Sheet metal workersSheet metal workers make, install, and maintain heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning duct systems; roofs; siding; rain gutters; downspouts; skylights; restaurant equipment; outdoor signs; railroad cars; tailgates; customized precision equipment; and many other products made from metal sheets. They also may work with fiberglass and plastic materials. Although some workers specialize in fabrication, installation, or maintenance, most do all three jobs. Sheet metal workers do both construction-related sheet metal work and mass production of sheet metal products in manufacturing. Sheet metal workers first study plans and specifications to determine the kind and quantity of materials they will need. They then measure, cut, bend, shape, and fasten pieces of sheet metal to make ductwork, countertops, and other custom products. In an increasing number of shops, sheet metal workers use computerized metalworking equipment. This enables them to perform their tasks more quickly and to experiment with different layouts to find the one that results in the least waste of material. They cut, drill, and form parts with computer-controlled saws, lasers, shears, and presses. In shops without computerized equipment, and for products that cannot be made on such equipment, sheet metal workers use hand calculators to make the required calculations and use tapes, rulers, and other measuring devices for layout work. They then cut or stamp the parts on machine tools. Before assembling pieces, sheet metal workers check each part for accuracy using measuring instruments such as calipers and micrometers and, if necessary, finish it by using hand, rotary, or squaring shears and hacksaws. After the parts have been inspected, workers fasten seams and joints together with welds, bolts, cement, rivets, solder, specially formed sheet metal drive clips, or other connecting devices. They then take the parts to the construction site, where they further assemble the pieces as they install them. These workers install ducts, pipes, and tubes by joining them end to end and hanging them with metal hangers secured to a ceiling or a wall. They also use shears, hammers, punches, and drills to make parts at the worksite or to alter parts made in the shop. Some jobs are done completely at the jobsite. When installing a metal roof, for example, sheet metal workers measure and cut the roofing panels that are needed to complete the job. They secure the first panel in place and interlock and fasten the grooved edge of the next panel into the grooved edge of the first. Then, they nail or weld the free edge of the panel to the structure. This two-step process is repeated for each additional panel. Finally, the workers fasten machine-made molding at joints, along corners, and around windows and doors for a neat, finished effect. In addition to installation, some sheet metal workers specialize in testing, balancing, adjusting, and servicing existing air-conditioning and ventilation systems to make sure they are functioning properly and to improve their energy efficiency. Properly installed duct systems are a key component to heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, which causes duct installers to sometimes be referred to as HVAC technicians. A duct system allows for even air distribution while minimizing leaks and temperature differentiation that can cause other problems, such as mold. Sheet metal workers in manufacturing plants make sheet metal parts for products such as aircraft or industrial equipment. Although some of the fabrication techniques used in large-scale manufacturing are similar to those used in smaller shops, the work may be highly automated and repetitive. Sheet metal workers doing such work may be responsible for reprogramming the computer control systems of the equipment they operate. Related news articles Knipp's upset one of state's biggest - 16 Oct 2006 Meadville Tribune,...public office. His only opponent was Knipp, a retired 60-year-old sheet metal worker who had practically no name recognition. Merrell ... Voters turned off by ads - Oct 15, 2006 Fitchburg Sentinel,..."I do like (Mihos') one ad on TV where everyone has their head up their (butt)," said Matt Dahir, a 34-year-old sheet metal worker from Westminster. ... Konecny, Sr., Walter V. - Oct 15, 2006 Green Bay Press Gazette,Walter and Carol moved back to northeast Wisconsin to raise their family. He worked as a union sheet metal worker throughout the Fox Valley. ... Strength in small numbers - Oct 15, 2006 OCRegister,...to Corona del Mar High School, came back to south Orange County from Kalamazoo, Mich., after her 20-year marriage to an introverted sheet-metal worker ended. ... Navage follows his own path - Oct 15, 2006 Durango Herald,Navage began his unusual road to service in 1959 in Phoenix, Ariz., where he was born the son of a World War II veteran-turned-coal miner and sheet metal worker ... Photo exhibit puts focus on daily lives of laborers - Oct 13, 2006 Albany Times Union,Mike Watkins works as a union sheet metal worker. His multimedia piece, called "Steel River," captures train migration through the Selkirk yard. ... Sue Townsend - Oct 14, 2006 The Sunday Times,...“I was interested in the ending of things.�? After school, she worked in shops, factories, a garage forecourt; she married a sheet-metal worker, had three ... Rapist's kill threat - Oct 13, 2006 The Gold Coast Bulletin,Douglas, a sheet-metal worker, had been drinking at the Greenbank RSL before breaking into another woman's home in Regents Park, but her bedroom door was locked ... Northup, Yarmuth get testy at debate - Oct 11, 2006 Louisville Courier-Journal,...said. Bruce Heehan, 47, a registered Democrat who is a union sheet-metal worker, said the debate has him leaning toward Yarmuth. ... James shoots 834; Bouton rolls 810 - Oct 11, 2006 Topeka Capital Journal (subscription),The 33-year-old sheet metal worker, whose previous high series was a 736 last season, was caught off guard by the best preformance of his career, which also ... Campus craftsmen reach agreement - Oct 3, 2006 The UCLA Daily Bruin,..."I make $36 an hour with outside contractors, but I only make $27.39 an hour at UCLA," said Tracy Hanamoto, a sheet metal worker. ... Production Continues Despite Strike - Oct 2, 2006 Houston Chronicle,Those were very much on the mind of striking sheet-metal worker John Best late Monday morning as he walked the picket line: "They promised us if we took the ... There's only one...Jack Walker - Oct 5, 2006 Vitalfootball,After leaving school at 14-years of age he began working as a sheet metal worker, before taking over the family business with his brother Fred. ... The Who hits the road - Oct 5, 2006 The Olympian,He's back alongside Daltrey, who was a sheet-metal worker when he first joined Townshend, an art school student, to make music more than four decades ago. ... Slot track revs up family - Oct 2, 2006 Elmira Star-Gazette,..."I was a modified driver forever," said Chet Bennett, a sheet metal worker at Cornell University. "I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars. ... Artists' grand opportunity - Oct 5, 2006 Chesterfield Today,Former sheet-metal worker Stuart Harrison set up his business Metalixx two years ago after spotting a gap in the market for contemporary stainless steel ... More information on Sheet metal workers from The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook Overview of Sheet metal workers occupation Number of Sheet metal workers in the U.S. Salary and earnings for Sheet metal workers Working conditions for Sheet metal workers Significant points for Sheet metal workers Training requirements for Sheet metal workers Labor Information Home | Occupational data by city | Search Rainforests | Madagascar | What's new |