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Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend spraying or rolling machines to coat or paint any of a wide variety of products, including glassware, cloth, ceramics, metal, plastic, paper, or wood, with lacquer, silver, copper, rubber, varnish, glaze, enamel, oil, or rust-proofing materials. Includes painters of transportation vehicles such as painters in auto body repair facilities.

What you’d do

  • Dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner.
  • Hold or position spray guns to direct spray onto articles.
  • Spray prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primers and decorative or finish coatings.
  • Monitor painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and correct their causes.
  • Disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths.
  • Fill hoppers, reservoirs, troughs, or pans with material used to coat, paint, or spray, using conveyors or pails.
  • Clean equipment and work areas.
  • Apply rust-resistant undercoats and caulk and seal seams.

Skills that matter

  • Operations Monitoring
  • Monitoring
  • Operation and Control
  • Quality Control Analysis
  • Equipment Maintenance
  • Repairing

How to get there

Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one

Also called

  • Automotive Painter (Auto Painter)
  • Coater Operator
  • Paint Technician (Paint Tech)
  • Painter
  • Automotive Refinish Technician (Auto Refinish Tech)
  • Hand Sprayer

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