What does a metal fabricator do?
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.
Metal fabricator responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real metal fabricator resumes:
- Examine surface of metal to detect defects, such as dents, scratches, or breaks in metal.
- Operate band see, chop see, MIG welder, stick welder, and grinders to cut to specifications.
- Design and construct jigs, templates, and fixtures.
- Test and troubleshoot electrical systems prior to shipment of modules.
- Fabricate and erect structural, ornamental, and misc steel.
- Apply knowledge of shop mathematics, metal properties, and layouts.
- Apply math and physics principles in structure design and construction of sculptures.
- Install steel railings, stairs, fences, gates and structural beams.
- Interpret blueprints and schematics, TIG weld parts as defined in specification sheets.
- Finish parts, using hacksaws or hand, rotary, or squaring shears.
- Assemble snow blowers, lawn mowers, pressure washers on a daily basis.
- Design and sketch components to be used in CNG operations and installations (i.e.
- Fit and weld replacement parts into place, using wrenches, welding equipment, power grinders, and other tools.
- Perform routine maintenance on all shop machines such as cutting blades, grinding wheels, ventilation motors welders and grinders.
- Remove dents, using hammer and dolly block, and fills uneven surface with molten solder.
Metal fabricator skills and personality traits
We calculated that 9% of Metal Fabricators are proficient in MIG, Hand Tools, and Aluminum. They’re also known for soft skills such as Color vision, Math skills, and Computer skills.
We break down the percentage of Metal Fabricators that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- MIG, 9%
Weld metal using various techniques such as MIG, TIG and Stick.
- Hand Tools, 8%
Press sheet Metal, assembled, used small hand tools, cut metal, trim insulation, read blue prints
- Aluminum, 6%
Manufactured extruded aluminum evaporator coils, condenser coils, and other products for heat transfer applications.
- Press Brake, 6%
Job requires a wide variety of skills including operating punch presses, lasers, press brakes, welding and assembling.
- Drill Press, 5%
Metal fabrication, cut metal, ran lathe and mill, limited welding, used grinders, plasma cutters and drill press
- Tape Measure, 5%
Use of Micrometers, Calipers, and Tape measures.
Common skills that a metal fabricator uses to do their job include "mig," "hand tools," and "aluminum." You can find details on the most important metal fabricator responsibilities below.
Color vision. The most essential soft skill for a metal fabricator to carry out their responsibilities is color vision. This skill is important for the role because "assemblers and fabricators who make electrical and electronic products must distinguish different colors, because the wires they often work with are color coded." Additionally, a metal fabricator resume shows how their duties depend on color vision: "used math skills as needed: division, multiplication, addition, subtraction, and working with fractions.ged 2011"
Dexterity. For certain metal fabricator responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "dexterity." The day-to-day duties of a metal fabricator rely on this skill, as "assemblers and fabricators should have a steady hand and good hand–eye coordination, as they must grasp, manipulate, and assemble parts and components that are often very small." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what metal fabricators do: "operate crane and forklift, in order to arrange finish goods to be shipped. "
Mechanical skills. Another crucial skill for a metal fabricator to carry out their responsibilities is "mechanical skills." A big part of what metal fabricators relies on this skill, since "assemblers and fabricators must have a working knowledge of basic machinery to use programmable motion-control devices, computers, and robots on the factory floor." How this skill relates to metal fabricator duties can be seen in an example from a metal fabricator resume snippet: "drill press, grinders, cut off saws, hydraulic and mechanical metal press, operating speed lathes. "
Physical strength. Another skill commonly found on metal fabricator job descriptions is "physical strength." It can come up quite often in metal fabricator duties, since "assemblers and fabricators must be able to lift heavy components or pieces of machinery." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day metal fabricator responsibilities: "applied knowledge of trigonometry, stock allowances for thickness, machine and welding shrinkage, and physical properties of metal. "
The three companies that hire the most metal fabricators are:
- Express Employment Indy South15 metal fabricators jobs
- Paradigm Precision
8 metal fabricators jobs
- Brunswick7 metal fabricators jobs
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Compare different metal fabricators
Metal fabricator vs. Product builder
A warehouse assembler takes on several responsibilities. They are responsible for preparing work that needs to be accomplished by studying and following assembly instructions to put together parts. They also interpret engineering blueprints and technical jargon. They are expected to verify accurate quantities of components and to check that the items are completed to ensure quality. They manage the inventory of parts and tools that are used in the process of assembly.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, metal fabricator responsibilities require skills like "mig," "aluminum," "press brake," and "drill press." Meanwhile a typical product builder has skills in areas such as "medical devices," "medical products," "safety policies," and "catheter." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Product builders earn the highest salaries when working in the health care industry, with an average yearly salary of $33,660. On the other hand, metal fabricators are paid more in the automotive industry with an average salary of $45,267.On average, product builders reach similar levels of education than metal fabricators. Product builders are 2.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Metal fabricator vs. Door assembler
Each career also uses different skills, according to real metal fabricator resumes. While metal fabricator responsibilities can utilize skills like "mig," "aluminum," "press brake," and "drill press," door assemblers use skills like "assembly process," "safety rules," "osha," and "power saws."
In general, door assemblers achieve similar levels of education than metal fabricators. They're 0.8% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Metal fabricator vs. Warehouse assembler
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, metal fabricators are more likely to have skills like "mig," "aluminum," "press brake," and "drill press." But a warehouse assembler is more likely to have skills like "pallets," "part numbers," "pallet jack," and "safety regulations."
Warehouse assemblers earn the best pay in the manufacturing industry, where they command an average salary of $31,847. Metal fabricators earn the highest pay from the automotive industry, with an average salary of $45,267.Most warehouse assemblers achieve a similar degree level compared to metal fabricators. For example, they're 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Metal fabricator vs. Furniture assembler
Even though a few skill sets overlap between metal fabricators and furniture assemblers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a metal fabricator might have more use for skills like "mig," "aluminum," "press brake," and "drill press." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of furniture assemblers require skills like "office furniture," "delivery truck," "safety procedures," and "sales floor. "
In general, furniture assemblers earn the most working in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $34,228. The highest-paying industry for a metal fabricator is the automotive industry.In general, furniture assemblers hold similar degree levels compared to metal fabricators. Furniture assemblers are 0.4% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of metal fabricator
Updated January 8, 2025
