What does a fabrication manager do?
Fabrication manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real fabrication manager resumes:
- Manage all shipping & receiving logistics before creating position of shipping supervisor.
- Experience with OSHA safety as well as employee safety.
- Operate facility in compliance with OSHA and Sapa standards.
- Operate a press, shears, rollers, plasma cutter, and mig and tig welders.
- Design and build props for theatrical sets from wood, steel, aluminum, and other materials for special events.
- Plan and design require parts of sheet metal for the marine industry with duct planning and HVAC installation with wiring.
- Fabricate aluminum pool cages to design and customer specifications.
- Develop and maintain update manufacturing procedure; scale up formulations from development in accordance with GMP and safety / environmental regulations.
- Design new tables for the Haas machines, which assist quicker set up time for the operators.
- Work in the quality department running CMM equipment and inspecting components using bench equipment.
- Develop formal training manuals for integral extrusion process and integral bag converting.
Fabrication manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 9% of Fabrication Managers are proficient in Continuous Improvement, Safety Procedures, and Lean Manufacturing. They’re also known for soft skills such as Computer skills, Dexterity, and Math skills.
We break down the percentage of Fabrication Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Continuous Improvement, 9%
Implement continuous improvement plan with Boeing and Airbus on-site source inspectors to improve product quality related to manufacturing workmanship.
- Safety Procedures, 8%
Developed master schedule and work assignments, monitored performance and compliance to safety procedures.
- Lean Manufacturing, 7%
Improved efficiency by 15% through the implementation of Lean Manufacturing concepts while supporting sales growth of approximately 20%.
- Quality Standards, 6%
Manage departmental employees to meet production schedule, quality standards, direct and indirect labor and scrap costs.
- CNC, 6%
Implemented 3rd shift for CNC equipment to increase capacity and throughput yielding a reduction in overtime and improved profitability.
- Production Schedules, 5%
Coordinated production schedules to allow for timely completion of multiple projects.
Common skills that a fabrication manager uses to do their job include "continuous improvement," "safety procedures," and "lean manufacturing." You can find details on the most important fabrication manager responsibilities below.
Dexterity. Another essential skill to perform fabrication manager duties is dexterity. Fabrication managers responsibilities require that "sheet metal workers need good hand–eye coordination and motor control to make precise cuts and bends in metal pieces." Fabrication managers also use dexterity in their role according to a real resume snippet: "operate a 35k straight mass forklift, 35ton all terrain crane. "
Math skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of fabrication managers is math skills. This skill is critical to many everyday fabrication manager duties, as "sheet metal workers must calculate the proper sizes and angles of fabricated sheet metal to ensure the alignment and fit of ductwork." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "gathered daily production statistics using data to highlight inefficiencies and drive continuous process improvement. "
Mechanical skills. For certain fabrication manager responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "mechanical skills." The day-to-day duties of a fabrication manager rely on this skill, as "sheet metal workers use saws, lasers, shears, and presses." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what fabrication managers do: "press brake ( both mechanical and hydraulic ) 3. "
Physical strength. Another crucial skill for a fabrication manager to carry out their responsibilities is "physical strength." A big part of what fabrication managers relies on this skill, since "sheet metal workers must be able to lift and move ductwork that is heavy and cumbersome." How this skill relates to fabrication manager duties can be seen in an example from a fabrication manager resume snippet: "inventory control many cycle and full physical counts. "
The three companies that hire the most fabrication managers are:
- GPAC28 fabrication managers jobs
- Spirit AeroSystems2 fabrication managers jobs
- Shaw Industries2 fabrication managers jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable fabrication manager resume templates
Build a professional fabrication manager resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your fabrication manager resume.Compare different fabrication managers
Fabrication manager vs. Supervisor
Supervisors are responsible for overseeing the daily functions of employees in a specific team, department, or even a work shift. They create work schedules, organize work processes and workflows, train new hires, provide necessary reports related to the team function and the employees, monitor and evaluate employee performance, and ensure that goals of the specific team or department are met. When needed, supervisors also provide guidance to employees in terms of their career or even personal challenges. They also help in fostering harmonious work relationships by resolving interpersonal conflicts at work. To be successful in their role, they must have leadership skills, time management skills, decision-making capabilities, analytical skills, and problem-solving skills.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between fabrication managers and supervisor. For instance, fabrication manager responsibilities require skills such as "continuous improvement," "lean manufacturing," "cnc," and "osha." Whereas a supervisor is skilled in "customer service," "sales floor," "pos," and "direct supervision." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Supervisors earn the highest salaries when working in the health care industry, with an average yearly salary of $60,088. On the other hand, fabrication managers are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $80,463.On average, supervisors reach similar levels of education than fabrication managers. Supervisors are 0.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Fabrication manager vs. Line leader
Production line leaders or production team leaders typically work in the manufacturing industry. These leaders undertake both mental and physical work, including filing reports and paperwork, helping in order completion, and managing production assembly lines. They physically contain construction materials to ensure correct handling. Also, they oversee the varying activities within the organization or department. Among their tasks include inventory control, data entry, and product quality.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, fabrication manager responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "lean manufacturing," "osha," "on-time delivery," and "r." Meanwhile, a line leader has duties that require skills in areas such as "customer service," "quality checks," "assembly line," and "gmp." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Line leaders earn a lower average salary than fabrication managers. But line leaders earn the highest pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $39,263. Additionally, fabrication managers earn the highest salaries in the technology with average pay of $80,463 annually.In general, line leaders achieve similar levels of education than fabrication managers. They're 3.0% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Fabrication manager vs. Shop supervisor
A shop supervisor is responsible for monitoring the overall operations of a store, delegating tasks to the shop personnel, and ensuring the highest quality service to the customers for their satisfaction. Shop supervisors handle the sales inventory and process bank transactions every closing. They also negotiate contracts with suppliers and third-party vendors, receive proof of shipments, maintain an organized record of deliveries, and implement marketing strategies to boost brand awareness and generate more revenues to increase profitability.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, fabrication managers are more likely to have skills like "continuous improvement," "lean manufacturing," "on-time delivery," and "press brake." But a shop supervisor is more likely to have skills like "customer service," "preventative maintenance," "parts inventory," and "basic math."
Shop supervisors earn the best pay in the energy industry, where they command an average salary of $63,390. Fabrication managers earn the highest pay from the technology industry, with an average salary of $80,463.shop supervisors typically earn similar educational levels compared to fabrication managers. Specifically, they're 2.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Fabrication manager vs. Lead supervisor
Lead supervisors are responsible for several duties within an organization. They are accountable for overseeing their members and making sure that the work they produce is of good quality. They mainly serve as role models for their staff members, who often seek guidance, leadership, and support from them. When issues arise between employees, lead supervisors should intervene by providing conflict management to ease the situation. They also have to delegate work to employees to get the job done efficiently.
Types of fabrication manager
Updated January 8, 2025











