Summary:
Applies protective and decorative powder finishes to STULZ metal components. Operates assigned pretreatment, drying, automatic/manual powder application, and curing processes to approved safety, quality, and production requirements. Reports to the foreman and coordinates workflow with assistants.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Work preparation: Review work orders, drawings, finish specifications, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and Technical Data Sheets (TDS). Verify part identity, powder color/code/lot, masking, cleanliness, and required quality checks.
- Startup: Complete assigned checks of guards, emergency stops, ventilation indicators, grounding, hoses, cables, and fire-system status. Do not start with unresolved safety-critical defects.
- Pretreatment and loading: Monitor and record approved bath/rinse conditions when qualified. Verify dry, clean parts, serviceable hooks, stable loads, required spacing, and conductive grounding contact. Add chemicals only under an approved procedure.
- Application: Operate automatic equipment and manual electrostatic guns within approved recipes and settings. Maintain coverage and required gun/operator grounding; coordinate assistants and part flow without entering guarded motion zones.
- Curing and inspection: Monitor approved oven/conveyor settings and verify cure by the specified method. Check film thickness, appearance, adhesion, and other assigned criteria; segregate defects and obtain rework disposition.
- Changeover and records: Perform authorized powder replenishment, reclaim handling, color changes, cleaning, and shutdown. Prevent contamination; record process readings, material lots, quality results, quantities, downtime, and handoff concerns.
Qualifications:
Perform essential duties with or without reasonable accommodation; follow written, verbal, and pictorial instructions; recognize hazards; communicate concerns; and maintain accurate records. HR reviews accommodation requests.
Demonstrate safe startup/shutdown, recipe use, application, process monitoring, defect recognition, and use of quality instruments before independent operation.
Safety and Environmental Responsibilities:
- Controls and housekeeping: Keep guards, ventilation, grounding, and interlocks effective. Prevent powder accumulation and dust clouds; use approved cleaning equipment, not an ordinary shop vacuum or uncontrolled sweeping/blowdown. Keep ignition sources out of restricted areas.
- PPE and chemicals: Use assigned eye/face, hand, foot, body, hearing, and respiratory protection. Inspect PPE; follow SDS, labels, hygiene rules, and approved chemical-handling procedures. Do not select respirators or substitute chemicals independently.
- Hazardous energy: Keep clear of conveyor and equipment danger zones. Do not clear jams, remove guards, service filters, or enter equipment without required controls and authorization. Emergency stops do not replace energy isolation.
- Environmental protection: Keep powder, process liquids, filters, and cleanup residues in designated systems or labeled containers. Do not discharge to drains or change waste-handling practices without site authorization
- Stop-work and emergencies: Stop unsafe work and report dust escape, sparks, gas odor, failed safeguards, unstable loads, spills, injuries, or exposure symptoms.
- Follow safe shutdown/evacuation instructions. Do not undertake rescue, firefighting, restricted-space entry, or emergency spill response unless separately trained and authorized.
Education/Expericance:
- High school diploma, GED, or equivalent education/experience. Manufacturing or finishing experience preferred. Powder coating experience does not replace STULZ equipment-specific qualification.
Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:
- Initial qualification: Complete orientation, hazard communication, PPE, dust/ignition, guarding, affected-employee lockout/tagout, emergency, and job training before exposure or independent work. Demonstrate safe performance.
- Respiratory protection, when required: Complete medical evaluation before fit testing or required use. Tight-fitting respirators require initial and at least annual fit testing, a seal check each use, and no interfering facial hair. Follow program requirements, including annual retraining and additional evaluation/testing when indicated.
- Separate authorization: Forklifts, powered pallet trucks, hoists/rigging, chemical dosing, lockout/tagout, and maintenance require applicable training, evaluation, and authorization before independent work.
- Refresher training: Complete applicable heat-illness and hearing-conservation training; retrain when required or when changes or performance indicate a need. Report qualification and PPE/equipment problems..
Language Skills & Mathematical Skills:
Understand job instructions, hazards, and emergency directions; communicate effectively. Provide understandable training and appropriate language assistance when needed. Use basic arithmetic, fractions, and decimals; read measurements, compare results with approved limits, and accurately record quantities and process information.
Physical Requirements:
Regular standing/walking; frequent reaching, gripping, and repetitive hand/arm motion; occasional bending, stooping, kneeling, or crouching. Identify warnings, equipment movement, and finish defects, with effective aids or accommodation where appropriate.
Occasionally lift/move up to 30 pounds, subject to task validation. Use mechanical or approved team assistance for heavier, bulky, hot, sharp, or unstable loads. Work in required PPE, with reasonable accommodation where effective.
Work Environment:
Manufacturing areas may include moving machinery, suspended parts, sharp edges, powder, chemicals, hot surfaces, wet floors, noise, and vehicle traffic. Follow safeguards, designated routes, heat precautions, and exposure controls.
