Career summary

Details for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers


Description

Inspect, test, sort, sample, or weigh nonagricultural raw materials or processed, machined, fabricated, or assembled parts or products for defects, wear, and deviations from specifications. May use precision measuring instruments and complex test equipment.

Tasks

  • Discard or reject products, materials, or equipment not meeting specifications.
  • Inspect, test, or measure materials, products, installations, or work for conformance to specifications.
  • Record inspection or test data, such as weights, temperatures, grades, or moisture content, and quantities inspected or graded.
  • Mark items with details, such as grade or acceptance-rejection status.
  • Measure dimensions of products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as rulers, calipers, gauges, or micrometers.
  • Analyze test data, making computations as necessary, to determine test results.
  • Collect or select samples for testing or for use as models.
  • Compare colors, shapes, textures, or grades of products or materials with color charts, templates, or samples to verify conformance to standards.
  • Write test or inspection reports describing results, recommendations, or needed repairs.
  • Read dials or meters to verify that equipment is functioning at specified levels.
  • Remove defects, such as chips, burrs, or lap corroded or pitted surfaces.
  • Adjust, clean, or repair products or processing equipment to correct defects found during inspections.
  • Fabricate, install, position, or connect components, parts, finished products, or instruments for testing or operational purposes.
  • Grade, classify, or sort products according to sizes, weights, colors, or other specifications.
  • Make minor adjustments to equipment, such as turning setscrews to calibrate instruments to required tolerances.
  • Interpret legal requirements, provide safety information, or recommend compliance procedures to contractors, craft workers, engineers, or property owners.
  • Inspect or test cleantech or green technology parts, products, or installations, such as fuel cells, solar panels, or air quality devices, for conformance to specifications or standards.
  • Inspect or test raw materials, parts, or products to determine compliance with environmental standards.
  • Read blueprints, data, manuals, or other materials to determine specifications, inspection and testing procedures, adjustment methods, certification processes, formulas, or measuring instruments required.
  • Notify supervisors or other personnel of production problems.
  • Recommend necessary corrective actions, based on inspection results.
  • Clean, maintain, calibrate, or repair measuring instruments or test equipment, such as dial indicators, fixed gauges, or height gauges.
  • Check arriving materials to ensure that they match purchase orders, submitting discrepancy reports as necessary.
  • Compute defect percentages or averages, using formulas and calculators.
  • Position products, components, or parts for testing.
  • Stack or arrange tested products for further processing, shipping, or packaging.
  • Monitor production operations or equipment to ensure conformance to specifications, making necessary process or assembly adjustments.
  • Monitor machines that automatically measure, sort, or inspect products.
  • Compute usable amounts of items in shipments.
  • Weigh materials, products, containers, or samples to verify packaging weights or ingredient quantities.
  • Disassemble defective parts or components, such as inaccurate or worn gauges or measuring instruments.
  • Administer tests to assess whether engineers or operators are qualified to use equipment.

Interests

  • Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
  • Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
  • Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Education, training, experience

  • Education - These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
  • Training - Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
  • Experience - Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.

Knowledge

  • Mathematics -Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • English Language -Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Production and Processing -Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Skills

None found.

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