, design, effects of heat, and properties of metals.
  • Lay out and fabricate metal structural parts such as plates, bulkheads, and frames.
  • Mark curves, lines, holes, dimensions, and welding symbols onto workpieces, using scribes, soapstones, punches, and hand drills.
  • Compute layout dimensions, and determine and mark reference points on metal stock or workpieces for further processing, such as welding and assembly.
  • Locate center lines and verify template positions, using measuring instruments such as gauge blocks, height gauges, and dial indicators.
  • Lift and position workpieces in relation to surface plates, manually or with hoists, and using parallel blocks and angle plates.
  • Plan locations and sequences of cutting, drilling, bending, rolling, punching, and welding operations, using compasses, protractors, dividers, and rules.
  • Inspect machined parts to verify conformance to specifications.
  • Design and prepare templates of wood, paper, or metal.
  • Brace parts in position within hulls or ships for riveting or welding.
  • Add dimensional details to blueprints or drawings made by other workers.
  • Install doors, hatches, brackets, and clips.
  • Apply pigment to layout surfaces, using paint brushes.

Qualities of Good Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

  • Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness: The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Manual Dexterity: The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Finger Dexterity: The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Mathematical Reasoning: The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Number Facility: The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Trunk Strength: The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
  • Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Multilimb Coordination: The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
  • Auditory Attention: The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
  • Control Precision: The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Fluency of Ideas: The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Extent Flexibility: The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  • Visual Color Discrimination: The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
  • Static Strength: The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
  • Depth Perception: The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
  • Reaction Time: The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
  • Time Sharing: The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
  • Originality: The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Dynamic Strength: The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.
  • Speed of Closure: The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
  • Wrist-Finger Speed: The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.
  • Stamina: The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
  • Gross Body Coordination: The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.
  • Hearing Sensitivity: The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
  • Memorization: The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
  • Gross Body Equilibrium: The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
  • Rate Control: The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
  • Response Orientation: The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
  • Spatial Orientation: The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.
  • Glare Sensitivity: The ability to see objects in the presence of a glare or bright lighting.
  • Peripheral Vision: The ability to see objects or movement of objects to one's side when the eyes are looking ahead.
  • Speed of Limb Movement: The ability to quickly move the arms and legs.
  • Sound Localization: The ability to tell the direction from which a sound originated.
  • Night Vision: The ability to see under low-light conditions.
  • Explosive Strength: The ability to use short bursts of muscle force to propel oneself (as in jumping or sprinting), or to throw an object.
  • Dynamic Flexibility: The ability to quickly and repeatedly bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

Tools Used by Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

  • Coordinate measuring machines CMM
  • Dial indicators
  • Digital hardness testers
  • Digital height gauges
  • Digital micrometers
  • Drafting compasses
  • Drafting dividers
  • Electric saws
  • Gauge block sets
  • Hand drills
  • Measurement calipers
  • Optical comparators
  • Parallel blocks
  • Power hoists
  • Protractors
  • Punches
  • Rulers
  • Scribes
  • Stick welding machines
  • Wheeled forklifts

Technology Skills required for Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Computer aided design CAD software
  • Hexagon Metrology PC-DMIS
  • Inventory tracking software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word
  • Optical Gaging Products Measure-X