A metal fabricator is someone who cuts and shapes metal, usually steel or ferrous metals, for use in the construction of both heavy and light structures or articles that people use every day. Bridges, buildings, ships, and heavy equipment are examples of heavy structures. Automobile bodies, bicycles, chairs, and ornamental products are all made with light metals fabrication.
A metal fabricator must be able to read and interpret engineers’ drawings and blueprints in order to correctly cut and shape metals for these articles and structures. He or she must also be familiar with the use of computers in the metal fabrication process. When a metal fabricator understands what is needed to fabricate a piece for a structure, he or she employs tools such as band saws and cutting torches to do so. He or she may also use rivets or nuts and bolts to connect pieces, as well as bend, twist, or roll pieces into different shapes.
Training at a technical institute is the most common path to becoming a metal fabricator. In some countries, training programs extend beyond a basic certificate to several years. Prior to attending school, a man or woman may have worked their way up from an entry-level position into a metal fabricator apprenticeship at a fabrication shop or manufacturing site.
Anyone interested in becoming a metal fabricator should enjoy working with their hands as well as working with engineer designs and blueprints. Work can be dangerous because it requires the use of sharp, heavy tools and, in the case of welding, fire. During the course of their work, metal fabricators have been known to lose a finger or two. They may become temporarily blind as a result of bright light, and they may also develop tiny metal flecks in their eyes. A metal fabricator typically wears coveralls, safety goggles, heavy-duty gloves, face shields, and steel-toed boots to try to avoid all of this.
Job opportunities in metal fabrication are heavily reliant on the construction industry and, of course, manufacturing. As a result, layoffs are more likely to occur when the amount of new construction falls or when the manufacturing sector suffers losses. If a metal fabricator is a member of a union, he or she may not be allowed to work on non-union jobs. This can severely limit employment opportunities and earnings.