Melter

PRIMARY FUNCTIONS

    To prepare, charge, and operate consumable electrode vacuum melting furnaces and vacuum induction melting furnace.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

    Must be able to lift 35 pounds
    Must be able to push/pull 50 lbs.
    Must be able to bend and squat at least 10 times per hour
    Must be able to wear respiratory protection
    Must be able to climb stairs and ladders
    Must be able to operate all overhead cranes
    Must be able to operate forklifts

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

    Vacuum Induction Melting Furnace, including evacuation system, power system, control panels
    Consumable Electrode Vacuum Melting Furnace
    Leak detection equipment
    Crucibles
    Bell jars
    Molds, stools, tundishes
    Pendant  and remote controlled cranes
    Fork lift trucks
    Annealing furnace
    Grit Blast Equipment
    Crucible Blasters – VAR Department 
    Scales
    Torque wrench 
    Vacuum Cleaner
    Hand tools
    Slings, tongs, chains, etc.
    Oxygen & Acetylene Torch
    Cleaning Heating Torches
    Blanks
    Pneumatic Wire Brush, Grinders and Wrenches
    Levels
    Pie Tape
    Pneumatic Hammer
    PPE
    Remote Controlled Cranes
    Cleaning Equipment
    Head Cleaning Tools
    Annulus Balls

MATERIALS

    Scrap
    Alloy Steel Electrode & Ingots
    Ingots
        Stingers
    Inert Gases
    Water
    Compressed Air
    Stubs to make Stinger Maintenance welds 
    Refractories
    Hot Tops
    Insulating Material
    Solvents

SOURCE OF SUPERVISION

    Foreman

WORKING PROCEDURE

    Receives melt schedule and melt sheets.
    Calculates the rate of electrode travel.
    Weights electrode using floor operated overhead crane or floor calibrated scales
    Measures length of electrode, slot length, and checks material and heat number.
    Prepares crucible and stool using blasters; wire brush, etc.
    Prepares mating surfaces of stool, crucible and furnace by cleaning surfaces and applying vacuum grease to seals.
    Selects proper crucible and stool; and cleaning and placing the crucible in staging area and sets furnace up for melting
    Engages in removing crucible and ingot from furnace, removing ingot from crucible, weighing ingot, stamping ingot to identify, measuring length of ingot and placing ingot and bell jar using floor operated crane.
    Operates furnace.
    Maintains arc and controls melting according to established procedures.
    Makes corrective adds.
    Operates vacuum pumps and introduces inert gases as necessary.
    Checks previously prepared charge to be sure that the proper number of containers of scrap and alloying ingredients are on hand.
    Engages in placing the charge in the crucible and launders
    Engages in setting stools, molds, and tundishes in pouring chamber.
    Closes and seals furnace chamber.
    Operates and closely directs the operation of all control (vacuum, power temperature, etc.) throughout the melting cycle according to standard melt practices and procedures.
    Takes samples of molten metal as required and as directed by melt sheet, cutting and delivering samples to laboratory.
    Make corrective additions to melt as necessary.
    Operates controls to tilt furnace during pouring. Indexes tundishes or mold table during pouring.
    Places launder in or out of Melt chamber 
    Cleans and prepares sample takers for use.
    Check flow of cooling water when necessary.
    Engages in cleaning of interior furnace.
    Engages in pouring for proper rate of pour and proper filling of molds.
    Post melt records, including all data required.
    Open furnaces and engages in removing molds from furnace.
    Strips molds and hot tops, identifies and weighs electrode and loads electrode onto table. 
    Place molds in oven for preheating.
    Checks condition of stools and sends for repair if necessary.
    Close and bolts vacuum chamber.
    Wipes and/or brushes ingots.
    Shuts down at end of melt cycle, and engage in disassembly of furnace and removal of the ingot.
    Strips, weighs and identifies electrodes.
    Makes minor repairs.
    Operates pendant/remote controlled crane or fork truck to move charges, materials or supplies throughout the area.
    Engages in breaking up and removing refractory linings in crucible
    Assembles prepared molds and stools.
    Operates Crucible blaster to clean VAR Crucibles. 
    Reports any malfunctions or abnormal operation condition to supervisor.
    Maintains clean and orderly work area.
    May assist maintenance personnel.
    Prepare stuck electrodes for extracting by grinding, cutting, torching, etc.
    Extract stuck electrode.
    Make Slag charges per PC
    Melt slag and pour per PC
    Follow all PC’s, SWI’s and additional training documents associated with the Melter Classification (this should be in all job descriptions) 

With more than 120 operations and approximately 20,000 employees worldwide, Precision Castparts Corp. is the market leader in manufacturing large, complex structural investment castings, airfoil castings, forged components, aerostructures and highly engineered, critical fasteners for aerospace applications. In addition, we are the leading producer of airfoil castings for the industrial gas turbine market. We also manufacture extruded seamless pipe, fittings, and forgings for power generation and oil & gas applications; commercial and military airframe aerostructures; and metal alloys and other materials for the casting and forging industries. With such critical applications, we insist on quality and dependability – not just in the materials and products we make, but in the people we recruit.

PCC is relentless in its dedication to being a high-quality, low-cost and on-time producer; delivering the highest value to its customers while continually pursuing strategic, profitable growth.

In 2016, Berkshire Hathaway, led by Chairman and CEO Warren E. Buffett, acquired Precision Castparts Corp.