What does an assembly specialist do?

Fabrication technicians are skilled employees who are responsible for using specialized equipment to assemble components for a variety of products or finished products. These technicians are required to perform inspections on the tools and mechanical equipment as well as provide maintenance and repair. They are required to complete the assembly of equipment by following the engineering drawings and specifications. Fabrication technicians must also follow established safety procedures when maintaining work areas and troubleshooting problems with machinery.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between assembly specialists and fabrication technician. For instance, assembly specialist responsibilities require skills such as "assembly operations," "mechanical assembly," "assembly process," and "safety rules." Whereas a fabrication technician is skilled in "math," "customer service," "calipers," and "osha." This is part of what separates the two careers.

A fabricator specializes in manufacturing and assembling equipment or devices, ensuring every product's quality and efficiency. There are instances when a fabricator is required to make multiple gears, conduct verification processes on product schematics and specifications, perform quality control inspections, and test the product in different environments. Furthermore, a fabricator needs to coordinate with all workforce members to remain informed on any changes or updates in the production operations while adhering to the company's policies and safety standards.

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that assembly specialist responsibilities requires skills like "assembly operations," "mechanical assembly," "assembly process," and "dexterity." But a fabricator might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "basic math," "calipers," "math," and "tape measure."

A metal fabricator manipulates metal for construction and manufacturing companies. They are required to cut, shape, position and align different metals. They must also understand assembly instructions, ensure required parts are available, and ensure parts meet quality control standards. They attend product development meetings, test products for functionality, troubleshoot and stress test products to determine possible shortcomings, make detailed reports outlining product malfunctions, verify product dimensions, and maintain the product schedule.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an assembly specialist is likely to be skilled in "assembly operations," "safety procedures," "mechanical assembly," and "assembly process," while a typical metal fabricator is skilled in "mig," "aluminum," "press brake," and "tape measure."