Summary Report for:
51-4121.07 - Solderers and Brazers
Braze or solder together components to assemble fabricated metal parts, using soldering iron, torch, or welding machine and flux.
Sample of reported job titles: Brazer, Solderer, Electronic Assembler, Wirer, Assembly Line Brazer, Connector, Electronic Technician, Fabricator, Production Technician, Electrical Assembler
Tasks | Tools & Technology | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Work Activities | Work Context | Job Zone | Interests | Work Styles | Work Values | Related Occupations | Wages & Employment | Additional Information
Tasks
- Melt and apply solder along adjoining edges of workpieces to solder joints, using soldering irons, gas torches, or electric-ultrasonic equipment.
- Heat soldering irons or workpieces to specified temperatures for soldering, using gas flames or electric current.
- Examine seams for defects, and rework defective joints or broken parts.
- Melt and separate brazed or soldered joints to remove and straighten damaged or misaligned components, using hand torches, irons or furnaces.
- Melt and apply solder to fill holes, indentations, and seams of fabricated metal products, using soldering equipment.
- Clean workpieces to remove dirt and excess acid, using chemical solutions, files, wire brushes, or grinders.
- Guide torches and rods along joints of workpieces to heat them to brazing temperature, melt braze alloys, and bond workpieces together.
- Adjust electric current and timing cycles of resistance welding machines to heat metals to bonding temperature.
- Clean equipment parts, such as tips of soldering irons, using chemical solutions or cleaning compounds.
- Turn valves to start flow of gases, and light flames and adjust valves to obtain desired colors and sizes of flames.
Tools & Technology
Tools used in this occupation:
| Blow torches — Oxyacetylene torches; Propane torches |
| Deburring equipment — Deburring tools |
| Gas welding or brazing or cutting apparatus — Brazing equipment |
| Positioning jig — Jigs; Soldering jigs |
| Power saws — Cutoff saws; Reciprocating saws |
| Soldering irons or guns — Soldering irons; Ultrasonic soldering equipment |
| Welding electrodes — Electrodes |
| Welding or cutting tips — Torch tips |
| Workshop cranes — Jibs |
Technology used in this occupation:
* Software developed by a government agency and/or distributed as freeware or shareware.
Knowledge
No knowledge met the minimum score.
Skills
| Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. |
| Quality Control Analysis — Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance. |
| Learning Strategies — Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things. |
| Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others. |
| Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. |
| Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
| Equipment Selection — Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job. |
| Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. |
| Instructing — Teaching others how to do something. |
| Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. |
Abilities
| Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). |
| Finger Dexterity — The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects. |
| Manual Dexterity — The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects. |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness — The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position. |
| Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. |
| Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. |
| Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. |
| Control Precision — The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions. |
| Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). |
Work Activities
| Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. |
| Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. |
| Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. |
| Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
| Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
| Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. |
| Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment — Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles. |
Work Context
| Contact With Others — How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? |
| Time Pressure — How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls? |
| Face-to-Face Discussions — How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? |
| Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? |
| Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets — How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets? |
| Work With Work Group or Team — How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? |
| Physical Proximity — To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people? |
| Exposed to Contaminants — How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)? |
Job Zone
| Title | Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed |
| Education | These occupations usually require a high school diploma. |
| Related 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. |
| Job 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. |
| Job Zone Examples | These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, physical therapist aides, salespersons (retail), and tellers. |
| SVP Range | (4.0 to < 6.0) |
Interests
Interest code: R
| 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. |
Work Styles
| Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. |
| Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. |
| Independence — Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. |
| Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. |
| Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical. |
| Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. |
| Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. |
| Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. |
| Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. |
| Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. |
Work Values
| Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical. |
| Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. |
| Working Conditions — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions. |
Related Occupations
| 51-4052.00 | Pourers and Casters, Metal |
| 51-4111.00 | Tool and Die Makers |
| 51-4122.00 | Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders |
| 51-4193.00 | Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic |
| 51-9022.00 | Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand |
| 51-9031.00 | Cutters and Trimmers, Hand |
| 51-9195.07 | Molding and Casting Workers |
Wages & Employment Trends
National
Median wages data collected from Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers.
Employment data collected from Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers.
Industry data collected from Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers.
| Median wages (2008) | $16.13 hourly, $33,560 annual |
| Employment (2008) | 412,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2008-2018) | 
Little or no change (-2% to 2%)
|
| Projected job openings (2008-2018) | 126,300 |
| Top industries (2008) |
State & National
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2008 wage data
and 2008-2018 employment projections
.
"Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2008-2018). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.
Sources of Additional Information
Disclaimer: Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries. Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.
- Welding, soldering, and brazing workers
. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition.